July 11: TYS-DCA-LGA

US 2358 TYS-DCA CRJ seat 8C exit no seatmate
I arrived TYS early and was able to relax at Ruby Tuesdays, have a meal, and use my computer before flight time. Owen had just posted about the new TSA random search at the gate and lucky me, I was selected! The agent checked my computer and my rollaboard, but not my purse or me! We boarded late, at 4:25 pm due to a late-arriving and departing CLT flight at the same gate. There were about 15 empty seats of 50 total. We departed at 4:42 pm, 17 minutes late. But we landed at 5:50 pm, 9 minutes early. There was a full bev service in flight and an incredible approach into DCA over the Watergate and Kennedy Center and then I could see all the monuments and sights! Great way to arrive!

US 2184 DCA-LGA A319 seat 2C no seatmate
We started boarding 5 minutes late. There was a full pre-dep drink service. I had white wine, but it was awful. We boarded quickly as the plane was only about half full. There were three open seats in F. We backed away 7 minutes early, but took a 20-minute ATC delay. We took off at 7:26 pm, 26 minutes late. There was a full bev service in flight and I switched to Bud Light (I’m not a Bud fan, mind you) because I wanted beer and the only beer choices are Bud, Bud Light, and Heineken.  The beer was not cold so that was a little yucky, too. We also had the standard snack basket. After serving us, the FA went up front to her seat to read and eat Sun Chips! At 7:55 pm, we were put into a 20-minute holding pattern about 100 miles from LGA due to “traffic saturation,” so that gave me plenty of time to write most of this report–or so I thought! After five minutes, we were released early! And even with our delays totaling 31 minutes, we only landed five minutes late.

A note about the FAs. They mostly did their jobs, but I would not call them friendly or customer-oriented. It was more like they were “going through the motions” and they had a “toughness” about them that make them more like “surly.” I guess they are toughening themselves up for the onslaught of customer confusion when they have to start collecting $2.00 for drinks.

Two US flights down, four to go!