TRI-ATL-LGA-ATL-TRI on Delta 9-11 October 2009

I apologize for not posting this sooner, but this trip was flawless except for two issues:

–On October 9, I was scheduled to fly TRI-CVG-LGA.  Delta contacted me and let me know that I was going to misconnect and offered me an involuntary reroute through ATL.  Well, it ended up that my original flight was NOT delayed, but the flight they rerouted me on WAS delayed.  I misconnected in ATL and was backed up on the last flight out of ATL.  I barely made that last connection due to the delay, and I lost the upgrade on the flight I missed.  I was stuck sitting in 31A window.  The flight did have Gogo Inflight Internet, so I managed to surf the Internet for the duration of that flight.  There was no in-flight service from TRI-ATL and the standard coach snack and beverage service was offered from ATL-LGA.  That flight arrived on time.

–On my return from LGA-ATL, I was upgraded and enjoyed continental breakfast and the standard beverage and snack basket service.  On the flight from ATL-TRI, we were delayed due to a computer glitch that prevented an accurate weight and balance reading, so the pilots ended up having to do it the old-fashioned way, with “pen and paper,” they announced.  There was no in-flight service and we landed about 30-40 minutes late without incident.

Today I checked my Delta SkyMiles account and noticed that I had been proactively awarded 2500 “Customer Relations Bonus Miles” on October 13.  I assume that was due to the involuntary reroute.

LGA-ATL-TRI on Delta 4 Oct 2009

DL 1779 LGA-ATL 1100A-141P 757-200 Seat 5B Aisle First Class
DL 5091 ATL-TRI 303P -409P CRJ-200 Seat 8B Exit Aisle

The flights home were pleasantly uneventful.  I arrived the airport in time to pass through security and visit the Sky Club in LaGuardia before boarding my flight.  We boarded on time, pushed back on time, and departed around 11:30 am.  I was upgraded, so my flight service included beverages and lunch, a choice of a Greek-style salad with grilled chicken or a turkey sandwich.  There was no Gogo Inflight Internet on this plane, so I spent my time reading instead of watching the television short programming on the overhead monitors.  We landed in Atlanta early and I had time again to visit the C37 Sky Club for a quick beverage and computer time.

The second flight boarded and departed on time as well, again with just a short wait to take off.  There was no in-flight service due to the “short duration,” but the flight attendant offered to serve us on an as-needed basis.  Again, we arrived early at TRI.

My impression is that Delta has greatly improved their product and service in the last year, despite the merger with Northwest and related, but expected, glitches.  I hope the improvement continues as Delta is my carrier of choice from TRI.

TRI-ATL-LGA on Delta 1 Oct 2009

DL 5570 TRI-ATL 205P-318P CRJ-200 Seat 3B Aisle
DL 1788 ATL-LGA 440P -709P 757-200 Seat 19D Exit Aisle

The first flight from TRI-ATL was fairly uneventful as usual.  We departed about 25 minutes late and still landed early, but our gate was still occupied, so we had to wait.  The flight attendant announced there would be no beverage service due to the “short duration,” but did pass through the cabin offering coffee or water.  Our delay was due to a late-arriving inbound aircraft and our flight was full due to a previous cancellation.  I offered to take a bump to a later flight, but when the agents looked at my itinerary, they decided it was in my best interest to stay on my original flights.

I had time to visit the A17 Sky Club for about 20 minutes in between flights, where I enjoyed mixed nuts, olives, and an Atlanta Sweetwater brew.

When I arrived my departure gate, boarding had already started and I missed the upgrade by one. However, seat 19D has more legroom than first class, but has a narrower seat due to the tray table in the armrest.

We departed on time and were airborne within 15 minutes of gate departure.  The in-flight service consisted of complimentary snacks and snacks/snack boxes for sale.  I purchased one of the snack boxes to see what it contained and I must say I was impressed: pita chips, hummus, a mini Toblerone, a small chocolate chip granola-type bar, dried apricots, almonds, a wet nap, and mini Delta playing cards!  I also took advantage of the Gogo Inflight Internet, so the time passed quickly.  I also enjoyed talking to the flight attendant who was seated facing me at the exit.  We landed 23 minutes early at LGA.