The next door neighbors agreed to drive us to the airport for a 12:30 flight. This trip, we’re traveling from Palm Springs to Salt Lake City with a stopover in Amsterdam; then on to Athens.
I am sweating out the first flight, as it to be in a Bombardier Canadian Regional Jet (CRJ) 900. After researching the site Seat Guru, I discover our seats for this flight are about 16.5 inches in width. Compounding the problem, there is an issue with confirming my seat together with Scott. I already KNOW if I get a window seat I will be immediately negotiating with my never-met seatmate for the aisle seat. Welcome to my first day of travel.
At check-in, Delta’s ramp agent relocates Scott & me together! Win! I ask for a seatbelt extender for the flight and we are underway.
This is my first time arriving at Salt Lake City Airport. It is a very nice airport and busy busy busy! People here are all dressed up for their flights. In Palm Springs, most wear casual clothes; many in [gasp!] shorts! Walking through the SLC airport and overhearing conversations, it appears many travelers are off to or returning from their church’s missions. I would describe the experience as being witness to a human beehive of sorts. I’m sure it is my imagination, but it seems that the two of us are receiving many glances from many of the bees here.
The flight to Amsterdam is on Delta’s Boeing 767-300ER (76T/76W) Layout 1. The seats are just about 18 inches which is the width of some airlines’ first-class seats! Expecting my usual experience in coach (something akin to being herded to the back of the trailer like a cow en route to slaughter), I’m pleasantly surprised to learn I am very wrong! What an amazing experience! Every attendant is kind. I feel it is a fantastic experience that rivals any I’ve ever had in First Class. We lucked out by having an extra open seat between the two of us! We have seats 25C and 25E.
The 10-hour 29-minute overnight Delta flight delivers us to a very busy Schiphol airport. The approach to the airport is over fields of millions of colorful tulips. Massive fields of solid red and yellow pass before our eyes. The airport is quirkily filled with POP art and metal slatted walls and ceilings. All of the airport is decorated in neon signs. It is not your typical airport! The Dutch flight attendants seem laid back and relaxed. Too relaxed. We are here to meet our next and final flight; short flight on KLM Airlines to Athens. KLM is using a Boeing 737-800 (737). It won’t matter where we sit, every single one of the seats is exactly the same; about 17 inches in width. We have seats 05F and 05D.
Our usual scheme of booking a window and aisle seat (leaving the middle seat open) was thwarted because, as we board, Scott, who always boards first of the two of us, decides to stop just past our row of seats and insists I enter the row first, taking the window seat. As we begin our familiar banter it becomes apparent, we are holding up the entire boarding process. The plane is probably going to have a late departure, so nerves are already on edge. Feeling the pressure from virtually everyone around us to just do something, I decide to just comply and sit first. Scott takes the aisle seat, thinking the seat between us will remain open.
The seat between us is not open. Because of another canceled flight, our flight is oversold, and every seat is filled. Well, they would be filled but presumably, because we are late, the KLM flight begins to back away from the gate. Passengers are still standing in the aisles! This is a first. Panic begins to set in as flight attendants are speaking very quickly over the loudspeakers in Dutch and then again in English and then French. People, still standing, are fumbling with coats and hats and trying to push bags into already overloaded overheads. Attendants are trying to slam the lids. It’s utter pandemonium! As the path clears, attendants begin running up and down the aisle with extra items that never made it into overheads. We are still taxiing now, even more quickly towards the runway.
Meanwhile, in the scuttle, we picked up a new seatmate. As he sat between us, it became apparent; he was a big fellow. He is tall and thick and was obviously trying his best to get through the experience like the two of us. I have concerns because usually I literally have Scott to lean on. Now I had this stranger and he was leaning on me! The encroachment of personal space doesn’t seem to freak him out so I decided it must be a “European thing”. I just relax as best as I ca,n and settle in.
That is the first and only flight in my life upon which a flight attendant does not check to see if I am wearing a seat belt. I am not wearing mine. I’m going to live dangerously! I’m sure the new stranger is sitting on one end of my belt. We just went through all of the settling. I refuse to upset the delicate balance. The flight attendants deliver what amounts to be a greasy (and HOT) pepperoni hot pocket and a beer. Nobody in our row is able to put the tray tables down. We sit quietly like praying mantis; double fisting our early lunch. When we finish, we continue to sit double fisting the refuse, with no flight attendants to pick up trash. We have a 3 hour flight ahead.
Months before we left, I had arranged and prepaid for a driver to take us from the Athens Airport to the Savoy Hotel, near the port of Piraeus. I found Georges Taxi company through internet searches. He had excellent reviews. From those reviews, one could tell George was well-loved and respected. It was beyond mere transactional business. George deeply cares for his clients. He owns a number of vehicles and chose his Mercedes to pick us up this afternoon. I can recommend him very highly. If you’d like to read information and suggestions for getting from the Athens Airport to your hotel, check out Athens Airport.
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