Last week's class was at Hitachi Data Systems' office in Toronto. Traveling to Toronto isn't that much worse for me coming from New Orleans than any US city. The routine for a Delta frequent flier is essentially the same, fly to ATL, connect there to the destination. Pearson International Airport (YYZ) isn't a big destination for Delta, so the connecting flight was a 50-seat CRJ-200 regional jet.
This was a four-day class, running from Tuesday to Friday, so I went out on Monday. Usually Monday morning travel has its advantages, the biggest of which is it's not Sunday, but this was the Monday after the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. JazzFest is one of those events where people actually pay for first class tickets if that's what they have to do to get to New Orleans. That meant the odds of me getting upgraded to first class for the outbound flight were slim. One of the perks of being a Medallion-level customer with Delta is that they allow me to choose seats from the "preferred" sections. This includes the exit rows. Many of the jets in the Delta fleet have two over-the-wing exit doors on each side. To make sure that those doors are unobstructed, the seat backs of the rows directly in front of the doors are locked upright. If you choose a seat in the second exit row, you get extended leg room (wider to allow passage through the exit door), and the passenger in front of you can't plop his back into your lap. Given that I don't drink cocktails or wine on an early morning flight, the exit row isn't all that bad.
The MSY-ATL flight was uneventful, other than the usual bumpy air over Alabama. We arrived on-time in nice weather. I was able to amuse myself with Twitter while we taxied to the gate T-2. The "T" gates are part of the main terminal building. A glance at the connecting flights monitor upon deplaning boosted my spirits-the outbound flight was not leaving from concourse "E" as my boarding pass listed, but rather from "C." I decided to stop in the Crown Room Club on "T" and relax there before going out to "C," from which most of the regional jets operated by Delta Connection partner airlines operate.
The front desk agent in the "T" Crown Room reminded me that there was now a club on "C," so I turned around and headed there anyway. The Crown Room on "C" is relatively new, and it's absolutely gorgeous, with a waterfall in the entrance, lots of high ceilings, and great views of operations at the gates. It's also got a big "business section," a series of carrels set up for computer users. The wi-fi was the solid T-Mobile signal I've come to expect in Delta's club rooms. Soon enough it was time to head to the gate.
Atlantic South Airlines (ASA) is a "Delta Connection" airline. They operate "Bombardier" regional jets as Delta "codeshare" flights. The employess of ASA are separate from Delta, meaning pilots and flight attendants negotiate salaries independent of th main airline. Pilots on Delta Connection jets are usually the younger guys and gals who are just getting started in civilian aviation. The CRJ-200 is small, so they only need a single flight attendant. Most carry-on luggage that can easily be stowed overhead in a larger jet won't fit on the CRJs, so they "gate-check" these bags. You drop off your bag on the jetway and pick it up planeside upon arrival. My backpack will fit in the CRJ's overhead with the computer out, or it will slide under the seat, so I don't have to sweat gate-checking. All settled in with my Bernard Cornwell novel, I was ready for the 1:45 flight. We were slow getting out of ATL; like most larger airports, there are more flights scheduled for departure in a given hour than there are takeoff slots. We finally got in the air and headed north. This flight was also uneventful, other than my fat butt doesn't quite fit well in the CRJ's smaller seats.
Arriving at YYZ is not all that different from any other large airport. Delta operations at Pearson are limited these days to regional jets, so passengers deplane using the built-in stairs of the CRJ and walk outside to the terminal building. Once everyone is off the plane, a shuttle bus arrives to transport you to the main arrival terminal. Clearing Canadian immigration and customs is fairly simple. When they ask me what I'm doing for four days in Canada, I tell them "photographing streetcars." Toronto has an extensive trolley system, so it usually deflects any other questions. A few years back, a lovely border agent popped me for CA$150 for a work permit of some such when I actually said I was coming up to teach in Ottawa. Never again, I'm a tourist coming to take pictures.
Once through immigration, I retrieved my checked bag to pass through customs. Nothing to declare, and off I go to fetch the rental car. At most airports, the rental car lot is a separate facility, but they're all in the parking garage next to the terminal at YYZ, so there's no shuttle bus ride. HDS has a corporate arrangement with Avis, and yes, they try harder to impress me. My ride for this trip was a Chrysler Sebring...convertible! I walked up to the Avis "preferred" counter right when another guy was standing there, demanding to see the manager, because he objected to the type of car they gave him. Not the size (mid-size, full, etc.), but the make/model. I walk up with a smile, show my license, and am handed the keys to a convertible. I never know if these things are arranged beforehand or if it's karma, but I like when that happens.
With my bag securely stored, I was ready to be away from the airport.
This was a four-day class, running from Tuesday to Friday, so I went out on Monday. Usually Monday morning travel has its advantages, the biggest of which is it's not Sunday, but this was the Monday after the second weekend of the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. JazzFest is one of those events where people actually pay for first class tickets if that's what they have to do to get to New Orleans. That meant the odds of me getting upgraded to first class for the outbound flight were slim. One of the perks of being a Medallion-level customer with Delta is that they allow me to choose seats from the "preferred" sections. This includes the exit rows. Many of the jets in the Delta fleet have two over-the-wing exit doors on each side. To make sure that those doors are unobstructed, the seat backs of the rows directly in front of the doors are locked upright. If you choose a seat in the second exit row, you get extended leg room (wider to allow passage through the exit door), and the passenger in front of you can't plop his back into your lap. Given that I don't drink cocktails or wine on an early morning flight, the exit row isn't all that bad.
The MSY-ATL flight was uneventful, other than the usual bumpy air over Alabama. We arrived on-time in nice weather. I was able to amuse myself with Twitter while we taxied to the gate T-2. The "T" gates are part of the main terminal building. A glance at the connecting flights monitor upon deplaning boosted my spirits-the outbound flight was not leaving from concourse "E" as my boarding pass listed, but rather from "C." I decided to stop in the Crown Room Club on "T" and relax there before going out to "C," from which most of the regional jets operated by Delta Connection partner airlines operate.
The front desk agent in the "T" Crown Room reminded me that there was now a club on "C," so I turned around and headed there anyway. The Crown Room on "C" is relatively new, and it's absolutely gorgeous, with a waterfall in the entrance, lots of high ceilings, and great views of operations at the gates. It's also got a big "business section," a series of carrels set up for computer users. The wi-fi was the solid T-Mobile signal I've come to expect in Delta's club rooms. Soon enough it was time to head to the gate.
Atlantic South Airlines (ASA) is a "Delta Connection" airline. They operate "Bombardier" regional jets as Delta "codeshare" flights. The employess of ASA are separate from Delta, meaning pilots and flight attendants negotiate salaries independent of th main airline. Pilots on Delta Connection jets are usually the younger guys and gals who are just getting started in civilian aviation. The CRJ-200 is small, so they only need a single flight attendant. Most carry-on luggage that can easily be stowed overhead in a larger jet won't fit on the CRJs, so they "gate-check" these bags. You drop off your bag on the jetway and pick it up planeside upon arrival. My backpack will fit in the CRJ's overhead with the computer out, or it will slide under the seat, so I don't have to sweat gate-checking. All settled in with my Bernard Cornwell novel, I was ready for the 1:45 flight. We were slow getting out of ATL; like most larger airports, there are more flights scheduled for departure in a given hour than there are takeoff slots. We finally got in the air and headed north. This flight was also uneventful, other than my fat butt doesn't quite fit well in the CRJ's smaller seats.
Arriving at YYZ is not all that different from any other large airport. Delta operations at Pearson are limited these days to regional jets, so passengers deplane using the built-in stairs of the CRJ and walk outside to the terminal building. Once everyone is off the plane, a shuttle bus arrives to transport you to the main arrival terminal. Clearing Canadian immigration and customs is fairly simple. When they ask me what I'm doing for four days in Canada, I tell them "photographing streetcars." Toronto has an extensive trolley system, so it usually deflects any other questions. A few years back, a lovely border agent popped me for CA$150 for a work permit of some such when I actually said I was coming up to teach in Ottawa. Never again, I'm a tourist coming to take pictures.
Once through immigration, I retrieved my checked bag to pass through customs. Nothing to declare, and off I go to fetch the rental car. At most airports, the rental car lot is a separate facility, but they're all in the parking garage next to the terminal at YYZ, so there's no shuttle bus ride. HDS has a corporate arrangement with Avis, and yes, they try harder to impress me. My ride for this trip was a Chrysler Sebring...convertible! I walked up to the Avis "preferred" counter right when another guy was standing there, demanding to see the manager, because he objected to the type of car they gave him. Not the size (mid-size, full, etc.), but the make/model. I walk up with a smile, show my license, and am handed the keys to a convertible. I never know if these things are arranged beforehand or if it's karma, but I like when that happens.
With my bag securely stored, I was ready to be away from the airport.
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