Airline: Southwest Airlines
Aircraft:737-300
Reg Number: N690SW
Scheduled Departure: 8:45am
Scheduled Arrival: 9:45am
Actual Departure: 8:46am
Actual Arrival:9:30am
Flight Number: 775
I got up and showered and my friend and I left for MDW at 6:45am. We arrived into MDW by 7:30am. I checked in for my flight, I was number 8 to check in. I got an A boarding card again. I followed the signs into the security area. I got lost haha. I couldn't find the "hallway" that lead to it. But I finally found it and walked the long trek to the entrance of the secuirty area. a TSA guy showed me a line to go through. I took off my jacket, shoes, wallet, watch, and money in my pocket. Also my cell phone. I walked through and did not set it off. I gathered my things and walked down to McDonalds. I grabbed a big breakfast. I sat down at a table and started to eat when this lady came up and said "Excuse me your not supossed to eat here, we are closed" I said "Oh I am sorry but why can we not eat here?" (i asked because there was three other people eating around me and she did not talk to them.) She said " You did not buy the food from here, it is closed so you have to eat somewhere else." not wanting to start a fight or anything i just said "Ok Im sorry, ill go somewhere else" So I did, and walked to one of the seats near my gate. So i ate the breakfast and looked at gate B-20. There was a plane there but I was not sure if it was ours or for another flight. So i went up to the gate and asked the agent what aircraft was scheduled for Flight 775. At the gate was N690SW, a 737-300. The agent said "excuse me a minute let me look it up..." she looked and said I am showing it as a 733 so im guessing it is a -700 varient. I said "if it was a 733 that means its a 737-300, if it shows up as a 73G or just 737 it is a 737-700 Varient., is the plane at the gate right now (as I am pointing) our flight to STL?" she said "yes it RON" I said "ok then it is a 737-300." she asked how did I know. I said "If you look at the wings, you will see it is gray underneath the wing and if it was reddish/orange it would be a 737-700, and also the registeration starts with a 6, and all -300 varients start with a 3 or a 6" she said "ohh wow, ok you sure know your stuff!!!"
I wasn't trying to prove her wrong i was just trying to clarify what aircraft was going to be mine. So then it was 8:20am and the agent came on saying it was time to board. She picked up the microphone and started to speak into it and it was not working. she tried twice and nothing. so she just placed it back on the stand and cupped her hands around her mouth and started yelling. "OK FOLKS!!, We will begin boarding Flight 775, a non stop flight to STL with Continuation to Orlando International, we only have 23 people on board for this flight, and as always Southwest does not assign seats so feel free to sit anywhere you want!" then we started lining up and then this is funny.."We will now begin boarding the A group....oh wait a minute there is not enough people for anything, ok EVERYONE just come through the A line (since everyone had an A card) and you all know what to do, thanks for flying Southwest!" So we all lined up and got on board. I walked inside and it was the new interior plane again. I love those. Seriously the comfiest interior I have ever flown in! i sat down in row 15 seat F. Man those wings look soo short compared to the -700. We had a pilot, and 3 flight attendents (all males) and a mechanic on board and an employee of Southwest ALL non revving to either STL or MCO. so..figure that in the 23 people on board..we actually only had 17 paying passengers (unless they used a Rapid Reward ticket) on board. quite sad, this was also the first flight to STL on SWA too so remember that. Well i glanced around the cabin and everyone else sat down. I looked to my left and saw a plane sitting to my left. I saw on the nose it said FRED JONES. Then i looked back and said "wait a minute!!! I thought that was on a 737-200?!?! but they retired those?!?! So I looked again and realized I was staring at a -700. but wait.....I looked at the registeration. IT WAS N201LV, I was actually witnessing N201LV FINALLY in SERVICE!! I got sooooooo excited so when we back ed out and was facing it I snapped a picture of it!!! The pilots went in the cabin and started the engines. then i heard a loud pop and the engine quit. uh oh....
Then I heard them try it again, nothing. it popped again. Then one more time and this time no pop and the engines finally were smoothly working. naturally this had me worried but no words from the pilot so i guessed all was ok! We taxied out and went by N201LV!! here is a pic of it!

I also got a shot of one of the Elton John AirTran 717 as well!

Then we taxied on the way to the runway. some more pics


as you can see we had just taken off

and we start a huge turn to the left.

and finally we started the approach into STL.

then..TOUCHDOWN!

we slowed down and taxied down to gate E-6 I think
I got off, called my dad and he arrived in 30 min to pick me up.
Great trip!
Alex
Aircraft:737-300
Reg Number: N690SW
Scheduled Departure: 8:45am
Scheduled Arrival: 9:45am
Actual Departure: 8:46am
Actual Arrival:9:30am
Flight Number: 775
I got up and showered and my friend and I left for MDW at 6:45am. We arrived into MDW by 7:30am. I checked in for my flight, I was number 8 to check in. I got an A boarding card again. I followed the signs into the security area. I got lost haha. I couldn't find the "hallway" that lead to it. But I finally found it and walked the long trek to the entrance of the secuirty area. a TSA guy showed me a line to go through. I took off my jacket, shoes, wallet, watch, and money in my pocket. Also my cell phone. I walked through and did not set it off. I gathered my things and walked down to McDonalds. I grabbed a big breakfast. I sat down at a table and started to eat when this lady came up and said "Excuse me your not supossed to eat here, we are closed" I said "Oh I am sorry but why can we not eat here?" (i asked because there was three other people eating around me and she did not talk to them.) She said " You did not buy the food from here, it is closed so you have to eat somewhere else." not wanting to start a fight or anything i just said "Ok Im sorry, ill go somewhere else" So I did, and walked to one of the seats near my gate. So i ate the breakfast and looked at gate B-20. There was a plane there but I was not sure if it was ours or for another flight. So i went up to the gate and asked the agent what aircraft was scheduled for Flight 775. At the gate was N690SW, a 737-300. The agent said "excuse me a minute let me look it up..." she looked and said I am showing it as a 733 so im guessing it is a -700 varient. I said "if it was a 733 that means its a 737-300, if it shows up as a 73G or just 737 it is a 737-700 Varient., is the plane at the gate right now (as I am pointing) our flight to STL?" she said "yes it RON" I said "ok then it is a 737-300." she asked how did I know. I said "If you look at the wings, you will see it is gray underneath the wing and if it was reddish/orange it would be a 737-700, and also the registeration starts with a 6, and all -300 varients start with a 3 or a 6" she said "ohh wow, ok you sure know your stuff!!!"



I also got a shot of one of the Elton John AirTran 717 as well!

Then we taxied on the way to the runway. some more pics


as you can see we had just taken off

and we start a huge turn to the left.

and finally we started the approach into STL.

then..TOUCHDOWN!

we slowed down and taxied down to gate E-6 I think

Great trip!
Alex
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