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11/09/03- Southeast Airlines FLL-ABE (Part 2)

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  • 11/09/03- Southeast Airlines FLL-ABE (Part 2)

    Okay, part I from ABE-FLL is already in there somewhere, but it is a little wordy. I've tried to make this one more... "user friendly"...

    FLIGHT-558
    DATE- 11-09-03
    AIRCRAFT- MD-82
    SEAT- 12A
    DEPATURE AIRPORT- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International (FLL)
    ARRIVAL AIRPORT- Lehigh Valley/Allentown International (ABE)
    SCHEDULED DEPARTURE- 7:30 AM
    DEPARTURE GATE- 8E
    ACTUAL DEPARTURE- 7:35 AM
    ACTUAL TIME WHEELS OFF GROUND- 7:42 AM
    CRUISING ALTITUDE- 33,000
    SCHEDULED ARRIVAL- 10:10 AM
    ARRIVAL GATE- 11
    ACTUAL ARRIVAL- 10:02 AM
    ACTUAL TIME WHEELS ON GROUND- 10:00 AM
    OVERALL EXPERIENCE: 4.5/5

    When I arrived at Terminal 3 of the Ft. Lauderdale Airport on Sunday morning, it was dark and hot, and there were not many people there.

    My uncle dropped my father and I off at the upstairs check-in area, and when we walked inside, there were three flights with open check-in desks; a U.S. Airways flight to PHL, an AirTran Flight to ATL, and our Southeast flight to ABE. There were about 6 other people ahead of us in the line for check-in, but four very polite people working it (even at 5:40 in the morning!!). . When we got up to the desk, they highlighted our names on their clipboard and took our boarding passes out of the folder. This time, the boarding passes were more real than on the way down, and we were assigned to seats 12A and 12B.

    Security was lightning fast , being that there were only three flights and about 5 checkpoints open . Once through security, I grabbed a ham-egg-cheese sandwich at the Key West Cafe (which was freezing cold), and bought a magazine at the newsstand. Now it was about 6:40, and the plane was scheduled to board at around 7:00, so I took a picture of the AirTran 7:00 flight to ATL and a US Airways 319 bound for CLT before setting down at gate E8 where my Southeast MD82 had just pulled up and was being serviced. Looking accross the ramp, I saw about 5 different AA a/c parked at gates, and one AA MD80 which was sitting in the middle of the ramp for about 45 minutes.

    Finally, the FA's boarded the planes with their ugly blue suits on, and a heavyset woman picked up the little microphone thing and started preboarding. Finally, they boarded rows 1 and above (which was me), and I made my way through the jetway, took my seat, and looked out the window, where I saw a Southeast van sitting on the ramp.

    Taxiing for takeoff, I did not have my camera handy (it was in the overhead bin), and as the FA's were doing their safety briefing, I spotted a big green Song 757 , an AA MD80, a Southwest 737, and the Learjet hangar. The plane did not hold as it taxied to the runway, but rather sped up about halfway through the turn onto it. The plane roared down to the very end of the runway and took off towards the east, flying over the Ft. Lauderdale cruise harbour and finally the ocean, before ascending above the clouds. The majority of the flight was smooth, with the exception of some minor bumps here and there, and I ordered a Sprite once the beverage cart came around. The FA's were all FLL-based, and were very polite and chatty, and I talked to one for about 10 minutes while waiting for the restroom in the back of the plane who was very happy with her job.

    Back in my seat, I was reading a magazine when I glanced out the window and saw some mountain range and lots of farms, and from then I became glued. I took a picture of what I think might be New Castle County Airport, and also some pictures of the mountains and farms we were flying over.

    The flight became a bit bumpy and the FA's made an announcement to turn off all portable electronic devices and put all traytables and seat backs in the upright and locked position, as well as open all window shades .
    Finally, as we got lower and lower to the ground, I spotted the PA Turnpike, US 22, the Lehigh Valley Mall (which we were LOW over), and then some neighboorhoods and warehouses, before finally hitting the ground.

    The ABE terminal was empty (as usual) with the exception of an NWA DC9 parked at gate 6. We pulled in at Gate 11 and deboarded into the virtually empty terminal.

    It was freezing when I stepped outside, but luckily the shuttle came shortly after to take us to the parking lot. The shuttle was full, but the man dropped us off in front of our car. Driving away from the airport, I looked back and saw the tail of our plane sticking out over the rest of the airport; it was the only plane i saw there.
    www.acairport.com
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