Round The World and other travels

Unusually for me, I was one of the last of the First Class passengers to board. I know I've got this wrong in the past, but this 757 really was one of the ex-TWA examples, with the big, comfortable seats. Row 1 also featured cut-outs at foot level, giving extra leg-room and/or additional storage space. I had to dispose of a napkin and coffee stirrer left behind on my seat and obviously missed during cleaning   Once boarding was complete, I had a pre-departure diet coke. We pushed back at 1044 and made our way out to DFW's 17R, taking off at 1059 by my watch. It was a typically steep 757 climb, affording good views of the airport.

The flight time was announced as 2hrs 33 mins, at an altitude of 37,000ft. The in-flight move, an animation called Flushed Away, started promptly, but I decided not to watch it. The flight routing was via Texarkana, Memphis, Nashville and the Shenandoah Valley. A short spell of turbulence had the seat belt signs coming back on just shortly after they had been switched off, but it was short lived.

Service started with a glass of Champagne (actually Californian sparkling white, but who's complaining?) and the signature bowl of warmed nuts. A hot towels service followed. The light lunch offered a choice of main course : roast beef and cheese toasted sandwich or roast beef enchilada. I opted for the latter. The tray also included a salad and some crackers and a portion of so-called Wee Brie which, as previously noted, has more in common with Dairylea. The cutlery was the usual plastic. Despite the various shortcomings, the light meal managed to hit the spot and the service was attentive. Apparently one well-dressed gentleman from further back in the cabin had a red wine accident and looked quite a mess as he made his way to the washroom.

Shortly after clearing the lunch trays away, the service came to a close with the offer of a mug of coffee and a hot cookie. Very tasty! Interestingly, the FAs used a transversely placed drinks cart to physically blockade the aisle while the cockpit door was open and turned back a passenger in no uncertain terms when he decided that this was the perfect moment for a visit to the forward washroom   As we made our descent, the Captain pointed out the Potomac River and the Washington Monument. I was offered a mint for the final approach. We touched down in BWI at 1418 and, despite confusion over which gate to use, made it onto stand by 1425. Overall, an enjoyable Domestic First experience!