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Thread: Testing the Waters


  1. #1
    Administrator Migflanker's Avatar
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    Cool Testing the Waters

    I haven’t flown in well over two years, so when my friend DB invited us over to watch him race, I thought why not? Tucson isn’t that far, there’re lots of flights and if all else fails we can drive, besides I’m pretty tired of watching DB’s videos that show a yellow dot roaming around a virtual landscape of Tucson. Now DB maintains that the yellow dot is tracking him, but all I can really attest to is that there’s a yellow dot moving on a 3D landscape, interspersed with photos of DB sitting on his bike looking like he’s ready to ride in the Tour de France.

    It wasn’t until I actually pulled up a schedule that it really hit home, I was looking at a flight schedule without a lot of options. At any rate I did come up with a plan A, B, C + an all-encompassing plan D that involved a secondary airport, possible hours in PHX and a “Shawshank option”
    Now I suppose I should mention that PHX is my angst airport - you know that one airport that just defies both math and strategy - the airport where your best laid plans frequently go off the runway. It never fails that when I have a short connection time, I run into trouble with the moving walkways at PHX - either the walkways aren’t moving, or people are just standing in the middle of the walkways surrounded by bags which I then have to maneuver through in six minutes or less. Then there’s the time there was a power outage at T4 and the time I was bumped off a PHX/LAX flight twice - talk about déjà vu in the jetway – uneasy rests the nonrev while the door is open.
    At any rate my plan A, B, C, D as well as my Shawshank option failed (no cars available at PHX airport, or anywhere near the airport, during my time frame) - which left us with one last course of action - a 1,000-mile round trip drive from LA (gas running around $5.25 a gallon) to see “DB” go riding off into the desert on a 20-mile bike ride…hmm talk about not needing a cost vs benefit analysis.
    We opted for plan H- relaxing in the backyard under a magnolia tree. DB sent us a video of “his race” which unlike his other videos showed a lot of gaps in yellow dot’s route (technical problems with the GPS I was told). I have to tell you I don’t find watching a virtual bike ride all that exciting, but on the other hand I do see a future for virtual non-revving - will he, won’t he make it on the non-stop, talk about suspense - I see people on the edge of their seats.

    Curious about how I was bumped from the same flight twice-
    http://nonrev.net/general-discussion...html#post77740
    Keep'em Flying

    Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles


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    vulindlela (06-Jun-2022), zedman (22-Apr-2022)

  • #2
    Super Moderator MRSDS1DONNA's Avatar
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    Nonrevving is more of a crapshoot these days than ever with the volume of flight cancellations and the fact that the 2019 schedules are not completely back yet. Delays abound and full flights are the norm. I'm doing it but it is challenging me in ways I hadn't expected. Ah, well, you got to "enjoy" the race from a distance.
    MRSDS1DONNA - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Arizona

  • #3
    NonRev Correspondent zedman's Avatar
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    If the connection in PHX is less than an hour, I avoid it at any cost specially if it is Eagle to AA or vice versa.
    zedman - NonRev Correspondent - ZED Travel

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    Administrator Migflanker's Avatar
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    Lightbulb Low Gates/High Gates & Fate

    Quote Originally Posted by zedman View Post
    If the connection in PHX is less than an hour, I avoid it at any cost specially if it is Eagle to AA or vice versa.
    Right you are. In T4 your gate often determines your fate.
    Keep'em Flying

    Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles

  • #5
    Administrator Migflanker's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by MRSDS1DONNA View Post
    Nonrevving is more of a crapshoot these days than ever with the volume of flight cancellations and the fact that the 2019 schedules are not completely back yet. Delays abound and full flights are the norm. I'm doing it but it is challenging me in ways I hadn't expected....
    Exactly, looks like we all are going to have to add a few more items to our non-rev checklist.
    Keep'em Flying

    Migflanker - Senior NonRev Correspondent - Los Angeles

  • #6
    NonRev Correspondent zedman's Avatar
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    Which is really amazing nowadays is the fact the fights can get really full 24h prior, it was not the case in the past.
    zedman - NonRev Correspondent - ZED Travel

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  • This post by zedman liked by 3 users:

    Migflanker (23-Apr-2022), MRSDS1DONNA (23-Apr-2022), vulindlela (06-Jun-2022)

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