Tale of Two Flights: A Spoiled Brat Flies the Airlines

Two recent airline forays could be classified as sublime and ridiculous. 

After Hurricane Idalia stormed up Florida’s west coast in August 2023, friends and neighbors sent videos of our backyard in Tampa to my wife, Cathy, and me. Our boat dock was destroyed. There was debris everywhere. I decided to take a look with a proposed 36-hour trip from our New Hampshire cottage to Tampa and back.

Because the annual inspection on our P-Baron had sprawled into eight weeks of downtime, the airlines were the only choice. I booked from Lebanon, New Hampshire (KLEB), to Tampa (KTPA), via Boston (KBOS) on Cape Air and JetBlue. The first flight was scheduled to depart Lebanon at 7 a.m., and I expected to arrive in Florida just before 1 p.m. In my mind, of course, I always compare an airline trip with a GA trip. With a Baron, the comparisons were interesting. 

ForeFlight estimated a total travel time of six hours and 11 minutes each way with a stop in Kinston, North Carolina (KISO), not far off the airline itinerary. The fuel burn was 451 gallons round trip (using an average price of $7.30 considering fuel prices at all three airports, this amounts to $3,292). This cost made the airlines a clear choice, as the round-trip ticket was $580. But wait...

Surprise, the airlines were not as advertised in both directions. When I arrived at KLEB, the agent told me the flight would not leave until 8:30 a.m., blowing up the connection. “Fog?” I asked. “No, crew rest,” said the agent. “You should have gotten an email last night.” (I did, but it was well after I went to bed.) He kindly “backed me up” on the noon JetBlue flight from KBOS to KTPA, arriving at 3:20 p.m., just over eight hours from original departure time. I even got a seat, 8A.

The flight to Boston, though late, was great. It was my first trip in Cape Air’s new Tecnam P2012 and I was enchanted. The cockpit was all glass, the wheels didn’t retract, and the cabin fan was powerful. Our ground speeds were 160 to 170 at 7,000 feet.

As I settled in the JetBlue window seat, a young mother with what looked like a 2-month-old sat next to me. A large, apparently unrelated gentleman with a goatee took the aisle. Pleasantries were exchanged and we took off on time. It became clear the young mother had her hands full. She bounced the baby, switched holding him (her?) to the left and to the right. 

When nursing time arrived, I excused myself and went to an empty exit row seat so there would be a little more room and privacy available. This did not last long. Boston-based flight attendant Emily came whipping down the aisle to inform me I couldn’t sit there. Even when I explained the baby situation, her rulebook wouldn’t abide by anything but my immediate return to seat 8A. I’m guessing she doesn’t have any children. We were all in an awkward spot, but the young mom had the worst of it.

The next day I went to catch the 1:40 p.m. flight to Boston, connecting to the 6 p.m. to KLEB. An email from JetBlue announced a delay of five hours, leaving me in Boston after 9 p.m. with no Cape Air or even bus service available. Cathy jumped on it, found a $474 ticket on Southwest via Baltimore (KBWI) to Manchester, New Hampshire (KMHT), which is a 1.5-hour drive from the cottage. I would arrive at 9:15 and be home by 11. My boarding passes had me in Group C, guaranteeing a middle seat, but I was a desperate man. 

The first leg was only 25 minutes late, and the connection was made without fuss. Then we waited 35 minutes as the sun set at KBWI for two bags to be found and loaded. Finally we took off and I settled into a robust conversation with a healthcare consultant sitting next to me. Next thing I knew, the gear was coming down. The next thing I knew the gear was coming up and power was applied—a go-around. What? 

It turned out we were set up for Runway 6 at KMHT when a wind shift prompted a teardrop return to Runway 24. I know my fellow fatigued passengers were aware that we were about 40 minutes late, but did they know how professional the crew was as it ensured our safe arrival? Not ridiculous airline travel, actually. Just rerouted, more expensive, and late. But safe.

The other airline flights during the same time period were best described as sublime. A friend, who was buying a Piper Cheyenne III, asked me to fly with the seller from Sarasota, Florida (KSRQ), to Lafayette, Indiana (KLAF), where a pre-buy inspection was to take place. Heck, yeah.

I drove to Boston (two hours) to catch a Delta 737-800 to KTPA. I enjoy minor status at Delta due to accumulating 2 million miles back when you could collect miles easily. I was looking forward to an exit row seat. As my boarding pass was scanned, the gate agent stopped me and handed me a flimsy piece of paper: first class. “What can I get you, sir?” Big smiles all around. “Would you like a turkey sandwich and a glass of wine?” Again, heck, yeah.

The next morning a friend picked me up at home and drove me to KSRQ, where I met an experienced doctor pilot and a gleaming Cheyenne III. I watched in wonder from the right seat as we put 810 nm behind us in 3 hours and 20 minutes. The owner and I jumped in a rental car and sped to Indianapolis (KIND) to catch flights home. Though close, we both made it.

My American Eagle flight to Boston operated by Republic Airways was flawless and free, thanks to a buddy pass from a friend. You almost always get better seats when flying non-rev, and this time I was in first class again. I drove back to the cottage. 

I told my 9-year-old grandson that I had traveled almost 3,000 miles since I saw him yesterday. “OK,” was all he said. Sublime.

This column first appeared in the February Issue 955 of the FLYING print edition.