Brandon Giacomin
25th June 2013, 02:16 PM
Introduction:
Part 1: http://www.yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=9280
Part 2: http://www.yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=9283
Here is Part 3 of my report. This will include my flight from SEA-MIA and MIA-SXM as well as what we did while in St Maarten.
SEATTLE TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Well after 2 nights in wonderful Seattle it was time to fly to St Maarten, and I was very excited! After dropping the rental car off we caught the shuttle over to the terminal. We found the American Airlines check in desks. Because we had a connecting flight we couldn’t use the self-check-in machines, so we lined up at the check in desks. There were only two or three people ahead of us, yet it took about an hour to check us in. There appeared to be a few issues with some people ahead which caused the holdup. American Airlines only have two check-in desks at Seattle so that didn’t help either.
After being checked in we went through security and grabbed something to eat before making our way to the gate. This would be my first flight on a Boeing 757, I was looking forward to flying on a new type, but I wasn’t looking forward to the 6 hour red-eye flight ahead. There wasn’t a lot to see from where we were, but I did get a few shots.
Alaskan Boeing 737-400 N706AS in Make a Wish livery
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2857/8982292796_be1a150b61.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982292796/)
American Airlines Boeing 757-200 N630AA would be taking me to Miami
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5321/8982287888_a1b37e24a8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982287888/)
Sunset at Sea-Tac
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8982284250_b3c1cddc8f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982284250/)
Just after 9pm, boarding commenced.
June 3, 2013
American Airlines
AA1070
SEA-MIA
N630AA B752
Seat 24F
On-board in Seat 24F
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/8982282062_c2feb5d095.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982282062/)
We taxied out to RWY34R and took off on-time. We climbed straight out and flew over Boeing Field before making a nice right hand turn to the south.
Flying over Seattle
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8274/8982277008_4f7909cc41.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982277008/)
That was the last photo from the flight. We got a good view of Mount Rainier before making a left hand turn to take us to Miami. The 757 was equipped with Wi-Fi so I bought that to keep me entertained. The cabin crew came through with drinks, I took a coke. After that I just browsed the internet for a while before trying to get some sleep. I only managed little bits of sleep every now and then. There was a bit of turbulence as we neared Texas, I looked out my window and saw lots of flashes of lightning below, it was a pretty cool sight.
Finally we were over Florida and we started our descent into Miami, it was still dark so the city was all lit up, it looked really good. I didn’t manage to get any decent photos though. Can’t remember which runway we landed on, as soon as we did my window fogged up and I couldn’t see a thing. We taxied to our gate and got off the plane. We now had 5 hours before our flight to St Maarten.
DAY 10: AMERICAN AIRLINES MIA-SXM, PLANE SPOTTING AT MAHO BEACH
Miami Airport
Miami Airport was quite nice, very big! We found our gate and I just tried to get some sleep. I was absolutely buggered; I managed a little bit of sleep. Finally it was time to board our flight to St Maarten.
June 4, 2013
American Airlines
AA687
MIA-SXM
(Too tired to get the rego) B738
Seat 21F
We departed on-time, off RWY8L or R I think. I managed to get a little sleep on the flight, it was only 2 hours and 30 minutes.
In the clouds after departure
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/8992406198_3bd4d0198a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992406198/)
As soon as we were out of the clouds we got some pretty good views of the Caribbean
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/8991210383_c9dcdce606.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8991210383/)
Someone passing overhead
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8133/8992402050_38acd155a5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992402050/)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/8992399474_1b23fa2319.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992399474/)
Looks pretty nice down there
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/8992397716_788881dbb9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992397716/)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/8992393892_17b2bda7b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992393892/)
There were lots of nice looking islands
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/8991196971_5239533395.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8991196971/)
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/8992388774_61edd25d7f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992388774/)
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/8992386094_73040f89c0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992386094/)
Not sure what island this is, but they have a fairly big airport.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/8992383260_3b80e36805.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992383260/)
Part 1: http://www.yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=9280
Part 2: http://www.yssyforum.net/board/showthread.php?t=9283
Here is Part 3 of my report. This will include my flight from SEA-MIA and MIA-SXM as well as what we did while in St Maarten.
SEATTLE TACOMA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
Well after 2 nights in wonderful Seattle it was time to fly to St Maarten, and I was very excited! After dropping the rental car off we caught the shuttle over to the terminal. We found the American Airlines check in desks. Because we had a connecting flight we couldn’t use the self-check-in machines, so we lined up at the check in desks. There were only two or three people ahead of us, yet it took about an hour to check us in. There appeared to be a few issues with some people ahead which caused the holdup. American Airlines only have two check-in desks at Seattle so that didn’t help either.
After being checked in we went through security and grabbed something to eat before making our way to the gate. This would be my first flight on a Boeing 757, I was looking forward to flying on a new type, but I wasn’t looking forward to the 6 hour red-eye flight ahead. There wasn’t a lot to see from where we were, but I did get a few shots.
Alaskan Boeing 737-400 N706AS in Make a Wish livery
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2857/8982292796_be1a150b61.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982292796/)
American Airlines Boeing 757-200 N630AA would be taking me to Miami
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5321/8982287888_a1b37e24a8.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982287888/)
Sunset at Sea-Tac
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7293/8982284250_b3c1cddc8f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982284250/)
Just after 9pm, boarding commenced.
June 3, 2013
American Airlines
AA1070
SEA-MIA
N630AA B752
Seat 24F
On-board in Seat 24F
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3705/8982282062_c2feb5d095.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982282062/)
We taxied out to RWY34R and took off on-time. We climbed straight out and flew over Boeing Field before making a nice right hand turn to the south.
Flying over Seattle
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8274/8982277008_4f7909cc41.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8982277008/)
That was the last photo from the flight. We got a good view of Mount Rainier before making a left hand turn to take us to Miami. The 757 was equipped with Wi-Fi so I bought that to keep me entertained. The cabin crew came through with drinks, I took a coke. After that I just browsed the internet for a while before trying to get some sleep. I only managed little bits of sleep every now and then. There was a bit of turbulence as we neared Texas, I looked out my window and saw lots of flashes of lightning below, it was a pretty cool sight.
Finally we were over Florida and we started our descent into Miami, it was still dark so the city was all lit up, it looked really good. I didn’t manage to get any decent photos though. Can’t remember which runway we landed on, as soon as we did my window fogged up and I couldn’t see a thing. We taxied to our gate and got off the plane. We now had 5 hours before our flight to St Maarten.
DAY 10: AMERICAN AIRLINES MIA-SXM, PLANE SPOTTING AT MAHO BEACH
Miami Airport
Miami Airport was quite nice, very big! We found our gate and I just tried to get some sleep. I was absolutely buggered; I managed a little bit of sleep. Finally it was time to board our flight to St Maarten.
June 4, 2013
American Airlines
AA687
MIA-SXM
(Too tired to get the rego) B738
Seat 21F
We departed on-time, off RWY8L or R I think. I managed to get a little sleep on the flight, it was only 2 hours and 30 minutes.
In the clouds after departure
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3799/8992406198_3bd4d0198a.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992406198/)
As soon as we were out of the clouds we got some pretty good views of the Caribbean
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3697/8991210383_c9dcdce606.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8991210383/)
Someone passing overhead
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8133/8992402050_38acd155a5.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992402050/)
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3819/8992399474_1b23fa2319.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992399474/)
Looks pretty nice down there
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5445/8992397716_788881dbb9.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992397716/)
http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2862/8992393892_17b2bda7b2.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992393892/)
There were lots of nice looking islands
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7421/8991196971_5239533395.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8991196971/)
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5342/8992388774_61edd25d7f.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992388774/)
http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5463/8992386094_73040f89c0.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992386094/)
Not sure what island this is, but they have a fairly big airport.
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3740/8992383260_3b80e36805.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/brandon301095/8992383260/)