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Published: June 30th 2017
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Geo: 49.0037, 2.57798
We'd had our flight to Rome booked for several months. Denver-Rome (by way of JFK), then back from Milan. We booked a higher class of coach ticket than normal, so that they were upgradeable.
I was able to use my miles (which have been building up for several years) to bump us up to business class on the outbound.
My thinking was this: We have one afternoon and a little of the next morning in Rome, and I was hoping we could arrive with some decent dozing done, so that we were better rested than we usually are after an international flight.
We got to the airport a bit later than we'd like, and learned en route that our flight out of Denver was delayed. Seems weather in NYC is affecting flights throughout the system. If we waited for our flight, we'd miss the connection at JFK.
So, we talked to an agent, and she got us on another route: DEN-MSP-CDG-FCO.
In non-industry terms, that meant adding another connection into the mix.
But they got us in business or first class seats the whole way through.
A girl could get used to that.
On our first flight to Denver, a first-class seat meant that I could
Controls and control.
For me, even better than the multiple seat positions is the super-handy power port. tuck my feet under my legs. And I didn't have to fight for the armrest with the guy next to me.
But the overseas flight. That's the way to go.
Delta One on this 777 means pod-like seats, with power footrests, and a lie-flat option.
A fancy-schmancy menu with a wine list, for heavens sake (not that I know enough about wine to say whether it's a nice selection or not).
A Tumi amenity kit. With socks. You know how I like me some socks.
The meals were lovely (no peeling foil off anything -- now you *know* we're high class. And ice cream for dessert. Boom.
Push the "Zzzz" button, unfold the mini comforter, tuck the full-size pillow under your head, and doze off for 4 hours or so of not-so-bad sleep.
It remains to be seen how much further this level of rest will take me on the first day, but it's certainly worth a little more $. Maybe not thousands, which is unfortunately what this usually runs. But if nothing else, I've gotten a glimpse of The Other Side of flying and I kinda dig it.
Then there's the Paris side of the trip.....
We landed in Paris about 20 minutes later than planned, but that's okay, we get into the express lanes for security.
Except the helpful Delta folks in MSP printed 2 boarding passes for Dejo, and none for me. So we had to go find a place to print mine (travel tip: ask an official-looking person, who can quickly guide you to the closest desk, rather than wandering aimlessly).
When the "express" lane takes 15 minutes to get through, you know things are either busy or understaffed.
Turns out, it's the latter.
Got thru security, thinking "we have 10 minutes before the flight leaves -- if we run, maybe we can make it."
Oh, right....passport control, because now we're entering the Schengen area.
1 guy, processing lots of us special folks. So, about 40 minutes and one missed flight later, we were on our way to wait in another line to get rebooked.
We got our next boarding passes, and now we hang out in the Sky Lounge for a couple of hours.
Stay tuned for the next episode of "Pam & Dejo's Travel Adventures", in which they test their patience, and the flexibility of their Rome tour guide's schedule.
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