Tuesday, December 30, 2008

On our way to Iceland - Day 1 (12/27/2008)

Well, we were finally able to get started on our trip after delayed flights yesterday. We were lucky that Expedia took care of all of our flights and rebooked us for today. We didn’t have much to do this morning since we were already packed and ready to go. We headed to the airport around 11:15 a.m. after parking our car at Wally Park. We had a great driver who was very knowledgeable. She knew lots about Iceland and Scandinavia.

Once we got to the airport, we went to the self check-in kiosk to avoid the long lines for check-in. The machines would not print out our boarding passes. After talking with a Delta agent about our boarding passes, Billy went to the Baggage Services (Delta kept our luggage since we would be flying out today), and I went to make sure our flight itinerary would work at the security check point. I breezed though the security lines, and Billy followed behind a few minutes later.

We waited at gate B1 for our 2:30 flight to Boston. Yay, no delays! Our flight to Boston was smooth sailing. We got to Boston around 5:30. I was amazed at how nice Logan International is; it has been a dump in the past. Due to the lack of connectivity, we had to talk a walk to get to Terminal E, the international terminal. We checked in with Iceland Air. We had a great agent who checked on our luggage for us. He told us that he would have an answer before we got on the flight. We waited a few minutes in the security line, and then scoped out places to eat dinner. Houlihan’s was our final choice, or should I say biggest mistake? We were promptly seated, and then ignored for at least 10 minutes. Luckily, by the time our server came to us we were ready to order both food and drinks. The other customers provided us with entertainment during our dining experience. On couple was requested to move by the hostess because they were sitting at a table for 4. They were highly offended; they finally talked to the manager who gave them a free round of drinks. Another group of people, who got there are the same time we did, was upset that there food was not there quicker because it was time for them to board their flight. Good times! I hope that it was just an off night for Houlihan’s because the service was very slow. If it is like this on a regular basis, I would recommend finding somewhere else to eat.

The IcelandAir agent was good to his word. He paged us before boarding to let us know that one of our bags was on the flight, and the other one was in New York. He said that both bags would be in Iceland when we arrived. The boarding of our flight was smooth. The plane was a 757 with 3 seats-aisle-3 seats. Fun stuff for an over 4 hour flight. Billy and I had the window seat and middle seat. I was sat next to a pre-teen girl who was interested in my every move, but it could have been worse. To take away the pain of being own a plane for more than a couple of our hours, IcelandAir has provided personal in-flight entertainment units in front of your seat. You can watch movies or T.V. episodes, listen to music, or play games for a fee. Shortly after boarding, we were treated a drink service. But you can forget food, IcelandAir has joined other airlines in having their customers pay money for food in an effort to save money or make money. After a couple of Benadryl, I was on my way to dreamland while Billy watched Sex and the City: The Movie. Surprisingly, I slept most of the flight, and woke up with only 40 minutes left in the flight. This will take us to day 2.


Ratings (out of 5 stars, 1- worst & 5-best)

Delta customer service: 3 stars

Pros: Helpful agent

Cons: Kiosk would not print out boarding passes, long lines, had to go to two location to find out information about our luggage

Delta flight: 4 stars

Pros: Drink service with choice of snack (peanuts or cookies)

Cons: Late leaving gate

Houlihan’s (Logan International Airport): 1 star

Pros: Hmmmmmm…..still thinking

Cons: slow service, apathetic wait staff & management

IcelandAir customer service: 5 stars

Pros: Wonderful agent who found out where our luggage was located

Cons: None

IcelandAir flight: 2 stars

Pros: In-flight entertainment (Billy’s cursor didn’t work properly though)

Cons: Seating, no snack

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