Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> don't blame us at the bottom level << Never. CM's in most businesses get the same. I've improved anyway. Now when I travel I honestly try go on non-busy days. The luxury of a plane trip not full up is my cup of tea today. Maybe I'm just getting old. By the way, I used to travel a lot on business. Travelling business class (which is not First Class) would get you on the plane first, so I could nap sooner. But like FP, I'm not happy with the entire rest of the plane having to parade past as they go back to wherever it is that they go, wondering why it is that I get to get on first. Tell me, do they at least have seats back there? (<--- joking)
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy The really big planes have two boarding gates. So not everyone has to go past the front rows. Here's how old I am -- Do you remember when planes (the 727s?) sometimes did boarding by the rear steps under the tail? This was back before the ubiquitous jetways, when people actually walked outside to the plane and went up stairways. I think they had black and white TV then too. By cracky.
Originally Posted By davewasbaloo Actually, here in Europe, we still board that way on internal flights.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> we still board that way on internal flights << Is that on the larger planes too? Or is it the smaller variety? In the US you do of course walk to the plane for the smaller aircraft, the commuter type flights.
Originally Posted By Goofyernmost I hate to admit it by I am old enough to have flown in a "commercial" DC3. It was in Europe, Italy I think, but it was in service at the time. I think it was 1967!
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<Here's how old I am -- Do you remember when planes (the 727s?) sometimes did boarding by the rear steps under the tail?>> I am old enough to remember that airplanes didn't always have overhead bins. All there was was a small shelf, because people didn't carry luggage into the cabin.
Originally Posted By TDLFAN Nope, but I have been a flight attendant long enough since I worked Convair 580 propeller flights when I started my career, if you can believe that!! >>>> we still board that way on internal flights << Many international airprots still due this due to undercapacity at terminals... Tokyo's Narita International is a prime example of the "bus gate" system.. where on some flights, passengers are bussed to the aircraft and board up the stairs.. Very retro. >>The really big planes have two boarding gates. So not everyone has to go past the front rows.<< The smallest aircraft where a 2nd door boarding can be accomplished behind First class is the Boeing 757s. Boeing also messed this up on the 767 since, they offered them with overwing exits and NO 2nd door, forcing passengers to parade thru first class, but later 767 revisions and models corrected this mistake by eliminating the overwing doors and going for the 4 door (on each side) design. The A310 was another big airplane that never had a 2nd door for boarding since it was a very stubby model of the popular A300 wide-body model. As for planes that boarded from the tail.. both B727 and all incarnations of the DC-9, up to the B717, MD-90s..etc, can board passengers thru the stairs located in tail. Older DC-9 also had retractable stairs located under the main boarding door in the front of the fuselage, so they can accomodate travelers at smaller airports where jetways were not available. That's your aviation history lesson for today folks.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy >> hate to admit it by I am old enough to have flown in a "commercial" DC3. << I flew a commercial DC3 the last year they were in service in the US. A flight from Minneapolis to Lakefield, Minnesota at the west end of the state. All of about 200 miles, but the plane landed 4 times along the way. Never got above 3000 feet. (Not sure, but they might not have been pressurized) At one stop the stewardess got off the plane (YES, there were STEWARDESSES back then) and brought back a fresh, hot box of donuts on board for us from the local bakery. She passed out gum too. (Helped with pressure changes for the ears) The DC3 was a tricycle landing gear, with a low wheel in the rear. You got onto the plane at the rear door, and had to practically climb up the aisle to your seat. ----------------- Thus endeth MY aviation history lesson.....
Originally Posted By trekkeruss <<The DC3 was a tricycle landing gear>> Actually, the arrangement o a DC-3 is most commonly known as a taildragger. Current aircraft, with a nosewheel, is tricycle landing gear. And that's my aviation lession.
Originally Posted By ssWEDguy Thank you. I stand properly corrected. I do remember that the DC3 at least had that third wheel out back. Older and light planes sometimes even just had a "skid" back there.
Originally Posted By schoolsinger Here is a major difference between the regular line and the virtual line of fastpass. With a regular line, you can get into it right up until the time the park closes. If the park closes and you are still in line they will let you stay in the line until you get to ride. With fastpass, they often stop people from getting into the virtual line mid day. One way to make the fastpass virtual line mimic a regular line more is to let you get a fastpass at any time up until park closing. Even if it means having fastpass times extend beyond the officail park closing time.
Originally Posted By vbdad55 <One way to make the fastpass virtual line mimic a regular line more is to let you get a fastpass at any time up until park closing. Even if it means having fastpass times extend beyond the officail park closing time.< how do you propose getting say 20,000 people rides on a ride that has a daily capacity of 10,000 ?
Originally Posted By schoolsinger I think the fairest way to have fastpass to give everyone a single instant gratification fastpass right when they enter the park. Evryone gets to cut one line. After that they are done. Disney could also spice up the system by allowing people to trade in their fastpass ticket to get discounted food of merchandice instead of a line cut.
