Delta Connection (opby SkyWest Airlines) DL4632
Minneapolis/St. Paul Intl. Airport (MSP/KMSP), MN to Grand Forks Intl. Airport (GFK/KGFK)
June 17th 2017
Departure 1305 hours EDT, Arrival 1420 hours CDT
Seat 10A, Main Cabin
N438SW, 15.8 years old CRJ-200ER
4th flight on SkyWest Airlines
6th flight on CRJ-200 series
8th flight on Delta Connection
8th flight on Bombardier Aircraft
As always, find the flight trip report in video form right here!
The final part of this series before I move on to more exciting stuff with the next series that I hope to publish within the next few days of this. I hope you've enjoyed this exhilarating journey!
My time over at Minneapolis was a short one - one that was overshadowed by protests. That morning before the concert I was informed by my BnB host of protests surrounding the Philando Castile case. With caution, I headed to the XCEL Energy center for what was yet another amazing performance by Iron Maiden. They were supported by Ghost - a less punk more heavy version of Slipknot - I loved it! Some pictures from the XCEL:
Minneapolis to Grand Forks is just one airline: Delta Connection (two if you count SkyWest and/or Endeavor). I chose an afternoon departure for this one, there was the one at 1325 hours. Of course, no CRJ-700 on this one unsurprisingly. I had some miles laying around for which I had to pay the $5.60 security fee for the ticket, and the baggage would be another $25: the total would be quicker and much cheaper than AMTRAK. A decent option. Now I did not need any delays whatsoever, just an uneventful flight back to Grand Forks….
THE FINAL FLIGHT - CHECK IN
Curbside:
I reached the airport at 1112 hours to the kiosk check in, nice and easy. Baggage drop was pretty quick - but the check in agent was adamant in letting me know that there was no away they were going to keep my stickers on the suitcase. As I mentioned before I quite like keeping the stickers on there. No where else, but in the USA, do they remove the stickers. The agent here gave up after a lot of tries simply because of the many baggage stickers. Hmm….
SECURITY
Security was nice and quick as well, this took me a grand total of 6 minutes. I was out in the airside, time for spotting! As always in Minneapolis, I had to make a stop at the concourse D observation deck. This wasn’t before I took the long way - unfortunately concourse G had nothing, like absolutely no planes parked. Zero. Not even an A320!
TKILLING TIME @ MSP
Nice to see Jet Airways around
Concourse G had no activity around...time to head back.
Concourse C: way too much time had been spent here on the way out...
ON the way to D: DL CRJs are in abundance at MSP.
The spotter’s deck at concourse D seemed more promising - there were few planes lining up for departure at Runway 30R, while Concourse C and E had some planes as well. Not as full as when on my way out however, but I’d take this!
Once I figured there was nothing much going on, and no noteworthy wide bodies in bound I decided to head to concourse A and see the action up close with the CRJs. It was 1203 hours, 1hr22min till departure. A long time to kill!
As the little CRJs came and went, there was Botique's Pilatus PC-12 among the small tugs and baggage trolleys. It is always fun seeing the regional operations: every thing is scaled down for the smaller airplanes but at the end of the day it is a revenue flight with passengers operating. Some suitcases would literally be thrown away from the trolleys at the respective gates which was.... assuring. I took the time to check out Delta's baggage tracker - it looked like my suitcase had cut right across under the terminal like it was an imaginary path from check in to the gate. Nice to know that DL had this feature though.
N438SW came in right on time from Appleton, Wisconsin. It was 1225 hours - exactly an hour prior to departure for Grand Forks flight. They had plenty of time to make for an on-time departure, nice and easy.
BOARDING
After some more spotting of small CRJs it was on to boarding - which started well on time with 33 minutes before departure.
View, or something
Took my seat 10A as more passengers boarded, it was a full flight. A nice quick routine 45 minute flight to GFK at an altitude of 26000 feet. If anything, it was the turbulence that was going to be non-routine.
UNLUCKY #21: DEPARTURE - GLITCHY SOFTWARE DELAYS?
Pushed back at 1310 hours, 5 minutes late. Engines started and we taxied to just past concourse C when it started to go a little awry.
Start up video
The captain kept us well in the loop - there was some snag that would be fix easily because it ‘wasn’t terribly uncommon’. A computer glitch. This included checks on the spoilers while engines were on, I did not see any technicians around so they were probably on the starboard side of things. Was nice to see some of the other planes taxi by, probably all on schedule. All I wanted was a nice and easy flight back home - but 30 minutes wasn’t too bad, thankfully.
Coming to a stop by concourse C
AA ERJ-175...
DL CRJ land
With a total delay of 40 minutes we lined up with Runway 30R and took off at 1345 hours.
Take off video
IN FLIGHT
Once up there, pretty straightforward business as usual. I did find an article Delta brainwashing their passengers as to how the middle eastern airlines are taking over US jobs. Hmmm, sure Delta, sure.
Gotta love some network maps!
29 minutes in to the flight I got my usual fare of ginger ale and biscoff cookies. Pretty alright for this 45 minute flight, however that’s pretty much what one would get on a 3hr flight anyway. I kept to my music and looking out at the amazing flatness the midwest offers as we started descending in towards Grand Forks. The clouds came in, but normal for a IFR flight.
DESCENT & ARRIVAL
The flight lasted for a little longer than planned as we touched down at 1444 hours - exactly 59 minutes in flight. Smooth landing on Runway 35L as I finally made it back to Grand Forks after what was a roller coaster few weeks in India.
Landing video
Docked at gate 1 as all CRJ-200s do in Grand Forks - 27 minutes late. Little did I know one of the marshals getting the airplane in to the gate was my friend BvL - he would play an influential role in the up coming trip report….
A piece of history - the Las Vegas - Grand Forks Allegiant flight is now an A319.
UNLUCKY #22: THE ELECTRONICS BAN IS LIFTED!
….did I say up coming trip report?! Well, stay tuned for more! For this trip, it had all come to an end. And I for one, was glad. It was quite easily the most stressful trip back to India that I have had with so much being influenced by global politics. It is quite saddening and unfortunate. With that being said, it wasn’t just 2 weeks after this trip did the USA decide that the middle east’s security system was on par with their high standards and that they were no longer a threat. What happened over the course of the summer was quite interesting as I geared up for my first ever flight course in college! Till then, ciao!
My other trip reports:
2017
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (9): Yet no CRJ-700 for you! (IAD-MSP UA E175, Y, Jun '17)(video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (8): A tale of 2 Etihads - electronics BANNED! (B77L/B789, BOM-AUH-IAD, Y, Jun '17)(video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (7): Jet's extended range B737 (9W472 CCU-BOM, Y, pics & vids)(video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (6): Delays galore, inefficiency ensues! (SpiceJet, B737-900ER, SG517 BLR-CCU, Y)(video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (5): Missed opportunity with Jet's A330 (BOM-BLR, Y, B73H, May '17) [pics & video TR](video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (4): Short flight on the Etihad A380! (AUH-BOM, Y, May '17) [pics & video TR] (video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (3): Elegant Etihad? (JFK-AUH, A380 Y, May '17) [many pics & video TR] (video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (2): No MD-88 for you! (MSP-LGA, DL Y, May '17) [pics & video TR]] (video trip report)
A (slightly) unlucky summer '17 (1): No CRJ-700 for you! (GFK-MSP, SkyWest Delta) [pics & video TR] (video trip report)
Spring Break 2017 - To the Pacific Northwest! (AMTRAK, BC, Idaho, NO flights!)
Winter Break 2016/17 (9): The Final Hop Home (AA Eagle ERJ-145, ORD-FAR, Jan '17, Y) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016/17 (8): Ultra long haul with Etihad (AUH-ORD, Y, Jan '17) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016/17 (7): Enticing Etihad to Abu Dhabi! (CCU-AUH, Jan '17, Y) (video trip report)
2016
Winter Break 2016 (6): My last flight on Jet Airways' ATR (GAU-CCU, Y, Dec '16) + Scintillating Sunderbans (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (6): My last flight on Jet Airways' ATR (GAU-CCU, Y, Dec '16) + Scintillating Sunderbans (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (5): Konnecting to Kaziranga (S24363 B73H CCU-GAU Y, Dec '16) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (4): Take us home, Qatar Airways! (QR540, DOH-CCU, Y, Dec'16) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (3): Long haul middle seat - our first flight on Qatar Airways! (QR28 MAN-DOH, Y, Dec'16) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (2): Pencil Jet across the Atlantic (AA54 MAN-ORD, Y+, Dec'16) (video trip report)
Winter Break 2016 (1): The Frozen Embraer Delay - missed connection! (FAR-ORD, Dec '16) (video trip report)
Thanksgiving '16 in the Sin City - My Allegiance with N891GA, to divert or not to divert (LAS-GFK Nov '16) (video trip report)
Thanksgiving '16 in the Sin City - My Allegiance with Allegiant! (Part 1, many pictures) (video trip report)
The day I flew the world's most popular plane (GFK-FAR-CKN-GFK, C172)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 14: Delta Connection, a quick hop in the Midwest! (MSP - GFK, Aug '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 13: Super old, Super 80, Mad Dog Across the Midwest! (AA ORD-MSP, Aug'16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 12: Flying the Friendly Skies... (United Munich to Chicago, Aug '16)) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 11: Epic Lufthansa, Epic A340! (Delhi to Munich, Aug '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 10: Konnect, Lite, Delight...(S2 B73H CCU-DEL, Aug '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 9: Take me home, Vistara! (DEL-CCU, Jul '16) (video trip report)[/color]
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 8: Vistara's INAUGURAL flight out of Kolkata! (CCU-DEL, Jun '16)) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 7: Efficient IndiGo! (Mumbai to Kolkata, A320, May '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 6: Big delays, cracked windshield, angry passengers (SG CCU-BOM B73J) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 5: Air India's domestic Dream)liner (DEL-CCU May '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 4: Nearly First Class - stories of the empty A380! (LH FRA-DEL May '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 3: World's longest jet, Lufthansa's B748i! (ORD-FRA May '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 2: ChicaGO on United's A319! (MSP-ORD, May '16) (video trip report)
Summer '16 trek back home - Part 1: Sun rise onboard the long range CRJ (DL GFK-MSP CRJ-900, May '16) (video trip report)
The pencil jet(s) for spring break! (+ Iron Maiden bonus): Delta MSP-FLL-MSP, March '16 (DL1608 video trip report, DL2027 video trip report)
De-iced & Delayed, cold onboard a CRJ! (ORD-MSP-GFK on Delta, Jan '16) (ORD-MSP video report) (MSP-GFK video report)
Delta's aged B767-300ER across the Atlantic! (CDG-ORD in Y, Jan '16) (video report)
Air France's NEW Economy (B777-200ER, Bengaluru to Paris, Jan '16) (video report)
Delays and despair: stressed out in the middle seat! (Jet Airways B737 Mumbai - Bengaluru, Jan '16)
Air India's hybrid babybus from Kolkata to Mumbai (Jan '16, Y) (video report)
2012
South Africa 3: 12 days in Scintillating South Africa (Kruger, Kulula and Rand Airport, Apr' 12, LONG!)
South Africa 2: Elegant Emirates Economy! (DXB-CPT, B77W, Apr '12)
South Africa 1: My first flight on Emirates, my first flight on the 777 (CMB-DXB, Apr '12)
2011
International transit with Jet Airways (BOM-MAA-CMB, Oct. '11)
Konnecting to Bhubaneswar (9W BOM-BBI-BOM, Jul '11)
Three trips between India and Sri Lanka (9W BOM-CMB-BOM: Jun '11, Jul '11, Oct. 11)
To India's Orange City: Mumbai - Nagpur - Mumbai on Jetlite & Tadoba National Park (May 2011)
My last flight on Kingfisher Airlines (and 2 other Jet flights, May '11)
