Comments on: Ask the Pilot Christmas, 2024

By: PeterS

PeterS — Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:55:06 +0000

I was lucky enough to see the New Year’s Eve firework display to end all, as we departed SEA at 23:59 several years ago. The weather wss clear, I was in a left side window seat, and departure was to the south. All down the highway towards Tacoma, nothing but fireworks blasts. It continued until we turned east, headed for BOS. It was quite the sendoff.
I have another pic of BOS from the right hand side of the plane, a different year. We had left Hawaii, and were arriving just after dawn, north of the city, before turning south over the ocean. The airport was clewrly visible under a light coating of snow. I believe it was in the teens on the ground, and, of course, we had to wait over an hour for the Logan Express bus. Brrr.

Wishing you a happy and safe New Year, Patrick.

By: John Paul

John Paul — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 08:38:14 +0000

So lovely, yes.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:34:31 +0000

Flying on Christmas Day *can* be good as many other people don’t want to. Although that may have changed over the years.
This brings to mind one of the best flights I’ve been on. It was a Friday the 13th. Coincidentally or not, the aircraft was a quarter full, if that. I had the middle four seats behind the bulkhead to myself. Cabin crew kept bringing food and drinks, it was great.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Wed, 25 Dec 2024 01:22:35 +0000

In Germany the 25th and 26th of December are public holidays. About 20 years ago the IT project I was a part of, needed to go live on the second of January. And so I was expected to work on the 26th. On the evening of the 25th I took a high speed train to get from my mom’s place to the city where the project was.
I had the whole train to myself.
As the Inter City Express sped through the night at 135 knots (155 MPH), I walked through cars and cars full of empty seats. There was nobody. Nobody except me and the conductor.
A day later that same train would have been chock full of people.

By: Greybeard

Greybeard — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 19:07:29 +0000

Re certain baked goods appearing suspicious on scanners: also barbecued beef brisket. It alerts and they get quite excited, but once they see that it’s brisket, they wave you on, at least in Texas. Maybe not so much in, say, Ohio.

By: Karen

Karen — Tue, 24 Dec 2024 01:20:52 +0000

I’m with you! I once put together a Christmas lunch for 3,000 factory workers in a rustbelt city. In a goodwill gesture, I hired the choir from the local high school to sing to the employees. I told the choir director “You can sing anything you want, but if you sing ‘The Little Drummer Boy,’ I’ll puke on your shoes.’ “But,” he wailed, “That’s our best song!”

By: George Heymont

George Heymont — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 22:28:48 +0000

While I can’t complete with the eternal damnation of being stuck listening to endless repeats of “Little Drummer Boy,” let me assure you that being trapped for a mere 35 minutes in Disneyland’s “It’s A Small World” attraction can do a lot to take the magic out of the magic kingdom.

By: Gary

Gary — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:36:20 +0000

Most of the Sufjan Christmas music is solid, IMO. Low’s is the best – another great Minnesota band like your favorite.

By: Rick T

Rick T — Mon, 23 Dec 2024 17:28:17 +0000

Oh, Patrick, I love your annual Christmas post. Best Christmas trip ever? In the mid 80s flew from Chicago to Green Bay on Christmas eve on Republic Airlines (blue goose logo if I remember). The flight attendant did the pre takeoff speech doing a perfect Roseanne Roseannadanna impersonation. Had the whole plane in stiches and we gave her a resounding applause when she finished.