Red-Eye At Night
While on ATL/PIT for my connection to my first night of red-eyes, I strike up a conversation with a guy in pharmaceutical sales and he’s out here about 150 days a year. The events of 9/11 had no impact on his travel he was airborne in a matter of days but his concern about all this was the pressure from the family. With a wife and two kids, they were doing all the worrying for him and did cause him a little reflection at first, but that is wearing away as he’s recorded his 12th flight since that day and comes home safe to the family every few days. One of the more challenging trips for business or other travelers is the dreaded red-eye flights that link the two coasts. Flying over America late at night is one way to get where you are going and also one way to forever be tired at the next morning’s presentation if you aren’t one to sleep on planes and have the luxury of flying coach. Well, I’m in coach and doing my first back-to-back red-eye (PIT/PHX) followed the next night by another red-eye (PIT/SFO). While a great way to save on hotel bills, it’s a lousy way to earn more points at Holiday Inn. But, off I go into the night. My lottery seat numbers for tonight are 31A and 8D and the first leg is 3 across and the middle seat guy does have some elbows. As we approach Phoenix, I’m still wide-awake and not that much farther in the paperback I have propped up in front of me for the past 4 hours or so. As I deplane, I notice they have already started to board the flight back to PIT and a quick flash of the drivers license, a few answered questions and within three minutes and fourteen seconds, I’m back on another plane headed from where I came. Lucked out this time, there’s no person in the middle seat which means I have some elbow room to really stretch out. This time I’m a little smarter opting for a window seat as opposed to my usual aisle seat. I’m not going anywhere fast so I might as well let the side of the airplane hold my head from bobbing down. Yes, the world of travel is looking a little different behind these sagging eyelids. But no sleep for me, I’m in 31A and that means a little noise behind the jet engine. The captain says we’re at 41,000 feet. I’m just wondering what happened to the normal 33,000 feet. The more I travel on this the more I return to wondering stupid things like that and less on things like the changes in travel. Whatever the changes are, you’ll quickly find out as I have that they are melting into the background.The flight attendant working the back of this flight deserves a mention. After a little while I ask her about a blanket and a pillow, as I didn’t notice any when boarding. As expected it seems that all airlines are cutting back on these items and so I’m prepared for head to fiberglass comfort as I lean to my left side seeking the “zone” to make it through this flight. A half-hour later the same flight attendant gets my attention and delivers to me a pillow and blanket. Apparently she had not forgot and played detective. As a passenger, it’s always nice to know that I’m not ignored and forgotten. Yes, those of us that fly away in 31A deserve and got spoiled. The only thing better is if she might have offered up an upgrade because there were no pillows. I’m quite sure that thought was in a dream of mine as we head toward Pittsburgh. I think I remember landing in Pittsburgh at 5:22 a.m. and realize that not even the clubroom is open at this ungodly hour. The only thing now that keeps me going is the fact there are other traveling souls in the airport at this hour and somehow they all look better than I feel. Or is it that they look like they feel better than I look? So, pillow hair aside (in case you’re wondering I still need that haircut) I hum a few bars of ‘Why Am I So Tired – Part 2′ enroute to the next gate for a flight leaving in a few much too short hours.