Welcome to the end of an era

At 11:59pm local time tonight Continental flight 1267 will depart from Phoenix headed to Cleveland. This is the last departure of a flight marketed as Continental and it marks the end of an era, with the carrier’s name finally disappearing as the merger with United makes the final customer-facing step – integration of the Passenger Service System. When the final flight was announced I happened to take a look online and there was award inventory available. Plus there were award seats that could get me out to Phoenix to start the adventure. So why not?!?

I’m on my way out to JFK in a few minutes so start my journey west, and I’m well prepared for the event. I’ve got my camera, my netbook, my Kindle, my earplugs and my eyeshade. And, perhaps more importantly, I’ve got emergency supplies for myself and the crews I’ll be interacting with along the way:

I’ve got about 100 so there should be enough for everyone.

Also, because some of us were being rather silly last night (and some of us were also a bit drunk) there was some discussion of biblical verses that might be useful for the travel community as this integration proceeds. I’m not a particularly spiritual person but my sarcasm comes through somewhat often. And that was my approach to the question when posed. Here’s what I came up with:

The Tulip is my Shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in flat-bed seats:
He leadeth me over the oceans.
He restoreth my EQMs:
He leadeth me in the paths of upgrades for His name' sake.

Yea, though I fly over the valley of the shadow of WoS,
I will fear no evil: For thou art with me;
Thy ICCs and thy web site, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a mileage run before me in the presence of sky-high fares;
Thou annointest my account with GPUs; My e-Certs runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the House of the Bingo Cage forever.

There are a few bits I might change were I to rewrite it this afternoon while sober, but what the heck.

And now, off to the airport. Catch y'all again from the party in Phoenix.