Continental Micronesia CS956 | MAJ/HNL
Economy Class
N14249 | Boeing 737-800
ATD/1945 | ATA/0212
The sun had set completely while we were on the ground, and we took off in darkness. Takeoff was smooth. Climb was a little turbulent, and we would have intermittent turbulence throughout the flight. Consequently, the seatbelt sign was on most of the 4 hour 14 minute flight back to HNL. The crying baby was silent for the initial portion of this sector, but this would not last long.
40 minutes into the flight, we passed the international date line. I took my watch off to adjust to Hawaii time, which is 21 hours behind KOS/PNI and 22 hours behind MAJ/KWA, and as I was turning the dial I forgot the time. Both my seatmates were asleep, so I looked at the watch the man across the aisle was wearing. After staring at it for half a minute, a realized his watch wasn’t working. What’s up with all these stalled timepieces in the Pacific?
Cabin service was already underway, and the Captain had announced earlier that we would have dinner and a “smoothie service”, whatever that was. The flight attendants reached us soon after. I took the opportunity to confirm the time with my traveling companion. The meal choices were chicken with rice or hamburger steak with rice. I chose the chicken, and it was cooked in a savory black bean sauce that was actually quite tasty. I opened the bottle of chili sauce I bought at KOS and it provided just the right amount of kick to it. Unfortunately, about a third of the rice had dried out and was hard. The vegetables – carrots and broccoli – was overcooked and way too soft. Also on the tray were a pasta salad (with a single lettuce leaf and half a black olive) and a square of coffee cake, which was very good. I asked for a diet coke with my meal and did not get the whole can. The F/As did not come round offering coffee or tea after the meal.
The movies were already playing when my companions woke up. One of them, who had watched the movies on the outbound flight – commented that they were the same. A check through the inflight magazine indicated that the flight crew on our outbound flight had screened the wrong movies. By the way, they were “Baby” and “Monday Night Madness” – both made-for-TV movies that were hardly blockbusters by any means. I was tired and I chose to sleep, but it was a fitful sleep marred by turbulence, the crying baby and the snoring man.
During the course of the flight, flight attendants came round twice with water. The “smoothie service” never materialized. We didn’t have a bar service before landing either, but I guess that can be forgiven because of the time.
We landed in HNL just after 0200 and we were at Gate 24 at about 0212. While taxiing to the terminal, a few passengers stood up, and the Purser had to make two announcements requesting people to stay seated. In the end, one of them went to the offending passengers and made them sit down. I cleared through customs and immigration very quickly.
Overall, the service on this flight was less personal than on the outbound flight. Only one of the flight attendants went out of her way to chat with passengers. I was also puzzled at the number of times they came round with immigration and customs forms. All in all, however, CO is still the best among the US majors, and I was thankful that this unique flight was with them.Read more