Review of a Thanksgiving Day Flight

The flight was leaving at 845am, but homeland security now asks that you be at the airport two hours ahead, so I was picked up by SuperShuttle at 550am. they had already picked up one passenger, and another one after me. Also it seems airlines are boarding earlier, this flight started boarding forty minutes ahead. Took too long having breakfast and reading the paper before heading to the tram shuttling passengers to the outlying gates, and underestimated how long it would take going thru extensive security at Tampa airport with many holiday travelers ahead of me. could hear boading announcements going thru the line, very stressful. Got to the gate as they were calling my name, the last one aboard and very thankful they had saved my seat.

Taxied out right on time and with no plane ahead of us, departed after a five minute wait. Our plane is a nearly-new Airbus A319, with eight seats in first class and about 120 in coach. We took off to the north, thus necessitating a quick right turn to the south. as we finished our turn, the airport could be seen on the right side.

After the crew was introduced, the captain announced we would reach 29,000 feet. Continuing south along the coast and still climbing, got a terrific view of the Sarasota area as the coast gradually slipped away. about northeast of the Fort Myers airport, the captain said we had reached our cruising altitude and begun descending already, and after a slight left turn we were over the everglades. after almost no sign of civilization for a few minutes, the faraway Miami skyline could be seen in dim sunlight shrouded by wispy clouds.

We continued our eastbound journey over rivers and canals for a while and then we were over the western suburbs of Fort Lauderdale, flew over the entire city, north of the airport and directly over downtown, then over the coast and offshore for a few more minutes. A terrific view of ships and small boats bobbing in short choppy waves on seventy degree day. a short right turn to the south and in less than a minute a sharp right to our westbound final approach, with the downtown skyline now close to our right and the cargo ship docks near the runway. A very smooth, flawless landing and short roll to our gate at terminal three, where several other Spirit flights are parked.

The polite captain again thanked us for flying Spirit and wished all a very happy thanksgiving. this is their home base and packed with holiday travelers. the baggage claim area is well organized with large digital signs showing the flights of upcoming luggage, and entirely carpeted in a multicolored checkerboard pattern. Got my bag after a fifteen minute wait. Total flight time about forty minutes. Would I recommend Spirit Airlines? you bet!