I flew in my first private plane today. NO JOKE, I really did!!!
Not private jet like in the movies where there are lounge chairs and couches, this was a regular 30-seater jet, but it was still nice!
So let me back up a bit - one of my clients called me about two weeks ago and asked if I would be willing to come out to Ohio to present and demo to their IT group, who is looking to contract our services. "Let me check with my manager to see if I can travel approved," I say, because do I really want to fly out to Ohio in December? (I hate the cold, for those of you who don't know this about me.) "Oh no problem," my client says to me, "we have our own private shuttle that flies back and forth from NY to an airport 15 minutes away from our office twice a day, would that make it easier for you to come out for the meeting?"
HELL'S YAH!!!!!!
So he tells me to get to the airport at 8:15 this morning for the 8:30 flight. Yes people, you heard me right - I only had to show up 15 minutes before take off! I show my ID and I'm officially checked in. That's it. No printed boarding pass, no security line, no x-ray machines, no taking my shoes off, take your laptop out of the bag and into the bin, no take off your belt and jacket, NOTHING OF THE SORT. All I had to do was walk my ass out onto the tarmac and into that nice, clean plane.
And we taxied off in less than 10 minutes! When does that happen in the tri-state area, or any other metropolitan flight zone???!!!
The flight was like any other, except there were only about 15 people on the whole flight, no children whatsoever, and it was nice and silent. We had a nice simple breakfast served to us in the morning, but coming home, they served us grilled chicken salad with black bean salsa and a tomatillo vinaigrette, whole wheat crackers, and chocolate mousse (yes, seriously - dessert too) with whipped cream on top. Oh, and a nice little mint too. So thoughtful.
Oh, and the meeting went really well. I think I'm gonna get the additional business. But even if I didn't, I got to fly on a private plane today, so who really gives a shit after that???!!!
