Background:
This series will cover my summer pilgrimage home to the US. Our destination this time will be Boston. For the background and planning, please refer to Part 1 of this series.
Part 1 – NGO-HKG [CX 533, Airbus A330-300, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-11629.html
Part 2 – HKG-EWR [CX 890, Boeing B777-300ER, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-11794.html
Part 3 – EWR-BOS [B6 2380, Embraer E-190, Economy] – You are here
Part 4 – BOS-HKG [CX 811, Boeing B777-300ER, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12199.html
Part 5 – HKG-TPE [CX 474, Boeing B777-300ER, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12326.html
Part 6 – TPE-NGO [CX 530, Airbus A330-300, Business] – http://flight-report.com/en/report-12360.html
This report will cover the short hop from Newark to Boston. This will be my first time taking JetBlue (B6) so it’s the perfect opportunity to also share my first domestic US report. This ticket was purchased for $60 on a one-way fare. UA’s one-way fare on the same route was $188 + bag fees (also on a rickety old Dash8-400).
Pre-flight:
After a sleepless night (I blame the Cirrus seat for being too comfortable), I met some friends in the Jersey area for breakfast then took the airport shuttle back to EWR. Arriving at Terminal A on this sunny morning. This terminal is also served by WN and AC, what an eclectic bunch.
Heading inside the B6 counters are right there. There were 5 people in line, 3 of which had EU passports in hand. It was a short wait and I was helped by a friendly agent. It’s definitely a different hospitality from Asia, but it was still friendly. He checked my bag and handed me boarding pass noting the boarding time and directing me with his hand towards the security line around the corner.
I’m easily distracted by shiny objects like these cute little UA ERJs.
TSA always creeps me out, so here is a long distance shot as I approach the security check point.
Security was incompetent with a number of people needing to get manually searched for not emptying their pockets before going into the body scanner. 10 minutes later, I’m through and didn’t need a frisking for once. B6 FIDS just past security. Mainly vacation destinations from EWR: Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, Fort Myers, West Palm Beach, and Santiago (DR).
Ah, good old fashioned American domestic terminals. All kinds of junk food on offer. EWR is definitely showing its age.
I went to go grab a seat by the window. Ah, here is one! What a dumpy airport.
Jokes aside, I’ll just do some spotting instead. I’m sure everyone was staring at the weird guy taking pictures of planes.
B6 A320.
WN B737-700 heading to MDW. (What were they thinking with this livery?)
AC E-175 arriving from YYZ.
That exhausted all the action in my little area so I went to the other side to see what was going on with UA.
UA E-170 with UA B737 lifting off in the background.
UA B737 taking off with some CRJs in the foreground.
The three amigos.
Close-up of one of the UA ERJ-145s.
UA B737s taking off. This seems to be the most common fare at EWR.
UA ERJ-145 silhouette.
UA ERJ-145 getting backed up across the way.
UA E-170.
And here comes the star of the show, my B6 E-190 “Blue Send Me” is taxing to the gate after arriving from BOS.
Flag flying over Gate A-17 in remembrance of 9/11 (credit to Kevin and Esteban).
While the masses pile off, the flight to MCO is boarding at the adjacent gate into the B6 A320 “Denim Blue.”
Just for good measure, some shots of my plane at the gate.
The hoards milling around the boarding area.
The uninspiring B6 boarding passes.
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JetBlue Airways, B6 2380
Equipment: Embraer E-190 [N258JB “Blue Send Me”, delivered April 2006]
Departure: 11:22 (ATD: 11:34)
Arrival: 12:24 (ATA: 12:16)
Flight time: 0:42
Boarding was called on time at 10:52. The vultures are already circling.
I get in line and my boarding pass is a fail. A nice red light flashes. The agent tells me to step aside while the other gate agent types me into the system. A couple clicks later, she hands me back my boarding pass and tells me I’m all set. Down the jetbridge we go.
A smiling FA welcomes me on board as she is prepping in the galley. Cabin shot.
My seat for this flight.
Standard E-Jet pitch.
These little TVs remind me a lot of AZ, but they actually work!
Controls for the IFE and recline are in the armrest.
We have a new WN neighbor, this time in the newest livery. A little less repulsive, but still ugly.
The flight is around 95% full, but we are quickly boarded and the front door closes. Jetbridge retracts.
The FA does the safety demonstration as we start our pushback.
If anyone cares, EWR is at an elevation of 30 feet.
We aren’t in Japan anymore, Dorothy. I don’t think he is going to bow and wave me goodbye.
Goodbye EWR.
Taxing past the UA Express outpost.
AI B77W.
PD Dash8-400.
LY B772.
UA B764 near the hangars.
We are second in line to takeoff. Turning onto the runway, we can see the Manhattan skyline in the distance.
We spring down the runway and effortlessly lift up over the industrial ports in Newark.
We took off to the south and made an immediate banking turn to the right. Flying over the suburbs.
MetLife Stadium.
Crossing the Hudson River.
Clipping the top of Central Park. Colombia University’s quad is also prominent in this photo.
Crossing from Harlem to the Bronx: New Yankee Stadium.
Beautiful views over the Bronx.
New Rochelle, NY.
Seatback contents.
Safety card for this E-190.
In-flight service guide and BOB menu.
B6 route map.
In-flight service starts right as we pass Bridgeport, CT.
The FA made an announcement that it is a condensed menu. Drink options were water, Coke, Diet Coke, Sprite, and Apple Juice. Snack options were chips or cookies. The two FAs converged on the cabin from front and rear. The front FA handed me a bottle of water.
The FA from the rear came by with the snack basket and gave me my bag of chips. You aren’t seeing mirages; this was an actual complimentary drink and snack service on a 40min domestic flight in Y in the US. Take a picture like I did to save this moment.
My neighbor not only claimed the armrest, but decided it was also necessary to have his elbow on my side of the armest…
Flying over Providence, RI. You can see that we stayed at around 12,000 feet on this hop.
Heading into Cape Cod Bay.
We are now aligned for the standard approach into Logan off the Atlantic.
Low approach over Winthrop. Lots of people out on the beach today.
Air-to-air with a US E-170.
Almost there now.
We touch down ahead of schedule.
The Boston skyline as we taxi past the FedEx operations.
Logan’s control tower with AA represented in both new and old liveries.
9K Cessna 402. I really tried hard to find an obscure BOS-??? flight to take 9K on this trip, but it wasn’t in the cards.
PD Dash8-400 and FI B757-200.
We pull into our gate.
The standard rush to the aisle as soon as we pull into the gate.
After the masses filtered off, I took some more cabin shots.
The FA and co-pilot (he was standing in the cockpit door) both thanked me for flying as I deplaned. It’s always nice to see the pilots post-flight make some effort to engage with passengers. Off through the jetbridge.
Off to the baggage claim.
Exiting the secure area.
Down into the bowels of Logan.
If you look closely, the sign says we landed at 12:13pm, yet the clock says 12:33pm and no bags are circulating yet. Not up to Japanese domestic flight efficiency standards. Either way, my bag eventually showed up and I was on my way into the city on the free shuttle bus to the metro stop.
I will leave off this series here as I begin my stay in New England. Thanks for reading this report and please stop by the rest of this series!
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Just to reward those of you that stopped by to read this unglamorous FR, here is a brief bonus from Portland, Maine. A nice sunny afternoon at Fort Williams Park on Cape Elizabeth and its iconic Portland Head Light.
Wildflowers in bloom.
Seagull basking in the sun.
A little plane spotting as well: WN B737 in final descent to PWM.
The main attraction: the Portland Head Light.
Déjà vu! How fitting that your FR is right after mine. ;)
Your seat pocket was fuller than mine and it's nice that you were provided with a printed menu showing what snacks were available for free.
My neighbor not only claimed the armrest, but decided it was also necessary to have his elbow on my side of the armest…
- What a rude awakening. Welcome to the U.S.
Thanks Michael for sharing this excellent report with outstanding pictures as usual.
Déjà vu! How fitting that your FR is right after mine. ;)
- You just pipped me tonight, so fair trade ;)
What a rude awakening. Welcome to the U.S.
- Yeah, common courtesy goes right out the window. He had the aisle, he should have given me more space since I was jammed up against the wall. It was only a 40 minute flight so I bit my tongue.
Thank you for your comments Adan.
On this route, I think B6 offers the best Y product. It was definitely a good call to fly B6 instead of burning so many United miles on a short flight.
Newark isn't the most exciting place for Planespotting. It's nowhere near as varied as JFK or LAX. All those drab Unitental 737s everywhere. But, one thing's for sure, it's better to look our the windows at EWR than at the sad shape of the inside of the terminals. I think only LGA is dumpier than EWR. It's sad that 2 of 3 airports in NYC, the Financial capital of the world, are total 3rd world dumps.
I’m glad B6 is as patriotic as me.
- Actually, I'm pretty sure that flag is there because it's the gate from which UA93 departed in Terminal A :-/
The hoards milling around the boarding area.
- Welcome back to American and the fabulous wonders of domestic coach flying
I get in line and my boarding pass is a fail. A nice red light flashes.
- Normally. that's a sign of an upgrade...but of course, on B6, that couldn't happen. Well, except on Mint flights.
We have a new WN neighbor, this time in the newest livery. A little less repulsive, but still ugly.
- Agreed. It's just a new version of ugly :-)
AY B772 - I think you mean LY. There really is a HUGE amount of traffic between NYC and TLV...DL has a daily 744/777 from JFK, LY has 2 flights from JFK I, both 744s, they have one 777 flight from EWR, and UA has 2 daily 777s from EWR!
We spring down the runway and effortlessly lift up over the armpit of America, I mean, Jersey.
- What?!? You don't find the industrial wasteland to be beautiful?
Great aerial shots on departure and arrival. It was a perfect and clear day for it. You got lucky because NYC is usually pretty hazy in the summer when seen from above.
JetBlue's route map is really impressive considering they've only been around for 15 years. Nevertheless, there's a big hole in the middle of the map--and this is why the mid-west is called fly-over country. Shame really, I used to live in the Midwest.
My neighbor not only claimed the armrest, but decided it was also necessary to have his elbow on my side of the armest…
- and he doesn't look fat...so there's no excuse, he's just a D-bag
Nice pics of Maine. It's such a beautiful place. From Portland, to Down East, to the mountains, it's all pretty.
Thanks for sharing!
It was definitely a good call to fly B6 instead of burning so many United miles on a short flight.
- That was exactly my thinking and I have no regrets.
I think only LGA is dumpier than EWR.
- I agree, LGA is a total cesspit and the time it takes to takeoff there is atrocious. At least EWR is able to handle its traffic for the most part.
UA93 departed in Terminal A :-/
- Ohh, I see. Corrected.
Normally. that's a sign of an upgrade...but of course, on B6, that couldn't happen. Well, except on Mint flights.
- A couple other passengers in front of me had the same problem so it was a system error.
I think you mean LY.
- I had Finnair on the mind. CX is also ridiculous like that too, they have 5 daily flights on B77Ws into the NYC area.
What?!? You don't find the industrial wasteland to be beautiful?
- The harbor doesn't look that bad, but you know, it's still Jersey.
Great aerial shots on departure and arrival.
- I wish I was on the other side of the plane though for the NYC shots. Perfectly clear day.
Nevertheless, there's a big hole in the middle of the map--and this is why the mid-west is called fly-over country.
- I know exactly what you mean and one of the major reasons why I have never flown with them before, they never served a route that I needed, it's mainly east coast routes and trans-cons. They have found great success in these markets though. VX doesn't really hasn't been as competitive.
and he doesn't look fat...so there's no excuse, he's just a D-bag
- But he was old (~60) and he had one of those neck pillows for this flight... I wasn't going to go to war with him over it. I just let it go.
Nice pics of Maine. It's such a beautiful place. From Portland, to Down East, to the mountains, it's all pretty.
- Acadia is my favorite national park. It still feels weird sharing a tourism bonus of the US though.
Thanks for all your comments Kevin!
Yeah, GIG and GRU have bad reputations, but Brazil is technically a Third World country, although a prosperous one.
It's sad that 2 of 3 airports in NYC, the Financial capital of the world, are total 3rd world dumps.
- Ironic isn't it? Not so long ago LAX's Tom Bradley was not exactly a shining example either. Have you seen GIG and GRU? Supposedly those two airports are located in Brazil - a financial powerhouse, although on my last visit I saw signs stating something along the lines of soon Rio will get a new airport and lives up to the city's reputation.
Thank you for sharing !
As Kevin said, the flag at A17 is not meant to be patriotic but as a memorial for flight UA 93 / 09-11 plane that crashed in Pennsylvania as passengers tried to overtake the plane from the terrorists.
Thank you for commenting!
I wasn't aware of this so thank you for sharing that information.
Thank you for sharing this FR with us!
Great spotting shots from EWR. I'm glad you caught some nice intl heavies like the AI 77W and LY 772, as most of the action was dominated by UA.
You got some beautiful shots after departure and upon landing!
Seat pitch looks acceptable and overall comfort looks good, I have to try an E-Jet some day. Unfortunately your seatmate didn't really make your life easier on this flight.
Catering was good on this flight, didn't expect you to get a snack as well.
I'm glad the screen had a moving map, that's all I need on my flights (a window seat as well).
Overall it looks like B6 offered you a nice hop with good on-board service.
See you on the next one!
Thank you for all your comments!
EWR is more active at night when all the TATLs are getting ready to leave. When I was there in the morning it was pretty quiet except for the standard UA domestic operations.
I was very lucky with the route we took and blessed with beautiful weather to get some clear shots of the city.
The E-Jets are always a great option. I pick them over other narrow-bodies when possible.
The IFE is something you don't get on the legacies (most of the time). I didn't check out the TV or music options, I just left it on the standard moving map to track our route. The snack offering is unlimited on most routes, but this was a shorter flight for B6 so it wasn't as good as it could have been, but still much better than what UA would offer.
If B6 does a route I need, I'd look at using them again.
DC-NY-Boston routes offer awesome views, as the plane never goes so high.
Thanks for sharing, great pictures as usual!
Gracias Chibcha!
Thank you Mickael ^^
A real good domestic flight, and for a very short flight, IFE and light catering, and very thick seat seem very premium plus 2-2 Embraer config....great !:)
EWR is like NJ, not very sexy, but it seem to work well ^^
I'm very pleased by the bonus, and the shredded coast remember me Brittany ^^
Blue sky, flashy wildflower, and even as guest star, steven Seagull :)))
Ciao ciao
Merci Cobra^^ (3 mois de retard!)
B6 offers a great domestic product for US standards.
EWR is like NJ, not very sexy, but it seem to work well ^^
- Sounds like CDG ;)
Blue sky, flashy wildflower, and even as guest star, steven Seagull :)))
- But no Jean-Claude Van Damme ;(
Hey! Great report! (Try visiting the beautiful parts of NJ before calling it the armpit of America again, because it's probably one of the most beautiful states in the US!) It also happens to be my state :)
Again, Great job and awesome pictures!
Thank you for your comments.
No offense was intended, I'll remove that text. I think most people are aware that NJ has several very affluent areas. Unfortunately, most people only associate the run down cities of Trenton, Brunswick, and Newark with the state. Every state has nice parts and bad parts, coming from Texas I get my fair share of crap from people :)
Nice FR. UA is very prominent at EWR because it was a Continental (CO) hub that was inherited during the merger