DID YOU EVER LIVE IN AN AIRPORT FOR 5 DAYS?. Review on Dallas/Ft Worth, TX, USA (DFW)

I have only flown on American Airlines once and that was to go to Dallas, Texas in the U.S.A.

We left Edmonton, Alberta in Canada at the ungodly hour of 6:30am. There was an hour stop in Calgary and then we flew for about an 2 ½ hours and landed at the Dallas Fort Worth Airport.

We landed at Thermal ''A'' as that is the Thermal that all of the American and American Eagle flights land at. Dallas is a hub for these Airlines.

THE OTHER TERMINALS ARE:

I had taken their Magazine, (the American Way), because there was a map of all the Terminals. The Airport is at least 20 years old and as well as being a hub for a lot of Airlines it is also one for Baggage.

1) Terminal B serves America West, American, Continental, United, US Airways and most non-US airlines.

2) Terminal C is for American Airlines International Flights. (In Canada we have 3 types of flights: Canadian, Trans-boarder, (only into the U.S.A.) and International.

3) Terminal E is for Aeromexico, AirTran, Delta and Northwest flights.

WHEN WE LANDED:

I was coming to Dallas to learn how to use the American Airline's Saber Computer, (it's the same system that British Airlines uses). We had been allowed to do through American Customs in Edmonton so we did not have to got through this procedure here.

I walked down long corridors until we reached the baggage area. There was a flat moving walk-way that I could have taken but I wanted to get some circulation in my legs.

I saw a Trolley that people could take if the wanted a lift as well as people in wheelchairs that were being assisted to the baggage claim area or the their gate.

When I reached the area to claim my bag I saw 9 baggage turnstiles. We had been told which number to go to before we disembarked. When I got to #8 a Lady was waiting for me, (she was holding up a sign with my name on it). We waited about 15 minutes for my bags.

WHAT MOST PEOPLE DON'T SEE AT THIS AIRPORT:

When I had my suitcase the Lady led me out a side door and we walked down a path that was next to the Airport. At the end of the path there was a building that we entered.

This building would be where I slept, ate and studied for the next five days. Each room is a double and my room mate was a Reservations Agent from Toronto, Ontario.

The people here to study were Piolets, Stewards, Stewardesses, Reservation Agents and Travel Agents from the Countries that AA Flies to. The Travel Agents can a choice of taking their Classes on Microsoft or an Apple Computer, (this was based on the ones in their Office).

The Dinning Room area was a huge Buffet with foods from around the World. It was open from 6 am until 10 pm and everything was free.

There must have been over 30 classroom and between them there was a covered walkway that took you passed beautiful gardens. That was great the first two days and then it began to snow.

One night we were taken to the ''Pilot Simulator'' and each given a chance to fell what it is like to pilot a plane, (I crashed mine on take off).

We did get a tour of Dallas and time to shop and one night we went to Fort Worth, (each are about 15 minutes away from the Airport), to eat Texas bar-b-cue and learned the Texas Stomp.

WHEN I LEFT:

This was the first time I saw the front door of the Airport. I also saw a Shuttle Train, (that took people to other Terminals) and Car Rental Booths.

I never left the Airport but I did see signs muli-lingual signs for the bathrooms, Bus Transfers to a variety of Hotels and Down Town. I saw that there was a walk way to a Parking Lot.

We stood in long lines waiting to be checked-in. We had been told that there were Passenger Service Agents that spoke 21 Languages. I'm sure that the people in front of us wished the one they had spoke English, (he did), when they were told their Travel Agent had not booked them on the flight that they thought they were booked on. This is an American Airlines ''trick'' as the over book their flights. I stepped in to assist and helped the people get on their flight.

After we checked we had time to look around. If your ticket did not include all of the taxes then you had to go to a different line to pay those. My ticket was free and the AA had paid all of the departure, landing and building taxes so I could skip this step.

We did see a some Money exchange booths, a lot of Shops and Cafes,(the Magazine says there are over 100 of them). A few of us had a drink at a bar and it was time to go to my plane and go home.

SOME THOUGHTS:

I loved Dallas and if I ever went back I would fly on AA and then I could tell you more about this huge Airport.

I would like to thank my Friend who let me use her Computer

to write this review for you.

Please ignore some of the ratings that I do not know one

thing about, (don't ignore the ones I do).

©LL2002