Karel and Karla

For our trip, we booked with Oneworld, British Airways from Vienna to London to Chicago.  Then American Airlines to Atlanta. On our way home we fly on Iberia from Los Angles to Vienna via Madrid.  

The challenge was getting from Atlanta to Phoenix.  Flying American Airlines meant having a layover in Texas and six to eight hours of travel time.  Steven recommended Southwest because you get two checked bags for free.  Delta had the best route but no matter which airline we took, the tickets were going to cost us +/- $500.

Then I remembered that I still had a bunch of Delta frequent flier points from before I moved to Euroland.  Thank goodness that these points don't expire.  So I cashed in just over half of my available points,  and paid $11 in taxes, for two one-way first class tickets.  Score!    

The direct flight from Atlanta to Phoenix was four hours long and we flew 2548 km (1,583 miles).   

The best part of the flight was our flight attendant, Karla.  Halfway through the flight, I used getting up to use the lavatory as an excuse to speak to the flight attendant.  She mentioned how extremely polite Kája was.  I explained that this was his first time in the USA, his first time ever flying first class, and that we were flying to Arizona because he was going to meet my parents for the first time.  I asked her if by chance, did she have any of the plastic pilot wings that they normally hand out to children.  She said that she would take care of it.

Wow, did she ever!  Not only did she later come over to give him the pilot wings, she also gave him a goodie bag full of snacks and a handwritten card saying welcome to the USA, good luck meeting the in-laws, and thanks for flying with Delta.  Of course, it was even better that her name was Karla.  Karel and Karla.  

Big thanks to Karla for making the flight such a great experience.  I just hope that Kája isn't now spoiled and expect first class all the time.