Flight Review: Delta First Class New York-LaGuardia/Marine Air Terminal – Chicago
One of my favorite airports to depart from is the storied Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia airport, which was designed in 1939 and was the base for Pan Am’s Flying Boats during the golden age of flight.
It’s like a small-town airport terminal where one can show up at the security checkpoint when boarding has already started and count on a wait time of … zero minutes, something that’s convenient given the traffic that the LaGuardia reconstruction project has caused.
In my case, I breezily pulled up to the Marine Air Terminal at 9:40 a.m. for a 10:15 a.m. departure. I was airside by 9:45 a.m. and boarding was just starting as I approached gate two.
BOARDING
Delta invites first-class passengers to board the aircraft first, followed by higher level elite members of the SkyMiles frequent flyer program. Despite my late arrival, I was first on the plane and settled in while other passengers trickled in.
Flight attendants were in the aisles hanging up bulky winter coats (it may have been 61° F (16° C) in New York but I was heading to Chicago and not going without my trusty Triple F.A.T. parka. Before closing the door, the flight attendant working the first-class cabin had offered everyone a pre-departure beverage (I chose apple juice) and shortly thereafter we were ready to push back.
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