TTN to BED
This week I had to fly to Marlborough Massachusetts for a one-hour client meeting. So my colleague and I flew out of Trenton NJ airport (I bet you didn't even know there WAS a Trenton Airport!) into Bedford Massachusetts. I got up at 6:30, got ready, got to the tiny airport at 8am or so. Have you ever flown out of a tiny airport like this? Let me share some things I learned on this trip:
Our Plane
Everyone in these tiny airports talks to you. Everyone is your buddy.
The tiny airport will remind you of a Greyhound bus terminal.
Airplanes from this airport only go from Trenton to Bedford. That's it. If you miss the flight - you've missed THE flight.
The same lady that ripped your ticket is most likely the lady letting you on the plane.
When you use the bathroom in the airport you are using THE BATHROOM. The only stall. No row-after-row of stalls like in the big leagues.
In Bedford Airport (also known as Hanscom Field) there is a tiny cafe. In this cafe you can buy things like apples, juice, soda, chips. And other items like a plate of steamed dumplings or vegetable lo-mein. This is either the scariest restaurant ever or a hidden gem with the best dumplings west of Boston. I'm not sure. I didn't try them.
Pilots of tiny planes flirt with passengers.
I didn't attempt to bring knitting on this trip. Considering I can't even bring water, I figured pointy sticks were out of the question.
Posted by jen at September 20, 2006 08:11 PM
Comments
The good news is no waiting at the luggage carousel.
Posted by: Ragged Around The Edges at September 20, 2006 09:46 PM
new haven had a tiny airport like that -- if they spit on the runway, all flights were canceled. but when it snowed one christmas eve, the ticket-tearer gave me a voucher for a cab ride to new york from connecticut, which was like $300, because his hometown was nearby. now that's good service.
Posted by: carrie m at September 21, 2006 10:54 PM
I flew just a week or so ago. I forgot they got more strict with what you can and can't take on the plane with you. I had everything in my toiletry bag taken away except for my comb, dental floss and contact solution. Grrr.
I *did* however, knit. And they didn't care. But you were flying with a much smaller operation, so who knows if they would be fine with it or not.
Posted by: Stacey at September 23, 2006 02:49 AM
I remember going out of Newburgh International when I was a kid. It was a converted air force base, much like you describe. Nothing like those little airports.
Posted by: Jessica at September 23, 2006 10:21 PM
Some of those tiny airports have the best restaurants... it's quite a thing among small plane pilots to fly in somewhere just for lunch. If you ever go back, you'll have to try the dumplings :).
Posted by: Sarah at September 25, 2006 05:45 PM
mmm. dumplings. I'm hungry.
I really hope I can knit on the way to NY in October!
Posted by: Carrie at September 26, 2006 11:02 AM
I think you just described the premise of "Wings".
Posted by: Marissa at September 27, 2006 06:20 PM
