It’s time to go home after another week of work in Orlando. As I’ve alluded to, this won’t be my last week in Orlando. If I would have known, I likely would have stayed down in Florida and had Val join me here for the weekend. But this project keeps turning into “one more week” and unfortunately we don’t have a very rigid structure.
As is pretty obvious, I’m mostly a Delta flyer. This was previously because they have the most convenient service into GSP and they were on my companies preferred vendor list. I’ve stuck with them because they are an excellent airline. However, this review isn’t about Delta, It’s about Southwest.
Southwest is my second favorite US airline that services GSP. I don’t like the check-in process, but I like flying them. I booked this flight with Southwest because the prices were excellent and the times were good. Southwest was also running a very short term promotion that would give a promotional companion pass if you booked and flew a flight within a window, this qualified. Anyway, let’s get into the flight.
In This Trip
1 :Let’s go to Orlando again: GSP-ATL-MCO Delta 717 and 757 Economy
2 :Let’s go to Orlando again: Home2 Suites By Hilton Orlando Near Universal Review
3 :Letss go to Orlando again: MCO-ATL-GSP Southwest Airlines 737 Review
3.1: MCO Aiport
3.2: Southwest 737-700 Exit Row Review
3.3: ATL Airport Transfer
3.4: Southwest 737-700 Review
3.5: Final Thoughts
MCO Aiport
Welcome back to MCO. I’ve seen a lot of this hallway lately. I’ve been to this airport a hundred times, but I usually come in via the B terminal, since the rental car facility on that side is closed, I’ve seen lots of the A terminal. Not that it’s very different, just a mirror image.
Through security and onto the train. I’m not sure why this style of airport was popular in Florida, but I’m not a fan of the hub and spoke airport.
The Orlando airport fascinates me, it has lots of disused roads and even overpasses.
View from the people mover out over the apron. This whole terminal is dedicated to Southwest.
At the gate it seemed like a pretty light load.
My ride up to Atlanta this afternoon. This 737-700 wears the older livery that Southwest has flying.
Southwest 737-700 Exit Row Review
I got an early A boarding position. I don’t much like the check-in process but I somewhat like the boarding process. During these Covid times, they are only lining up and boarding 15 people at a time, not the normal 60.
Anyway, with my nice early boarding number, I was able to score a sweet exit row. Tons of leg room in this row.
No in-seat entertainment on this plane or any Southwest flight. There’s also no power available, while this doesn’t matter on this hour long flight, I would be a little disappointed if I was flying Southwest trans-con or to Hawaii and didn’t have the ability to charge my device. Especially because the only entertainment options are streaming on your own device.
At least the view is nice. It’s shaping up to be a beautiful day down here in Central Florida.
And away we go. See you in 3 days Florida.
Looking out over the Atlantic Coast is one of my favorite parts of leaving MCO. Usually takeoff is to the north, so sitting on the right side of the plane is the best view for the whole flight.
Still a nice day to fly.
At MCO I grabbed a sandwich from Jersey Mike’s. It was lunch time so a quickly scarfed down my meal before they started the drink service. This way everyone else is still wearing their masks while I have mine off.
Passing over Jacksonville.
Above the small cloud layer it was a very smooth day for flying. Thinking back on it, I’ve not had a rough flight in a long time.
Light load today on this flight. Southwest is still(for now) blocking middle seats, I like this policy.
Coming into Atlanta it was a super clear day. It’s just starting to cool off here in the South.
And onto the ground here in Atlanta. We are a few minutes early, but not a ton.
ATL Airport Transfer
When you arrive at C17 and you depart from C15 it’s a pretty short walk. I do have about an hour to kill, so I walked over to C14 to get a seat with power to recharge my phone. I do travel with a power bank, but I didn’t want to dig it out on my flight.
Starting the boarding process, this flight also seems to be lightly loaded.
Little bit of a blast from the past.
The distanced lineup procedure.
Southwest 737-700 Review
My ride over to Greenville today. I like the new livery. The billboard name really looks nice to me.
Onboard. No exit row this time, I’m a few rows in-front of the wing. There’s not a ton of room in these seats, but it’s enough. I’m also not that tall so I fit.
Not an exit seat, but I get my own row. I’ll make that trade.
Let’s go home.
We took off to the West so a quick turn back to the North East. Nice view of the airport.
No service on this flight, it’s only a half hour.
Greenville into view with the foothills in the background. That airport is Donaldson Airport. It’s a WW2 era Airforce base that’s been transitioned to public use. Now Lockheed uses the airport as they have a manufacturing and maintenance facility.
Approach into to GSP. I like these early afternoon flights. Landing in the daylight is nice, then I can eat dinner at home.
Taxiing back to the gate.
Into the terminal (kinda crap picture).
Final Thoughts
I like Southwest. For these short flights they are more than good enough. The planes were clean, though not as clean as Delta. Everything was on-time and they are still limiting capacity. What more could I want from a short haul airline these days?
I’m pretty excited to try out my companion pass early next year. When that happens I’ll be sure to cover it, even if those flights aren’t boring.