Farewell to Thai's Airbus 345: Austin to Los Angeles

• Introduction
• Penang to Bangkok with layover at Novotel Bangkok Airport
• Bangkok to Los Angeles
• Radisson LAX
• Los Angeles to Austin 
• Embassy Suites Townlake Austin
• Homewood Suites Round Rock 
• Extended Stay Austin Southwest
• Austin to Los Angeles
• Los Angeles Layover
• Flight back home - Los Angeles to Bangkok
• Bangkok Layover - Indra Regent Hotel

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I arrived at Austin airport after a slow day at work and spending part of the day looking for places to stay at Austin. I had actually gotten to the airport way too early at 3pm for a 7pm flight since I was already tired from the house hunting and didn't have a hotel at this point. The plan was to chill out at the United Club with some gin and tonics.

When I tried to check-in at the automated kiosk, the machine offered if I wanted to get an on earlier flight but could not complete the request when I said yes. A ground agent had to help out and got me on a flight to Los Angeles via Houston that was leaving in 30 minutes. After rushing through security, boarding for the United flight to Houston was already underway.

The short flight to Houston by a pretty brand new 737-800 that comes with the new interiors but there were no PTVs on this flight.

I had about an hour layover in Houston where I rushed through a couple of gin and tonics at the United Club. The flight to Los Angeles was operated by another 737-800 but this time the plane was equipped with PTVs that offered direcTV. First class did not check-in full and they called several upgrades after boarding had completed - if only I had status on United.

 I was seated in a window seat with the middle seat empty on this flight. I paid for the USD $7.99 for direcTV which allowed me to kill time catching up on news (Tebow was the news of the day) and a movie.

LAX