Overall, HP/AmericaWest seems to be improved vastly in the last year, at least my trip seemed to go very well. Arr Tus airport about 530am for my 714am departure to Phx. No one in line and agent rebooked me on half full flight HP803 dep 605am. Tucson airport is great, security is as good as anywhere but operation is small enough to speed psgrs thru quickly. Checked in, went thru security, and boarded flt at 545am-all of 15 min for the whole deal. Was B737 on the 16 min flight/12,000 ft/nice and secure feeling acft, but tight seating. Dep PHX at 855am/Airbus A319 /full and asking for volunteers to get off. Seat 17D, noticably more room than the B737. Delay at gate for 45 min-front cargo door light shows open, ground crew says closed ok, Gotta wait for official ruling if door is really closed (by mechanics) Votes 3-2 door is closed and we leave. Nice lunch thingy, a italian meatball and sauce and cheese sandwich baked into a sealed roll-easy to eat and tasty with a cooky and bag of pretzels. Arr Boston about 10 min late at 515pm Comming home on HP821 / tuesday I paid the $200 for first class upgrade at gate. Again flight full (both classes) BusA319 again and F is nice seating but rows are very close together-almost same as Y class. Extremely nice F/a, older woman from Denver and honestly friendly and cheerful person-should get award as best I've flown with in 2 years. Lunch was grilled turkey and cheese sandwich and macaroni and cheese with strawberry thing for desert and great Australian red wine. On time and very nice 5hour plus flight(I do recall years ago when 5 hour transcon filights had 6 course meals with alll the trimmings but---them days be gone. NUTS in First class iso those damn pretzels. Interesting point--on landing in PHX at 1215pm pilot made annoucemtnt "welcome to phx etc etc and another ON TIME ARRIVAL for Americawest. We then sat on taxiway for 30 min waiting for gate due congestion????. This is on time? Same acft continued on to Tucson so had only 25 min wait till departure but..... ad another 20 min wait as ""one of our F/A's is late arriving down the concourse and will be here shortly."" Got home, luggage got home, nothing really bad happened so....I guess it was a wild success in todays wierd travel scene Dennis