US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Any Inflight Changes since 1/1

Have movies returned, as was reported to happen, to transcons yet?

Also...anyone flown to LAS since 1/1? Is it still plastic city and box meals in FC?

I flew BWI-PIT-BWI Saturday, and there were no Atache magazines on board. FA's said they hadn't seen them since 1/1. So is there a January issue, or is this the latest cut?

I was thinking that we could all send US some BLOCKBUSTER VIDEO free rental coupons to help defray the costs of entertainment.

Maybe Blockbuster will buy US. That way we can watch all the movies we want and eat Twizzlers.

No domestic movies, and no food. Blankets back. Biggest disappointment, flew First to Rome and back over Christmas. No difference in service. Envoy menus, meals, and wines, despite references on the website to a special experience. On top of that, they didn't even have all the wines, and no amenity kits, which are supposed to have a souvenier pair of pajamas. I paid full Envoy (admittedly, the reduced rate in effect for that period) for 2 of us, so I could try the product. When I emailed consumer affairs about the elimination of service, missing items, etc., I got back some self serving message about "not always having certain items". What a major waste of money (not to mention false marketing....they should at least clean up the web site references). On the return to Philly, it was over an hour for bags, while they unloaded other flights whose passengers hadn't even cleared immigration, clogging the carousels.The one company rep I found said, "hey, they laid off 11,000 people, what do you expect?" Nobody's in charge,and nobody cares. I fear we are in the throes of a disaster with this company.

"Biggest disappointment, flew First to Rome and back over Christmas."

F class has been gone since before November. The seats are F class seats but the designation is still Envoy class.

The Jan 2002 edition of Attache is out there... I read it on an Express flight b/w PHL and DCA.

Post 1/1/02 Envoy experiences were the same as prior to 9/11. Same Crabtree & Evelyn amenity kits both ways. No printed wine list, but same 3 red, 2 white availability. PHL return through customs and immigration was bad but not too bad (carryon only, no checked luggage).

PHL Intl. arrival tip:

Once you get thru customs, immigration and you have your bags, recheck them (if needed) and then SKIP heading to Term. A security to enter the terminal for your connection.... head outside and walk to Term B check-in and loop back into the security gate near the US International check-in desk (to the right). It's early enough in the day that the wait there is only about 5 minutes since the international passengers are not checking in yet... this was vs. a 35 minutes wait (or more) at Term. A security.

Hey deelmakur,
I am very sorry for you. The old international first class which I have flown once on a roundtripp was indeed fantastic.
I am wondering for weeks why they still offer upgrades for miles and even more outrageous full first class airfares we are talking tons of money when they have eliminated the service down to ENVOY?
No pyjama, no 7 course meal, no better wines, no different lounge.... besides the full bed this is just ENVOY. I think you should try to get the systemwide or miles back for that flight.
I do not necessarily mind them to eliminate first class but why do they still sell it than and market it???????????
If they would sell it as ENVOY plus for a few hundred $$ extra or lets say 5000 miles each way to upgrade that would work. But as good as there ENVOY product is with this cuts this is not a competitive FIRST class any more.

I disagree about F class elimination on overseas flights. You still can't have a seat there without a C class (Envoy) ticket under you. The upgrade seat bucket is "I" not "O", and that's what is on the boarding pass. They also offer separate boarding at overseas points. My point was, they still promote it, but don't support it inflight. Thanks Eurousair, but I won't ask for the money, and the SWU's were running out anyway, but I believe it is worthwhile for people to know about it, before laying out extra money for nothing.

Ok, int'l first class is now the biggest disappointment and the fuel of my anger towards US Airways at this time. If they don't want to make first class first class, fine, make it envoy plus. I'd truly be happier. Dicate cabin accessibility. Can you pay a small surcharge in advance and upgrade to sleeper seats with envoy service (which is exactly what the product now is), open to CP's on J fares on day of departure? But right now (as far as fares are considered) they are making it a product exclusive of J. Look at the fares:

PHL-CDG departing 2/7
Y: $1112
C: $3125
J: $3727
F: $5453

Two thousand dollars is quite a difference for a flat seat. And 125,000 miles free roundtrip or 20,000 miles roundtrip from a J (already paying a few thousand) is clearly an upgrade to something special -- not just 'envoy plus'.

Envoy itself is as good as DL and CO business class, but the whole FC fiasco is utterly flabbergasting. Which is extremely unfortunate, since US F was an extremely fantastic product. And the PHL inbound arrivals doesn't help me want to fly US overseas. I'm clearly unhappy, but not enough to have decided what to do. I'm planning on netting US gold and going over to AA for platinum status, but if US keeps me happy, I'll keep them happy by going for CP. Fortunately, I'll get gold even faster with the new bonus.

Gripe complete. Have a good night.

From what I have seen, it looks like the short subjects are a bigger hit than the features, and on my flight on 1/1 it lasted from CLT-LAX until the point we hit 10,000 going into LAX. I also noticed that the additional music channels that were avail only on the Airbus and 767 are gone, but there is music. The January Attache has thinned out some from previous issues.

Up if FC, they have gotten rid of menu's and sundae's. Now just a menu card, and they serve a packet of cashew's with the post-departure beverage now. Portions remained the same size. Still no metal knife. Only 1 case of water was loaded in FC on my flight, the F/A asked the pilot to call catering, but there wasn't enough time. They have also eliminated the extra position, the "G", in FC, so now there are only 2, the lead and the kitchen slave.


[This message has been edited by phllax (edited 01-07-2002).]

I also flew CLT-LAX on the 767 right before Christmas. When I asked about the movies, the FA said they had no more movies--just the short subjects. But the website specfically discussed the availability of movies on transcons in first. Has anyone seen a movie on a 767 on a transcon?

Also, the cabin looked so old and dirty...the light above my seat would flash while I was trying to read and the foot rest wouldn't "stow" despite my effort and the FA's. I am going to London in March, confirmed in Envoy on the nonstop from CLT. Boy am I bummed that they stopped flying the 330 from CLT! Especially now that I know to sit in row 3,4 or 5 and NEVER 6A or 6B!

The level of information posted here is incredible. Thanks!

The 767 envoy class cabins are getting and old and dingy, but the big, padded, bulky sleeper seats with miles of legroom beat any standard domestic FC offering. I'm glad to see them on CLT-LAX, which I'm booked and confirmed in F.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by shinbal:
Also...anyone flown to LAS since 1/1? Is it still plastic city and box meals in FC?</font>

I'm currently sitting in the PIT Club on my way home from LAS. On both the outbound and return flights, we were served a hot meal in FC (!!!) The tray consisted of BBQ chicken, bowl of salad, dinner roll, and chocolate. It was a nice surprise because I wasn't expecting any meal.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by FlyerAl:
I'm currently sitting in the PIT Club on my way home from LAS. On both the outbound and return flights, we were served a hot meal in FC (!!!) The tray consisted of BBQ chicken, bowl of salad, dinner roll, and chocolate. It was a nice surprise because I wasn't expecting any meal.</font>

Any boost to envoy? Or has that stayed pretty consistent?

I am currently in the PHL US Airways club-just arrived from a quick trip to Las Vegas also!! There were hot meals in first class on both flights-an Egg McMuffin type sandwich outbound and a hot chicken plate on the return, which was actually not bad.

I believe 767 transcons are getting the movies back. I will be going ISP-PHL-LAX in a couple of weeks and will advise.



------------------
Regards,

Art from ISP

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by catwood:
Any boost to envoy? Or has that stayed pretty consistent?</font>

I did Envoy BUF-PHL-CDG Nov 29-Dec 2 and I thought the service was pretty much the same as my previous trip to FCO in May. There were some slight cutbacks to the breakfast offerings prior to arrival such as the elimination of cereals/muselix and no more piece of Godiva chocolate after dinner, but that was about it. It's still a great J class product, IMO.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Art234:
I am currently in the PHL US Airways club-just arrived from a quick trip to Las Vegas also!!</font>

How about that eh! We must've crossed paths at LAS last night http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif I guess the chicken meal is now standard for LAS flights. It was pretty good, I agree.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by catwood:
Any boost to envoy? Or has that stayed pretty consistent?</font>


The only difference in Envoy that I have noticed pre and post 9/11 is the elimination of a printed wine card & menu.... no big deal IMO. Rest of the service has remained good.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by geo1004:

The only difference in Envoy that I have noticed pre and post 9/11 is the elimination of a printed wine card & menu.... no big deal IMO. Rest of the service has remained good.
</font>

Ummm, there should have still been a menu I think, at least there was earlier in December CLT-LGW-CLT for me.

Oh yeah, warm nuts was supposedly scrapped I think I read somewhere here, and CLT-LGW they just gave us a few bags of almonds I think it was, but LGW-CLT they did have the warm nuts, so I don't know what the deal really is there.

Also, on the Envoy menu, they only list Bud, Bud Light, and Heineken (maybe Amstel Light too?), but in fact they still had Bass on the flights.

12/27 - warm nuts, with menu cards
1/1 - warm nuts, no menu card, I think the FA just read the entree options

On 1/1 FCO-PHL the beer selection rocked!

Heineken, Stella Artois, Kronnenburg, Grolsch, AND Peroni (in addition to the US brands)!!!




[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 01-09-2002).]

No menus in international envoy class? I thought only United did that... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif