Trip Reports - Star Alliance RTW (plus some extra bit).....

Only a few days now before I start the first big trip of the year. A 39,000 mile *A trip in C.

Plan is:

LHR-SFO-DEN-ORD-SYD-AKL-SYD-HKG-SIN-NRT-HKG-TPE-HKG-BKK-LHR.

Side trip include ORD-DTW-YYZ-ORD and HKG-BKK-SIN-BKK and BKK-HKG-MNL-HKG-BKK.

Quite a few miles. So far no problems with the seats that I like, but I know that the LHR-SF0 (UA955 on 12 Feb) is full in F & C and that SIN-NRT (UA890 on 19 Feb) is also full in F & C.

I'm thinking of being a volunteer to get off UA955 if they'll put me in F on the later flight. The cheek of him I hear you cry!

*A flight are with UA/AN/NZ/TG and the side trips are CX/TG/SQ/NW.

I'll try to update the report whenever I'm not acutally in flight!

I am really looking forward in getting all of your reveiws. I recently did a RTW on the One world alliance and had a great time

UA955 LHR-SFO 12 FEB 2000

Nice quick check-in at the 1K desk at LHR. Then off to Red Carpet, where none of the staff I knew were working.

Got very confused when they confirmed that the 777 has First Suites, but that the bulk head on C was 8 (not 9 as shown in the timetable for 777's with bed!). Anyway - it was - and as I was sat there it was jolly lucky that it was.

Boarding was delayed because they only had one jetway and so boarded from the back first - denying early boarding to F,C, 1K etc.


Staff were routine, dull, and generally what I expect in the C cabin these days.

Saw the 1K MILLION on the manifest. Didn't make any difference to the service I received - lets wait and see tomorrow when I go to O'Hare - via Denver!

Water service was bi-hourly which was a bind.

On-flight service manager came round once to persuade us to join INSPASS - not to ask what we thought of United or the crew. He looked like he enjoyed his First Suite - which seemed a bit odd as they said all upgrades were gone when we were at the gate.

Arrived at SFO to land on the E-W runways in heavy rain but only a few minutes late at the gate which was great.

Immigration was empty but as I had my INSPASS ready I was through and in the cab about 10 minutes after landing.

UA1078 SFO-DEN & UA258 DEN-ORD

My original flight was cancelled out of SFO owing to low cloud but I had already rebooked to an earlier flight, when I woke up from my jet lag.

The new flight was a 777 with First Suites, although this was a bit of a waste for an hour and a half.

The connection was also a 777 - but a short range one.

Service and meals were friendly and attentive. Snacks on both flights, but plenty of attention from the crew which was great.

Got to Hyatt O'Hare only to find that Regency is closed - although they take Regency Club reservations.

Off to YVR tomorrow at 10am.

ORD-SFO-SYD UA147 & UA863 14 FEB

UA147 was a 777 with the First Suites - lovely crew and had a great steak - can you imagine in the air! Not that large but very nicely presented, tender and just the right colour for me.

UA863 despite their being empty seats at check-in First filled - a combination of lat minutes upgrades and staff I think. Crew was OK - better as I was in First than had I stayed in Business (Had an accident in ORD and had to upgrade the rest of the trip - Oh the hardship).

Arrived to lovely, warm, sunny Sydney. Why don't I live here I ask?

Arrival at Sheraton was a slow check-in but the staff were helpful. You only get a room if you come in First. Otherwise Business get to use a lounge with a shower, be warned!

Arrived at the Park Hyatt to a crummy room with a poor view. But it's a AU$370 rate so I guess that's why. Although I'd have though Diamond Gold Passport would have done better than this. Beware rooms without a floor number (eg 001-011).

The QE2 is docked across the way whilst it's in town.

NZ102 SYD-AKL 17FEB00

Easy, friendly check-in. Was told about a 30 minute delay that turned into an hour. The lounge is on the ground floor behind some structure so is dingy and dark.

Friendly lounge staff kept us informed as the delay streched to an hour.

In flight, the C cabin was 50% full. The staff were friendly and efficent - a choice of 4 movies on a 3 hour flight - perhaps some of the US carriers should learn from this.

Food was good and tasty with a wonderful selection of wines.

Arrived and had a hike to Immigration who were efficent and then got to the hotel OK.

See posting in Hyatt section about room rate problems in AKL Hyatt.

UA does have a choice of four movies and several other video channels on flights with the new in-seat video.

NZ103 AKL-SYD / AN887 SYD-HKG 18 FEB 00

Well had a wonderful check-in a AKL - friendy, efficent and helpful. Enjoyed NZ service - food was good, staff friendly and we had the hand-held videos like United First Class. However, as I was last on the list - they serve from the back of the A/C side and then from the back of JK side so poor me in 1K was last so just finished the movie as we started to land.

But what a revelation Ansett was. No early boarding so a scrum to get on.
Staff were friendly but backed down when this customer had this huge carry on - he wasn't even an AN passenger - just a relocated passenger from a cancelled CX flight. They let him put it in the closet.

Lots and lots of food so much I was stuffed. Seats were OK - managed to get several hours of sleep.

Connection was fun - but worked really well. Currently in FC lounge at HKG enjoying GREAT service. Off to SIN.....

. . . waiting for more and a comparison of airlines at the end of it all.

UA890 SIN-NRT & UA801 NRT-HKG

The SIN-NRT leg was delayed by 20 minutes owing to check-in problems but we only arrived a little late.

However the service from the Singapore based attendants was SUPERB. It is almost impossible to find enough words to say how wonderful they were. Attentive, informative, helpful and nothing was too much trouble. If all United flights were like this no one would ever fly any other airline again. Helpful without being over bearing - they listened to exactly what each customer wanted and delivered that in a timely fashion with a smile.

Water service was about every 10 minutes - see earlier post on LHR-SFO.

At the other end they seemed genuinely sorry to see us leave and I was sorry too!

UA890 NRT-HKG well I slept most of this, but the staff seemed nice, the meal was OK - and again I got the meal exactly as I'd asked for it - No sushi! Nice to be met by UA buggies (revenue First only), who took us to immigration and I was in town about 45 minutes after landing which I think was pretty good.

Grand Hyatt - busy - no room upgrade but helpful staff so OK so far.

TG632 HKG-TPE / TG633 TPE-HKG / TG607 HKG-BKK

Flights to/from TPE were fine. Friendly staff and a light snack. HKG staff would not let me check-in for my return by, after some explanation at TPE they checked me.

The F lounge at HKG was OK - small and they had a meeting going on when I got there. Which, as there was no F on their flight must mean that they were TG VIP's. This is a bit odd as despite being F on HKG-BKK the staff would not let me in the F lounge when on the way to TPE.

HKG-BKK was late inbound, so we left very fast to make our slot. Arrived on time.

The 744 had the new sleeper seats which were nice but a bit short on the leg rest - I'm only 6ft but have oddly long legs (no comments).

The DP champagne has gone and the replacement is OK. The cabin was half full (quite a lot of staff I think - almost thought it was United!).However, the revenue passengers got first meal choice.

I slept and woke as the lights of BKK were visible. Quick taxi to the gate and fast disembark.

Got to the end of the jetway and found a lot of people waiting for a VIP who was in the F cabin. I wish I'd known who he was as there were all sorts of airport staff waiting for him. (It wasn't that they were waiting for me I realised).

Quick Limo to the Hyatt were they checked me in really fast and I watched a movie before a good sleep and a nice breakfast in Regency Club.

Leave for home today on the lunchtime TG flight - no sleeper seats this time - never mind my own bed will be there.

Markie,

My brother and I flew from LAX-BKK in FC with the Thai Prime Minister a couple years ago. They had a special FA (about twice as big as most Thai men) and the service was superb on that flight. It was a treat!

Thank you for your post. As I sit here in the AC lounge in YWG waiting(3 hr delay), you have given me much entertainment. I think I must try this RTW stuff, although I think I maybe fly too much as it is.

Marc

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Canadian Presidents Gold,
Air Canada Prestige.

... you made me 'thirsty' for my next *Alliance rtw ...

thank you Markie.