Trip Reports - Real Time IAD-LAX-NRT-BKK-NRT-LAX-IAD-TPA-Tallahassee-TPA-IAD

Hello from the NRT RCC! Enjoy...

2/18/00 Home-IAD: The evening before the trip dire predictions of ice and freezing rain arriving at dawn threatened to keep this trip from ever beginning: not only was there the threat of weather related delays/cancellations, more significantly my wife was expected in from Johnson City, TN at 1:30AM with a connection thru CVG, where the bad weather had already hit. With a scheduled 7 AM departure, any significant delay in her arrival means Matt stays with the kids rather than getting on a plane (ah, the joys of parenthood). But my concerns were needless, as Annie had switched her connection to ATL (she is, to my chagrin, becoming more and more of a Delta fan).

After our 2 AM reunion, the alarm blared at 4:30 AM. Indeed, a quarter inch of slush was awaiting me on the streets outside. After a 40 MPH drive down the Dulles Access Road under sometimes harrowing conditions, arrived at IAD at 6:00. Decide to chance economy parking and am rewarded with a half-hour wait for the parking shuttle in the awful weather. At this point, I was nervous about losing my seat, so called from the bus and had 1k desk put a note in the record asking gate agents to hold my seat. Finally checked in at int’l 1k area and over to the people movers. At gate, the door is closed, despite the fact that departure is in 15 minutes, so I duck into the RCC at D7 and ask what’s up. The FA’s have yet to show. Grab a new schedule and some juice then head back to the gate where boarding has begun.

IAD-LAX: In an apparent attempt to atone for their part in our delay, the FA’s offer pre-flight drink service in FC on the 757. Between the FA delay, de-icing and a slow taxi thru the slush, we were 1 hour late getting off. 3 choices for breakfast but no menu. I’m asked second (behind what turned out to be a million miler), chose what QL calls the protein plate. Later, as I was checking the manifest with a FA(6 1k, 1 million miller), I noted that I appreciated that more and more FAs were asking in order of status. She asked me if this was really appreciated, and I assured her it was one of the best perks of 1k, nearly always getting a choice. This would turn out to be a prescient opinion. It’s funny, but two years ago IAD-LAX would have been my longest segment of the year. On this itinerary it was the shortest. Perhaps it was this knowledge that made the trip seem to pass quickly as I read and saved my sleep for the trans-Pac segment. Arrived LAX 30 minutes late.

Made way to RCC which was thoroughly packed with pax who were stranded thanks to O’Hare ground holds and the ripples that the weather was causing through the system. Collected my drink certs (without being questioned about what type of ticket I was holding, I think they were giving them to anyone who asked to make up for delays). Looking at the Depature board and the new schedule, something is very strange: UA 1 is supposed to go LAX-HKG-SIN but today it is going LAX-HKG-BKK, meaning I could have skipped NRT in favor of the more plush environs of HKG for my connection. Whatever, I guess maybe I’m traveling during the schedule change period. Downloaded my presentation that my trusty assistant had put some final touches on, then made my way to the gate.

LAX-NRT: No delay in boarding thru the first/business class jetway onto the 747. Upstairs to 15H, where my new laptop bag caused some consternation as it refused to fit in the overhead bin until I pulled out some of the books I brought along. 15H is great, but I did have a little side-bin envy. Watched in a deep state of envy as a couple in the row in front of me was operationally upgraded by the first class concierge minutes before departure to make more room in business. Typical trans-pac menu choices of steak, fish or obento. Asked second, I chose the obento. I later heard the FA apologizing that there were only 3 obento meals loaded for the upstairs section and those has all gone to 1ks. Word to the wise: the menu and the FA both advised pre-ordering the obento if you really want it. Meal choice priority is, IMHO, indeed one of the really great perks of 1k. The red wines were all French, so I drank Becks. Port after dinner. And blessed sleep for six hours. Arrival at NRT is, of course, "remote."

Next: onward to BKK on the 777...after hitting the NRT "beer machine!!!!!"

Thanks for the advice on the Obento. I'm flying to NRT tomorrow hoping for a 1st class upgrade. Then I connect to SIN on NH. If you will be there Sunday afternoon, let me know. I'll either be in the RCC or the ANA 1st class lounge.

Nice report!

The beer machine at the NRT RCC is so cool! Entertaining beer, what a concept. Every time I go there I get a kick out of it. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

IMO, the obento selection is the only way to go, thanks for the word on pre-ordering.

kokonutz:
When are you scheduled to be in Tallahassee and for how long? Let me know if you want me to take you on a tour of FSU's campus. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by Shack (edited 02-20-2000).]

Back at NRT RCC...sorry to miss you by one day, Stimpy!

Shack: I'll be in Tallhassee for all of 11 hours..I'm actually spending tonight (monday) and tomorrow (tuesday) in Tampa in order to stay on UA...Next time!!!2/19/00: NRT RCC: I made a mistake. I trusted the NRT RCC beer machine. It’s a contraption that you place a beer glass on. In theory, it automatically tips the beer glass back as it pours so as to minimize the head and returns a full glass of beer. I placed a glass on the platform and let it do its thing. Unfortunately, after pouring the beer, the platform did not stop at level: it dumped the beer and glass all over the floor, but not before depositing a good portion of the beer on my pants leg. The embarrassment was bad enough, but now I needed a shower. So off to the shower rooms. Which wasn’t so bad after all as I realized that I hadn’t bathed in over 24 hours.

NRT-BKK: The flight on the 777 was pleasant. The Thai FAs once again showed how good customer care can be and how bad a job American FAs do in comparison. Sitting in the smaller forward business class section, I got a real good look at the first suits, and have to say I am very unimpressed. The things already look dated, and the seat width is not nearly as impressive as I imagined. Sat next to a computer consultant who paid $5500 to fly DEN-BKK vs. my $890 + miles to upgrade. He was sad that he had the “discount” business class fare so couldn’t upgrade. A 1k, he was unaware of the new systemwides and had yet to receive his. Had the obento again.

BKK: Arrived at Bankok In’t Hilton at 11 PM. Upgraded to executive floor on the $85/nite rate. Beautiful hotel but the gym is being rebuilt. My body insisted it was11AM so decided to take a night tour of the city. My driver “Boris” had far better English skills that most Thai cab drivers and we agreed that for 400 baht ($10!!!!) he was mine for the night. Started out by picking up a couple of Montecristo Joyitas. Now before you go teasing me about those being a “woman’s” cigar, it was the only decent cuban the shop had. Stopped by the flower market, the midnight market, the Chinatown market, the old city and the statue of King #5. Asked Boris about Classic Thai Massage. He said that since it was Buddha Day, it was unlikely that there would be much open so late, but he could try. This was my second mistake.

On the up side, I finally got to see the “other” side of Bangkok. On the downside, I saw the “other” side of Bangkok. Boris’ idea of classic thai massage was quite different from mine. Enough said, other than to say that no, I did NOT take a massage that night. I think if we ever do have a FT get-together in Bangkok we shall have to keep AuH2o on a leash http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif!!!

Paid for my late night tour next AM at meeting, then slept most of the afternoon. Finally got out of bed at 7PM and went to a nearby Thai restaurant for some Tom Kha Gai and Kao Neo Nuea Yang. Back to the hotel for a workout when I found out about the gym situation. Wouldn’t have mattered anyway, since the gym closes at 8PM even when it’s open. Decided to stay on EST and wait until my flight the next morning to sleep, so took in a night walk, a football match at Oriley’s and read some of the Wisdom of Buddha.

2/21/00: BKK-NRT This is my loooooong day. 2/21 will last 36 hours, and I am traveling for nearly all of them. Had arranged for Boris to pick me up at the Hilton at 5:30 AM (Sunday 5:30 PM, I kept telling myself). Check in at the business class counter took 20 solid minutes, but there was still plenty of time for a pepsi at the TG executive lounge. Back on a 777 for the hop up to Japan, service by the UA Thai crew was once again superior. Had spicy Thai noodles for breakfast (Dinner, I kept telling myself) and slept through the midmorning (midnight) snack.

thank you for the report (and the Beck's drinking).

another traditional/classic Thai massage place (they charge a little bit more than the King's massage school at What Po: but they have very skilled blind men doing that job with even more skill): BUATHIP, Sukhumvit Soi 5, every day 10AM to midnight (strictly no sex).

Hey Matt, can I hold auh2o's leash??? http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Rudi, I'm staying in Sukhumit Soi 4 for the next week or so. I might be brave and try it.

So far any type of massage seems painful to me. Is it a 'no pain, no gain' type of thing?

Sorry to go a bit OMNI here kokonutz. I enjoy your reports and can relate to your taxi experience.

And at the risk of going recursively OMNI, I happen to be staying at the OMNI apartments in Sukhumvit Soi 4.


[This message has been edited by Austman (edited 02-21-2000).]

NRT-LAX: Got the beer machine right this time (the trick is to keep a hand loosely held around the glass).

Rudi: there was no Becks on the NRT-BKK, BKK-NRT or the NRT-LAX...sounds like you have some selling to do...

15A this time on the 747. I can't believe that I forgot to mention Mary Ellen and Pinkie!!! They were my FAs on the LAX-NRT and as is my wont, I had chatted them up and it turned out they were also working 890 on monday...my return flight! They greeted me like royalty as I ascended the stairs, both impressed with and pitying me my itinerary.

Pinkie (real name Cathrine...it's a long story) offered to match the Virgin massage offer but I politely declined.

Now I measure turbulance on a three level scale: level one and your cocktail is disturbed, level two and your cocktail is spilled, level three and your cocktail hits the ceiling. On this flight, (after confirming with my seatmate...who I told to check out FT) we had about four hours of level two and two hours of level one. Mercifully, I slept through much of it. Meanwhile, a speaker was making a tap-tap-tapping noise that was terribly annoying. The FA told the pilot who actually checked with maintainance in SF by radio, but to no avail. In the end, the Mary Ellen taped a pillow over the speaker using masking tape (!).

One last obento meal on this flight and it was mostly sleep for me.

The turbulance, it turned out was tailwind, and we landed about 40 minutes early...and did the LAX shuffle. The plane at gate 76, our gate, (a 747-200 to honolulu) had a mechanical hold. So we waited 50 minutes until the mecahnics drove it away. As I told Pinkie: Hey, no problem, I paid for 9 hours on that flight, and by God I wanted my 9 hours http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.

Checked voice mail at LAX and it turns out that they don't REALLY need me in Tallahasee tomorrow http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif!!!! And the next voice mail was my boss telling me to ignore the previous message http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.

Oh well, I'm off to fenagle a drink cert and enjoy a Bailey's on the rocks...

Next up: It's QUALITY time, not QUANTITY time that counts...

Glad you are back safe and ready to travel again tennis champ!

Wow koko... you da man. Really.

LAX-IAD: Submitted for your consideration: everything that is wrong with domestic air travel on Untied Airlines: Rather than a typical rant about the lowered standards we have come to expect on our beloved carrier of choice, I thought I provide you with a presentation based on the customer care award certs that we give United Employees who go above and beyond. [editor’s note: Matt has clearly been spoiled by his recent international business class flights. He gets like this every time he comes back from Asia or Europe, so lets all just do him a favor and politely put up with his whining then go back to more potentially accomplishable goals than asking UA to provide a decent domestic product.]

First, here are the facts: UA flight 190, 3-class 777 service LAX-IAD. The 777 is the older version with no laptop power, individual screens but no noise reduction. Business class seat in the forward business class section (seat 9B, if you must know.)

Here we go:

Helpful and informative:

I received clear and concise information:
I overheard a positive space pilot bemoaning the fact that he was forced to sit in business on this 3 class airplane. The FA agreed and noted that her favorite thing about the 3 class domestics was that there was usually space available up front. He sat down and promptly fell asleep for the duration (meaning he missed the boat: see below).

I received helpful service beyond my expectations:
The FA’s served drinks and the lunch meal as quickly as they possibly could: all the more time for them to sit and chat!!! Of course, once lunch was cleared, the FA’s mysteriously disappeared. The call button seemed to do the trick, but the price was a sneer from the responding FA.

Warm and Friendly:

I felt welcome and appreciated:
As I sat down, the FA said:” I HOPE you don’t think that bag will fit under the seat, because it won’t.” Thanks, lady, but this bag has been fitting under seats for nearly 10,000 miles already today and on planes with smaller under-seat storage than this hunk of junk. Oh, and good morning to you, too. Also there was no pre-flight drink and not a single smile to be seen anywhere.

I was recognized and personally greeted:
Never once did the FA call me by name or even refer to me in any other manner than “you,” i.e., “Are you done with that plate, because meal service has been over for a half an hour?” (so I was lingering over my tea and dessert, sue me.)

I was treated with care and genuine concern:
Hey, at least they left me alone (!).

Responsive and accommodating

I received special care and attention:
I only had to ask once or twice to get my water refilled!

My needs were met expediently
As soon as there was a break in the FA’s conversation with each other, they were happy to respond to the call button!


Anyway, you get the point. Compared to Mary Ellen and Pinkie and my Thai crews, I ironically felt like I was a second rate citizen in a third world nation. Oh, and to top it all off, it was a treat to watch 2 uniformed FAs get up and move from business to employee class after the door closed (the sleeping pilot missed out.)

FAs should make us feel like they would do anything for us, not like we are the only thing standing between them and their sitting on their assses chatting for 3 hours. From now on no more 3 class domestic airplanes for me!!!!

[ed. Note: henceforth Matt returns to the land of the sane]

The mild frustration of the flight disappeared when my kids and wife met me at the IAD gate. We had arranged to spend my 3 hour layover at TGIFridays over in the D gates chatting and catching up. The kids were in high spirits and I can say without a doubt that these hours were by far the most fun and satisfying of the whole trip. But bedtime soon loomed so I bade the family farewell and made my way to the C17 RCC for an e-mail check with a heavy heart. But it’s quality time that matters, right? Right?????

I don’t typically report on domestic business travel because even I find my time on these trips sooooo boring, but since it is part of this total itinerary, I include the following:

IAD-TPA: My IAD-TPA was conveniently from C17, so I charged my laptop as long as possible and got on the 727. Old plane. Old leather seats. My laptop barely opened in first class because the lady in front of me reclined upon take off. It being 10 PM, I couldn’t really blame her, but didn’t she REALIZE that I was now over 27 hours into my traveling day and just wanted to play some SimCity?????? Apparently not.

Cab upon arrival straight to Kinko’s for some printing and copying for the morning meeting then to Hilton Ybor. This hotel blows. Finally get in bed at 1:30AM EST and set the alarm for 5:30 AM to make my 6:40 AM flight up to TLH. In total I traveled for nearly 30 hours on 2/21/00. On the whole, it’s a day I’d just assume forget.

TPA-TLH On the airport shuttle at 6 AM I realize how close I am cutting it. I should have relaxed in the knowledge that this was Gulfstream dba Continental. The posted departure time of my 6:40 Am flight was 7:10, the excuse was crew rest regulations. The actual departure was 7:45. The Beech 1900 19 seater turboprop reminded me why I love the J-31 so much. Fortunately, I was carrying only my computer bag/briefcase and a pile of papers that I had created at Kinko’s, the rest of my junk left at the Hilton in anticipation of my return tonight. This is a bold gambit, as it assumes that I will indeed be back in Tampa tonight. Not surprisingly, I slept for much of the hour-long flight. TLH is my favorite non-UA airport because I have never ever been there when there were more than two airplanes on the ground. That morning we were the only plane on the premises.

Cab to my meeting at the Radisson (I really like the $12.50 cab fare airport to anywhere in Tallahassee, it feels like there are more direct routes driven as a result) then off to the capital complex to do my lobbying thing.

Back at TLH, I’m checked in on USAirwassexpressways back to TPA. This is my first flight on this particular airline that I personally booked and paid for in over two years and it was made out of necessity, and I justify it by telling myself its really Piedmont dba usairwaysexpressways. There was no line at all for check-in and we left on time on a Dash 8. A very comfy commuter plane indeed. And then the coup. A glass of water and...a bag of peanuts, vegetable oil and salt. PEANUTS!!! On an airplane. “Packaged exclusively for US Airways”!!!!!! A little bag of heaven brought to you by Fisher Nuts and USAirways. Not mustard pretzels. Not jungle mix. Not party mix…PEANUTS…

OK, let me get this stright: free, unlimited upgrades without certs or miles for 100,000 mile fliers, Dash 8s on commuter flights AND PEANUTS???? Can someone tell me why I don’t switch to USAirways please??? Oh yeah, BKK http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif.

Oh well, a free evening in Tampa beckons…


[This message has been edited by kokonutz (edited 02-22-2000).]

Woke up with a swimmy head at 6:30 for my 8:30 home. Ybor is not really crowded on Tuesday nights, but there was still a good time to be had. Mostly sitting around at bars telling lies to strangers.

Let me tell you what a seasoned, professional traveler I am:

Got to the UA gate at 7:45 and sat quietly. At 8:25, the gate agent announces that the compass is broken on the airplane and so the flight will not be leaving “anytime soon.” The FA’s can be seen walking off the jetway, down the hallway away from the gate area laughing. A line very quickly forms at the gate desk to accommodate folks. Matt Wald, Professional Traveler, springs into action. Standing next to the long line, I whip out my handy cellular and dial the 1k desk and tell them of my dilemma. A few quick keystrokes later and the lady says, “OK, I just got you protected on the 12:30 (the next IAD flight). Lucky you, that was the last seat available. There are sure going to be some uphappy people there today!” I grin, look at the poor suckers in line with an air of smug superiority and nearly break my arm patting myself on the back for my quick thinking and travel savvy. Well, I wasn’t going to stop there, I wanted my new boarding pass!!! Now, as you may know, there are only 2 UA gates airside at TPA, and so with the lines long at each of these counters, I go upstairs and hop on a tram back to the ticket counter to get my new boarding pass. As I stood at the counter explaining what had happened and what I did, guess what?

There was an announcement that our flight was not canceled after all, and not only were they ready to go, but would passenger Matt Wald kindly make his way to the gate because he is the last passenger they are looking for. That’s right, folks, brilliant travel man pretty much turned out to be Mr. Idiot Boy. In my rush to get reticketed I had made the cardinal sin of delays/cancellations: leaving airside. Well, the tram back to airside seemed to take FOREVER, and both the gate agents and the folks on the airplane now took their turn sneering at me. Lesson: Stray from the noble eightfold path of Buddhism and your head will be crushed like a juicy bug by the Wheel of Dharma.

The flight home was on another ancient 727 with leather seats and fritatta for breakfast. After all the excitement, we were only 15 minutes late. It’s good to be home, but now I have to go rip up the basement carpet and get it out to the curb in time for special pick-up tomorrow morning. Ah, the glamorous life of a world traveler.

Thabbbad, thabbada, thabbad, that’s all, folks.

OK Waldnutz, what are you trying to do? Give QuietLion a run for his bhat in the Trip Report category? Wonderful report. I decided to wait until the end and you were safely back inside the Beltway before responding. You are the man with the miles on this one. You've just covered more airspace in the last week than I'll cover in the next four months on my little airline. Glad you are safely home. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Regarding your wife's feelings towards Delta, isn't there some kind of restraining order against that kind of thinking... I mean, US Airways is one thing, but DELTA.... PLEEEEEAAASE. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Best trip rpt I have read in a while. After my flights today, I was cracking up at your description of UA "domestic" First. Keep up the humor and thanks for the laugh (I needed it).

John.

Great trip report! Couldn't agree more on the great service by the FAs in Asia.

First KOKONUTZ: WHEW!!!

What a terrific collection of FOUR PAWS UP Reports. And I like the personal style of "Twilight Zone" approach to flying. Because a lot of times that's what we run into (like my ORD Chicago flights... average, not worth trip reports)

QUiet Lion tells his travel stories puurfectly as a travelogue.

MINE are babble induced by Sam Adams and BECKS (I think then they are actually BETTER!)

BKK is really really really looking good to me. And I won't need a leash!

Lesson: Stray from the noble eightfold path of Buddhism and your head will be crushed like a juicy bug by the Wheel of Dharma.
(QL bows) Not worthy...not worthy...not worthy... http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Those Dash 8's are very nice, especially if you can swing two seats to yourself. As per peanuts, the flight attendant on my USExpress DTW-PIT flight last night gave me four bags on request. Heh. I was hungry and missed dinner.

<g> Great trip report.

I agree wit Kokonutz, the best FA's in the whole United System are the Bangkok and Singapore crews. They really know how to provide quality service and make us FF's appreciated. Then its a big let down from HKK or NRT back to the states. I wish the Sin or Bkk Fa's were with us all the way back to the states. Oh well 6-hours of A-1 service makes it easier to suffer with 10 hour of poor service. Maybe United should have all the new FAs trained by the FA crews stationed in Singapore and Bangkok.

Welcome home, Uncle1k! Sorry we didn't get to meet anywhere along the way http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

It seems parenthood has made you an even better writer! Good report Matt and welcome home.