Carfield
Apr 5, 01, 12:53 am
Part III - AA's Inaugural Taipei to San Jose, CA service
Finally, it came to the part that was the most interesting. AA's brand new nonstop between Taipei and San Jose, CA began at April 3, 2001 and I had the honor to be part of it. But before we headed down to the main part, I will begin with my short hop from Hong Kong to Taipei.
April 2, 2001
CX 564 HKG-TPE Lv1310 Arr1455
Airbus A330-300 B-HLE
After a wonderful weekend in Hong Kong, it is time to leave. I managed to visit my father's brand new office. He is a dermatologist and his office is at Melbourne Plaza. Anyway, I used the Airport Express check-in and hang out in Central until noon, which was a bit late. I did not use the Wing today because boarding had already commenced at 12:40pm. I was offered a choice of orange juice, champagne, and water. Then the F/As passed out headsets and menus. The service was pretty good today and the F/As were cheery. Due to the continuation of the flight into Osaka, there were some Japanese F/As. Door was closed at 1:09pm, and we pushed back immediately. The F/As then passed by with fresh hot towels. I better enjoy it since United is canceling this nice service.
There are a couple interesting planes, including South African Airways' Boeing 747-200s and an array of CX planes. We headed to Runway 7R for takeoff. After a brand new Korean Air's Boeing 777-300 took off, we took our turn and flew into the sky at 1:26pm. The personal TV was switched on with the showings of multiple short subjects. I watched an episode of "Becker." The meal service also commenced due to the one hour and thirteen minutes flying time. We climbed to 33,000ft today.
Here is the menu:
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Papaya, watermelon, 3 grapes and pineapple slices
Braised Abalone with Chicken, Fried Rice with Egg, and Shanghai Pak Choy
Excellent dish… the best that CX has ever served… everything were diced and made a delicious rice dish… I highly recommended it. The abalone is a nice shell seafood and they are diced.
Or
Braised Seafood with Tomato sauce, Wild Rice and Steamed Rice, and Mixed Vegetables
Banana Cheese Cake
Served as a separate course
Garlic Bread or Italian Roll
Tea-Coffee
Chinese Pastry
A sesame red bean cake prepared by the Royal Plaza Hotel
The meal was served with appetizer and Chinese pastry on the tray… also a promotion card for its brand new Delhi service. Then the F/As passed out the entrees, and which followed by tea/coffee/dessert service. Excellent! We began our descent at 2:13pm but we did not touch down till 2:45pm. We parked at Gate B5 and it was a wonderful flight. I enjoyed my short stay at Taipei. I ate some good rice dish and walked around my favorite CD shops. I got some wonderful karaoke VCDs and magazines. A nice stay! The Taipei Hilton is also nice.
April 3, 2001
AA 150 TPE-SJC Lv1320 Arr0950
Boeing 777-200ER N7784AN/7AR
It was an exciting day for me, but Taipei was raining, which took away all the photographs' opportunity for me. Terminal 2 was very nicely done and opened last year. The arrival hall was quiet with only one flight arriving in minutes and no flight coming in till later of the day. The departure hall saw the similar quietness. Even the EVA Air's counters were quiet. I went to the American Airlines' area, which was filled with flowers sent by various Chinese travel agents. A nice supervisor type person checked my ticket and brought me to the first class line. All the ground service was handled by EVA Air, but they seemed to be okay with AA system. They even asked me about my upgrades and told them that AA had already reissued my ticket at Chicago. No problem! For the first time, I saw AA's pink priority tags attached to my bag tags, which would be important for an airport like SJC. Priority bags always came out first, so they could clear some passengers from the small Federal Inspection Station. Anyway, I got a first class envelope with my boarding passes printed out and all the small details. That included an invitation to the gate for a lion dance show.
I went to gate C5 immediately and wish that I could visit the EVA Air lounge later. Anyway, the lion dance was more important. At 11:45am, the press conference began with AA's managing direction Asian-Pacific region, Nancy --, made a speech. She said that it was an exciting day for AA because it marked its first expansion in Asia beyond Japan. That was the reason for the major celebration. Then it was followed by the station manager of CKS and some managers from the Aviation department. They exchanged gifts and actually staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Then there was an excellent lion dance performance at the gate. Then they cut the ribbons and we were invited to a refreshment buffet in the gate area. Of course, I made the mistake of going through security and headed to the gate area. I should have returned to the duty free shops and the EVA Air lounge. Anyway, the refreshments include sandwiches, fruits (nice watermelons), cookies, and Chinese pastries. Then there was orange juice and tea.
The gate area on the new Terminal seems to be more spacious than terminal one. Also, one will need to go through security check point only when you enter the gate area. However, each gate has only one X-ray machine and it takes a very long time if you have a lot of people entering the gate at the same time.
The boarding did not begin till 12:49pm. Two AA personnel shook our hands and handed us an inaugural certificate and a nice plaque, which was basically a crystal type statue showing Taiwan and the USA with the cities highlights and a little plane out from TPE towards the US. My description sucks because I really don't know how to describe it. It is nice, but I wish I could have the Bose noise-canceling headsets and 20,000 AA miles as well.
The F/As were preparing the cabin as we entered. A Chinese F/A welcomed us aboard and I took my seat, 2A. I did not realize that it was a bulkhead seat, but it was nice. An amenity kit from Honey Been Garden, a blanket (no duvet or quilt like CX or UA), and a pillow were already placed on the seats. The sleeper seats are wide and comfortable, but it would be nice to see the suites. Then the F/As came by with orange juice, champagne, and water on plastic cups. Then they rolled out the newspapers and magazines cart. Surprisingly, there were many Chinese newspapers and magazines. They were very serious about the route. Then, they passed out menus and I asked for the J class ones as well. I don't think Y class got a menu. Anyway, the F/As were very friendly and the boarding went well. Door was closed four minutes early and every guests, including lots of AA staff from the US and Taiwan, sent us off. They waved goodbye as we pushed back. I guess AA was very serious about the new service that it sent lots of staffs, including mechanics, reservation agents, gate agents, administrative staffs, concierges, and lots of folks running around. AA was really serious about this route and possible expansion in the future. My neighbor, who had friends with AA, told me about AA's possible expansion into Hong Kong later this year (ORD to HKG), but he warned me about the possible demise of the Oneworld Alliance.
Anyway, there was no traffic in front of us. We slowly taxied into Runway 06 and took off at 1:39pm. There were some major bumps in the first two hours of the flight. Flying time for the inaugural flight was ten hours and thirty-nine minutes. We first climbed to 33,000ft and hit a few areas of rough air. Then we passed Kagoshima and Miyazaki and then climbed to 37,000ft. We turned away from Japan after passing the Tokyo Bay. We entered the US at Northern California.
The F/As first passed out hot towels and began preparing the galley. The F/As told us later that it took them a while to find out where the things are and the new service items. It was okay and they began to take a drink and entrée order. First, the F/As passed out nuts and canapes with our beverage. Strangely, AA used small gray linens as a drink holder. However, the F/As were told to secure the galley and took a seat after they barely managed a beverage service. They seated for fifteen minutes when things calmed down a bit, but still not good. Anyway, they began to set up our tables with linens (2 actually - blue and grey) and all the eating utensils. The menu was followed by my italic remarks.
Dinner
To Start
An assortment of warm mixed nuts to accompany your preferred Cocktail or Beverage with a selection of canapes consisting of Crabmeat Cake, Salmon Mousse and Beef Carpaccio with Bamboo Shoots
There was a nice set of oriental style china to serve this dish. There was a long ceramic plate with three canapes and a ceramic bowl on one side for the nuts. The canapes are fine and the nuts are plentiful. Good start!
The Caviar Cart
Caviar with traditional Garnishes and Blini or Toast Points, or smoked Salmon with Capers
I had the salmon, which was nice.
Soup and Salad Cart
Soup
Chicken Soup served with Winter Melon and Mushrooms garnished with Coriander
Nice soup served in a brand new Chinese style soup bowl, soup spoon, and a soup stand. Excellent design!
Mixed Seasonal Green featured with Cucumber and Cherry Tomato
Thai-Style Seared Chicken
Offered with Thousand Island Dressing or Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Pre-plated salad with 5 cucumber slices, cherry tomato, radicchio, green leaves and boston lettuce… the F/As were stingy with the chicken strip. I got only one strip of chicken breast
Bread Basket
Assorted Breads (Sesame Twists and Italian Rolls) including Garlic Bread
Entrees
Filet of Beef
Tenderloin of Beef complemented by a Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace accompanied by sauteed Zucchini with diced Roma Tomatoes, Basil and Oregano and Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Or
Pesto Penne
Penne pasta enhanced by a Basil Pesto sauce tossed with Zucchini, Red and Yellow Bell Peppers and Asparagus
Grilled Chicken can be added to this Entrée upon request
Or
Stir-Fry Lobster
Lobster enhanced by a stir-fry sauce presented with Sugar Snap Peas, Lily Bulbs, Napa Cabbage and Chinese Noodles with Dried Shrimp
Entrees are pre-plated, but the entrée was a nice dish. I think it was overcooked, but it was nice to see some Chinese dishes
Or
Pork Stuffed Squash
Minced Pork Meat stuffed in Bitter Squash accented by a Black Bean sauce presented with Broccoli Florets and Shiso Rice
Strange choice… very traditional Chinese dish, but bitter melon was not a popular item… it was a bit challenging to serve this dish. Unless you really like bitter things, don't try it!
Chinese steamed rice and Soy sauce available upon request
Should you care for additional options, Broccoli with Cheddar Cheese and Onions, Green Beans, caramelized Onion and Bacon Mashed Potatoes are available upon request with any of our entrees
Dine Upon Request
In an effort to accommodate your individual preferences, American Airlines is pleased to offer the entrees listed below complete with Caviar, Smoked Salmon with a Pita triangle and Tiramisu, presented all at once, at any time you wish.
Dessert
The Fruit and Cheese cart
Fine Cheese complemented by dried and fresh assorted Tropical Fruits, served with selected crackers and offered with Port and Other fine Wines
Rouqueford, Cheddar, and Camerberst cheese… Fruit including watermelon balls, melons, cantaloupes, kiwis, and grapes)… abundant collection of crackers and warm breads… dried pineapple dices and dried apricot dices…
The Dessert Cart
Ice Cream Sundae
Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice cream with a choice of Hot Fudge, Butterscotch, or seasonal Berry toppings, Whipped Cream, and chopped nuts
Excellent way to end the dinner…
Or
You may choose from our assorted Dessert Tray
Tiramisu, Strawberry Tart, Mocha tart and one other kind of pastry
Wine List
Champagne
Pommery Apange
White Wines
Laboure-Roi Chablis Grand Cru
William Hill Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Fume Blanc
Red Wines
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
Merryvale Napa Valley Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon
King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir
Sherry
Osborne Amontillado Sherry
Dessert Wine
Graham's Vintage Port
The meal was served individually with a cart to show you the dishes. It is a nice concept and I like the food. AA also introduces a nice pair of chopsticks with a dragon chopstick stand. The chopsticks are not the fancy ivory ones, but not the cheap disposable ones. They are wooden made, but with "lucky-meaning" characters carved on each chopstick. The dragon ceramic stand will not be there soon because most passengers find it convenient to take it away. The F/As have no clue on what those dragons are for. They do not place the chopsticks there. Later, they told me that they thought it was a gift for the inauguration flight. One thing for sure - they won't be here too long.
The F/As passed out truffles when they served the coffee and tea. Then the F/As shut each window shade and turned off the light.
I listened to music and to watch short subjects for the remaining of the flight, since I could not sleep at all. I am too excited. The AA touch screen PTV system is very convenient to use and AA has added two Chinese movies, Chinese subtitles for lots of movies, one dedicated channel for Chinese TV sponsored by the Star TV/ Satellite Chinese TV, and one dedicated Chinese music channel. BTW, even the safety video featured both Chinese subtitles and mandarin soundtrack. They are serious about exploring this region. The one complaint is that there is a lack of mandarin speaking passengers. Over 75% of today's flight are mandarin speakers and they need them, especially taking orders for meals. I had to translate for my neighbor on a number of occasions, even helping him ordering video tapes. AA also passed out bottles of Evian water. There are F/As walking around, better than AC, but not as good as CX or SQ.
A variety of snacks is available to you upon request at any time after the meal service. That includes Godiva chocolate, Toberlerone chocolate, jelly beans, and rice crispy treats. At about 8pm Taiwan time, the F/As came to take the snack orders. The F/A first came with beverage and a linen to cover my table, and then they brought out the snack tray.
Midflight Snack
A meal service will offered to those passengers who are not sleeping
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Not served
Hot Noodles in Beef Broth garnished with braised beef, Spring onion, and Baby Bok choy
I really like the noodles. Of course, it was not like the street stalls in Taipei, but for planes, it was good.
Or
Sausage Pizza topped with melted Mozzarella Cheese
Carrot-Mango or Berry Smoothie Fruit Juices
Not Served… I think the F/As are not too sure about the service themselves. Maybe AA needs to publish some more manuals for them.
Breakfast
Breakfast cards are also printed
Offered Prior to Arrival
Fresh seasonal Fruit (2 slices of pineapples, papaya and Kiwi)
Served with warm Croissants, Red Bean Danish and crusty French Rolls
Cereal (Special K… I think) & Yogurt (Strawberry flavored)
Preserves and Butter
No bread was offered, but serving breakfast in two courses was nice. The fruits were fresh and ripe, and the cereal was nice. I always love yogurt.
Eggs made to order offered with a Mushroom Medley Garnish, with your choice of Canadian Bacon or Sausage
I had mine sunny side up. I was surprised that AA had installed the egg skillets. It beats UA's breakfast for F class right the way. No comparison between AA and UA breakfast. AA is definitely better.
Or
Congee presented with Traditional Garnishes
Just serving the congee is not enough AA. My neighbor asked for a refill. It has to serve some fruits or increase the amount of garnishes or the bowl. Four kinds of garnishes are pretty lame. But I understand it was AA's first time serving congee. It will get better once they fly the routes for a while.
We began our descent early after strong tail winds. The F/As played the SJC destination video soon and then collected the headsets. Then they prepared the cabin for landing. It was a beautiful morning at the California Coast and took some nice pictures of the Golden gate bridge and the city of San Francisco. We flew all the way passed San Jose Airport and turned back to make a landing at Runway 30L. We landed at 9:28am and used almost the whole runway to stop. Then we taxied into the small taxiway beside Runway 30L waiting for the Federal Inspection Station (FIS) to open up. It took almost thirty minutes (34 minutes to be exact) to park at the remote area. The Chinese F/As had to repeatedly asked the passenger to sit down. We were not parked at the gate yet. Finally we walked down the stairs and it was actually a nice experience. I snapped pictures of the AA's B777s and wrote down the tail number.
The FIS was a small building, which could barely filled with 300 people. There were four INS lines - one for crew, one for US citizens and permanent residents, and two for foreigners. The crew line was used for the citizens when no one was in line. There was one baggage carousel -- no chance for mistake here. The bags came out relatively fast because the plane was right next to the FIS. Priority bags came out first because AA wanted to clear the premier passengers too. AA had three baggage handlers standing by to take the unclaimed bags to a small area first. Then we went through the customs - two inspectors, and then dropped off the bags immediately next to the custom station. Then most passengers took the connection bus to the terminals. The bus was crowded and the driver waited the bus to fill up before heading to the station.
Okay, I had the Business Class menu, too, which served similar food as F class.
Here it is:
Dinner
To Start
An assortment of warm mixed nuts to accompany your preferred Cocktail or Beverage with a selection of canapes consisting of Crabmeat Cake, Salmon Mousse and Beef Carpaccio with Bamboo Shoots
Marinated Shrimp Appetizer
Shrimp enhanced by Red Pepper Dressing featured with grilled Eggplant and Zucchini, Asparagus Spears, Cherry Tomato and Red Bell Pepper Julienne
Salad
A mix of Radicchio, Green Leaf and Boston Lettuce garnished with sliced Cucumbers, Watercress and Cherry Tomatoes offered with Thousand Island Dressing or Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Breads including Garlic Bread
Entrees
Filet of Beef
Tenderloin of Beef complemented by a Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace accompanied by sauteed Zucchini with diced Roma Tomatoes, Basil and Oregano and Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Or
Pesto Penne
Penne pasta enhanced by a Basil Pesto sauce tossed with Zucchini, Red and Yellow Bell Peppers and Asparagus
Grilled Chicken can be added to this Entrée upon request
Or
Stir-Fry Shrimp
Shrimp enhanced by a stir-fry sauce presented with Sugar Snap Peas, Lily Bulbs, Napa Cabbage and Chinese Noodles with Dried Shrimp
Or
Pork Stuffed Squash
Minced Pork Meat stuffed in Bitter Squash accented by a Black Bean sauce presented with Broccoli Florets and Shiso Rice
Strange choice… very traditional Chinese dish, but bitter melon was not a popular item… it was a bit challenging to serve this dish. Unless you really like bitter things, don't try it!
Rice served upon request
Dine Upon Request
In an effort to accommodate your individual preferences, American Airlines is pleased to offer this complete and elegant meal, presented all at once, at any time you wish.
Cheese appetizer
Grilled Turkey Breast
Turkey Medallions presented chilled on a bed of fresh vegetables, garnished with Cornbread Croutons and served with a warm Cran-raspberry Vinaigrette
Tiramisu
Dessert
Seasonal Fresh Fruit medley
Or
Vanilla Sundae
Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream presented with a Berry Sauce
Wine List
Champagne
Pommery Apange
White Wines
Laboure-Roi Chablis Grand Cru
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Fume Blanc
Red Wines
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir
Sherry
Osborne Amontillado Sherry
Dessert Wine
Graham's Vintage Port
Snack Attack Service
Please feel free to help yourself to an assortment of snacks in our galley, at any time after your meal
Midflight Snack
Bento Box
Chicken breast Sandwich served with Grapes, Cheese and Crackers
Or
Hot Noodles in Beef Broth garnished with braised beef, Spring onion, and Baby Bok choy
Carrot-Mango Fruit Juices
Breakfast
Offered Prior to Arrival
Fresh seasonal Fruit served with warm Croissants, Red Bean Danish and crusty French Rolls
Preserves and Butter
Cheddar Cheese Omelette
Grilled Canadian Bacon and Hash Browns
Or
Congee presented with Traditional Garnishes
Cereal & Yogurt
Not much different from first class… but I think first class can use a nicer champagne and some different wines. It is too cheap to serve the same champagnes for both F and J class.
AA 2777 LAX-SJC Lv1125 Arr1245
McDonnell Douglas MD-82/83 N833RA
The former MD-80 arrived early from Portland, OR, but boarding did not commence till 11:10am. There were only 8 passengers in first class and less than 50% in Y class. The load was light, and the door was closed two minutes early and we pushed back in no times. I saw the Midway's Boeing 737-700 took off for RDU as we taxied to Runway 30L, but we stopped before we passed the FIS area. We were held up for 15 minutes because of LAX congestion. The captain kept us informed and we finally took off from Runway 30L at 11:44am. Flying time was forty-nine minutes. We were served beverage and a pack of Rold Gold's snacks. I was still full from breakfast and took a coke. The coke was served on a real glass, which made it nicer than United Sh*ttle first class. But coffee was still served on a styrofoam cup. Times ran by quickly and we began to descent from 33,000ft at 12:15pm. We landed at Runway 24R at 12:36pm and taxied into our gate, 36, quickly. We passed by the usual QF's dual Boeing 747s, and NZ's Boeing 744s as we taxied to our gate. The bags came out quickly and the priority tags actually worked. I was at the curbside by 1pm. Very quick!
In conclusion, I will definitely fly AA again, especially the J class fare remains at the $900 to $1,100 level, but will give UA one more try. I will compare the service in the future on the exact same route (TPE to the Bay Area) and will hopefully give a more reliable report, but AA is pretty good and the product is definitely comparable to United. However, the UA first suite is very nice, but when AA has completed the installation of its first class suite on its Asian bound planes, AA will definitely be better than UA. Of course, UA's Dom Perignon was still good and AA's cheap champagne really needs to change. I am impressed with AA and definitely will fly AA again. BTW, I also make it AA's Gold Challenge after this flight. A good start!
Carfield http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
Finally, it came to the part that was the most interesting. AA's brand new nonstop between Taipei and San Jose, CA began at April 3, 2001 and I had the honor to be part of it. But before we headed down to the main part, I will begin with my short hop from Hong Kong to Taipei.
April 2, 2001
CX 564 HKG-TPE Lv1310 Arr1455
Airbus A330-300 B-HLE
After a wonderful weekend in Hong Kong, it is time to leave. I managed to visit my father's brand new office. He is a dermatologist and his office is at Melbourne Plaza. Anyway, I used the Airport Express check-in and hang out in Central until noon, which was a bit late. I did not use the Wing today because boarding had already commenced at 12:40pm. I was offered a choice of orange juice, champagne, and water. Then the F/As passed out headsets and menus. The service was pretty good today and the F/As were cheery. Due to the continuation of the flight into Osaka, there were some Japanese F/As. Door was closed at 1:09pm, and we pushed back immediately. The F/As then passed by with fresh hot towels. I better enjoy it since United is canceling this nice service.
There are a couple interesting planes, including South African Airways' Boeing 747-200s and an array of CX planes. We headed to Runway 7R for takeoff. After a brand new Korean Air's Boeing 777-300 took off, we took our turn and flew into the sky at 1:26pm. The personal TV was switched on with the showings of multiple short subjects. I watched an episode of "Becker." The meal service also commenced due to the one hour and thirteen minutes flying time. We climbed to 33,000ft today.
Here is the menu:
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Papaya, watermelon, 3 grapes and pineapple slices
Braised Abalone with Chicken, Fried Rice with Egg, and Shanghai Pak Choy
Excellent dish… the best that CX has ever served… everything were diced and made a delicious rice dish… I highly recommended it. The abalone is a nice shell seafood and they are diced.
Or
Braised Seafood with Tomato sauce, Wild Rice and Steamed Rice, and Mixed Vegetables
Banana Cheese Cake
Served as a separate course
Garlic Bread or Italian Roll
Tea-Coffee
Chinese Pastry
A sesame red bean cake prepared by the Royal Plaza Hotel
The meal was served with appetizer and Chinese pastry on the tray… also a promotion card for its brand new Delhi service. Then the F/As passed out the entrees, and which followed by tea/coffee/dessert service. Excellent! We began our descent at 2:13pm but we did not touch down till 2:45pm. We parked at Gate B5 and it was a wonderful flight. I enjoyed my short stay at Taipei. I ate some good rice dish and walked around my favorite CD shops. I got some wonderful karaoke VCDs and magazines. A nice stay! The Taipei Hilton is also nice.
April 3, 2001
AA 150 TPE-SJC Lv1320 Arr0950
Boeing 777-200ER N7784AN/7AR
It was an exciting day for me, but Taipei was raining, which took away all the photographs' opportunity for me. Terminal 2 was very nicely done and opened last year. The arrival hall was quiet with only one flight arriving in minutes and no flight coming in till later of the day. The departure hall saw the similar quietness. Even the EVA Air's counters were quiet. I went to the American Airlines' area, which was filled with flowers sent by various Chinese travel agents. A nice supervisor type person checked my ticket and brought me to the first class line. All the ground service was handled by EVA Air, but they seemed to be okay with AA system. They even asked me about my upgrades and told them that AA had already reissued my ticket at Chicago. No problem! For the first time, I saw AA's pink priority tags attached to my bag tags, which would be important for an airport like SJC. Priority bags always came out first, so they could clear some passengers from the small Federal Inspection Station. Anyway, I got a first class envelope with my boarding passes printed out and all the small details. That included an invitation to the gate for a lion dance show.
I went to gate C5 immediately and wish that I could visit the EVA Air lounge later. Anyway, the lion dance was more important. At 11:45am, the press conference began with AA's managing direction Asian-Pacific region, Nancy --, made a speech. She said that it was an exciting day for AA because it marked its first expansion in Asia beyond Japan. That was the reason for the major celebration. Then it was followed by the station manager of CKS and some managers from the Aviation department. They exchanged gifts and actually staged a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Then there was an excellent lion dance performance at the gate. Then they cut the ribbons and we were invited to a refreshment buffet in the gate area. Of course, I made the mistake of going through security and headed to the gate area. I should have returned to the duty free shops and the EVA Air lounge. Anyway, the refreshments include sandwiches, fruits (nice watermelons), cookies, and Chinese pastries. Then there was orange juice and tea.
The gate area on the new Terminal seems to be more spacious than terminal one. Also, one will need to go through security check point only when you enter the gate area. However, each gate has only one X-ray machine and it takes a very long time if you have a lot of people entering the gate at the same time.
The boarding did not begin till 12:49pm. Two AA personnel shook our hands and handed us an inaugural certificate and a nice plaque, which was basically a crystal type statue showing Taiwan and the USA with the cities highlights and a little plane out from TPE towards the US. My description sucks because I really don't know how to describe it. It is nice, but I wish I could have the Bose noise-canceling headsets and 20,000 AA miles as well.
The F/As were preparing the cabin as we entered. A Chinese F/A welcomed us aboard and I took my seat, 2A. I did not realize that it was a bulkhead seat, but it was nice. An amenity kit from Honey Been Garden, a blanket (no duvet or quilt like CX or UA), and a pillow were already placed on the seats. The sleeper seats are wide and comfortable, but it would be nice to see the suites. Then the F/As came by with orange juice, champagne, and water on plastic cups. Then they rolled out the newspapers and magazines cart. Surprisingly, there were many Chinese newspapers and magazines. They were very serious about the route. Then, they passed out menus and I asked for the J class ones as well. I don't think Y class got a menu. Anyway, the F/As were very friendly and the boarding went well. Door was closed four minutes early and every guests, including lots of AA staff from the US and Taiwan, sent us off. They waved goodbye as we pushed back. I guess AA was very serious about the new service that it sent lots of staffs, including mechanics, reservation agents, gate agents, administrative staffs, concierges, and lots of folks running around. AA was really serious about this route and possible expansion in the future. My neighbor, who had friends with AA, told me about AA's possible expansion into Hong Kong later this year (ORD to HKG), but he warned me about the possible demise of the Oneworld Alliance.
Anyway, there was no traffic in front of us. We slowly taxied into Runway 06 and took off at 1:39pm. There were some major bumps in the first two hours of the flight. Flying time for the inaugural flight was ten hours and thirty-nine minutes. We first climbed to 33,000ft and hit a few areas of rough air. Then we passed Kagoshima and Miyazaki and then climbed to 37,000ft. We turned away from Japan after passing the Tokyo Bay. We entered the US at Northern California.
The F/As first passed out hot towels and began preparing the galley. The F/As told us later that it took them a while to find out where the things are and the new service items. It was okay and they began to take a drink and entrée order. First, the F/As passed out nuts and canapes with our beverage. Strangely, AA used small gray linens as a drink holder. However, the F/As were told to secure the galley and took a seat after they barely managed a beverage service. They seated for fifteen minutes when things calmed down a bit, but still not good. Anyway, they began to set up our tables with linens (2 actually - blue and grey) and all the eating utensils. The menu was followed by my italic remarks.
Dinner
To Start
An assortment of warm mixed nuts to accompany your preferred Cocktail or Beverage with a selection of canapes consisting of Crabmeat Cake, Salmon Mousse and Beef Carpaccio with Bamboo Shoots
There was a nice set of oriental style china to serve this dish. There was a long ceramic plate with three canapes and a ceramic bowl on one side for the nuts. The canapes are fine and the nuts are plentiful. Good start!
The Caviar Cart
Caviar with traditional Garnishes and Blini or Toast Points, or smoked Salmon with Capers
I had the salmon, which was nice.
Soup and Salad Cart
Soup
Chicken Soup served with Winter Melon and Mushrooms garnished with Coriander
Nice soup served in a brand new Chinese style soup bowl, soup spoon, and a soup stand. Excellent design!
Mixed Seasonal Green featured with Cucumber and Cherry Tomato
Thai-Style Seared Chicken
Offered with Thousand Island Dressing or Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Pre-plated salad with 5 cucumber slices, cherry tomato, radicchio, green leaves and boston lettuce… the F/As were stingy with the chicken strip. I got only one strip of chicken breast
Bread Basket
Assorted Breads (Sesame Twists and Italian Rolls) including Garlic Bread
Entrees
Filet of Beef
Tenderloin of Beef complemented by a Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace accompanied by sauteed Zucchini with diced Roma Tomatoes, Basil and Oregano and Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Or
Pesto Penne
Penne pasta enhanced by a Basil Pesto sauce tossed with Zucchini, Red and Yellow Bell Peppers and Asparagus
Grilled Chicken can be added to this Entrée upon request
Or
Stir-Fry Lobster
Lobster enhanced by a stir-fry sauce presented with Sugar Snap Peas, Lily Bulbs, Napa Cabbage and Chinese Noodles with Dried Shrimp
Entrees are pre-plated, but the entrée was a nice dish. I think it was overcooked, but it was nice to see some Chinese dishes
Or
Pork Stuffed Squash
Minced Pork Meat stuffed in Bitter Squash accented by a Black Bean sauce presented with Broccoli Florets and Shiso Rice
Strange choice… very traditional Chinese dish, but bitter melon was not a popular item… it was a bit challenging to serve this dish. Unless you really like bitter things, don't try it!
Chinese steamed rice and Soy sauce available upon request
Should you care for additional options, Broccoli with Cheddar Cheese and Onions, Green Beans, caramelized Onion and Bacon Mashed Potatoes are available upon request with any of our entrees
Dine Upon Request
In an effort to accommodate your individual preferences, American Airlines is pleased to offer the entrees listed below complete with Caviar, Smoked Salmon with a Pita triangle and Tiramisu, presented all at once, at any time you wish.
Dessert
The Fruit and Cheese cart
Fine Cheese complemented by dried and fresh assorted Tropical Fruits, served with selected crackers and offered with Port and Other fine Wines
Rouqueford, Cheddar, and Camerberst cheese… Fruit including watermelon balls, melons, cantaloupes, kiwis, and grapes)… abundant collection of crackers and warm breads… dried pineapple dices and dried apricot dices…
The Dessert Cart
Ice Cream Sundae
Haagen-Dazs Vanilla Ice cream with a choice of Hot Fudge, Butterscotch, or seasonal Berry toppings, Whipped Cream, and chopped nuts
Excellent way to end the dinner…
Or
You may choose from our assorted Dessert Tray
Tiramisu, Strawberry Tart, Mocha tart and one other kind of pastry
Wine List
Champagne
Pommery Apange
White Wines
Laboure-Roi Chablis Grand Cru
William Hill Napa Valley Reserve Chardonnay
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Fume Blanc
Red Wines
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
Merryvale Napa Valley Hillside Cabernet Sauvignon
King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir
Sherry
Osborne Amontillado Sherry
Dessert Wine
Graham's Vintage Port
The meal was served individually with a cart to show you the dishes. It is a nice concept and I like the food. AA also introduces a nice pair of chopsticks with a dragon chopstick stand. The chopsticks are not the fancy ivory ones, but not the cheap disposable ones. They are wooden made, but with "lucky-meaning" characters carved on each chopstick. The dragon ceramic stand will not be there soon because most passengers find it convenient to take it away. The F/As have no clue on what those dragons are for. They do not place the chopsticks there. Later, they told me that they thought it was a gift for the inauguration flight. One thing for sure - they won't be here too long.
The F/As passed out truffles when they served the coffee and tea. Then the F/As shut each window shade and turned off the light.
I listened to music and to watch short subjects for the remaining of the flight, since I could not sleep at all. I am too excited. The AA touch screen PTV system is very convenient to use and AA has added two Chinese movies, Chinese subtitles for lots of movies, one dedicated channel for Chinese TV sponsored by the Star TV/ Satellite Chinese TV, and one dedicated Chinese music channel. BTW, even the safety video featured both Chinese subtitles and mandarin soundtrack. They are serious about exploring this region. The one complaint is that there is a lack of mandarin speaking passengers. Over 75% of today's flight are mandarin speakers and they need them, especially taking orders for meals. I had to translate for my neighbor on a number of occasions, even helping him ordering video tapes. AA also passed out bottles of Evian water. There are F/As walking around, better than AC, but not as good as CX or SQ.
A variety of snacks is available to you upon request at any time after the meal service. That includes Godiva chocolate, Toberlerone chocolate, jelly beans, and rice crispy treats. At about 8pm Taiwan time, the F/As came to take the snack orders. The F/A first came with beverage and a linen to cover my table, and then they brought out the snack tray.
Midflight Snack
A meal service will offered to those passengers who are not sleeping
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Not served
Hot Noodles in Beef Broth garnished with braised beef, Spring onion, and Baby Bok choy
I really like the noodles. Of course, it was not like the street stalls in Taipei, but for planes, it was good.
Or
Sausage Pizza topped with melted Mozzarella Cheese
Carrot-Mango or Berry Smoothie Fruit Juices
Not Served… I think the F/As are not too sure about the service themselves. Maybe AA needs to publish some more manuals for them.
Breakfast
Breakfast cards are also printed
Offered Prior to Arrival
Fresh seasonal Fruit (2 slices of pineapples, papaya and Kiwi)
Served with warm Croissants, Red Bean Danish and crusty French Rolls
Cereal (Special K… I think) & Yogurt (Strawberry flavored)
Preserves and Butter
No bread was offered, but serving breakfast in two courses was nice. The fruits were fresh and ripe, and the cereal was nice. I always love yogurt.
Eggs made to order offered with a Mushroom Medley Garnish, with your choice of Canadian Bacon or Sausage
I had mine sunny side up. I was surprised that AA had installed the egg skillets. It beats UA's breakfast for F class right the way. No comparison between AA and UA breakfast. AA is definitely better.
Or
Congee presented with Traditional Garnishes
Just serving the congee is not enough AA. My neighbor asked for a refill. It has to serve some fruits or increase the amount of garnishes or the bowl. Four kinds of garnishes are pretty lame. But I understand it was AA's first time serving congee. It will get better once they fly the routes for a while.
We began our descent early after strong tail winds. The F/As played the SJC destination video soon and then collected the headsets. Then they prepared the cabin for landing. It was a beautiful morning at the California Coast and took some nice pictures of the Golden gate bridge and the city of San Francisco. We flew all the way passed San Jose Airport and turned back to make a landing at Runway 30L. We landed at 9:28am and used almost the whole runway to stop. Then we taxied into the small taxiway beside Runway 30L waiting for the Federal Inspection Station (FIS) to open up. It took almost thirty minutes (34 minutes to be exact) to park at the remote area. The Chinese F/As had to repeatedly asked the passenger to sit down. We were not parked at the gate yet. Finally we walked down the stairs and it was actually a nice experience. I snapped pictures of the AA's B777s and wrote down the tail number.
The FIS was a small building, which could barely filled with 300 people. There were four INS lines - one for crew, one for US citizens and permanent residents, and two for foreigners. The crew line was used for the citizens when no one was in line. There was one baggage carousel -- no chance for mistake here. The bags came out relatively fast because the plane was right next to the FIS. Priority bags came out first because AA wanted to clear the premier passengers too. AA had three baggage handlers standing by to take the unclaimed bags to a small area first. Then we went through the customs - two inspectors, and then dropped off the bags immediately next to the custom station. Then most passengers took the connection bus to the terminals. The bus was crowded and the driver waited the bus to fill up before heading to the station.
Okay, I had the Business Class menu, too, which served similar food as F class.
Here it is:
Dinner
To Start
An assortment of warm mixed nuts to accompany your preferred Cocktail or Beverage with a selection of canapes consisting of Crabmeat Cake, Salmon Mousse and Beef Carpaccio with Bamboo Shoots
Marinated Shrimp Appetizer
Shrimp enhanced by Red Pepper Dressing featured with grilled Eggplant and Zucchini, Asparagus Spears, Cherry Tomato and Red Bell Pepper Julienne
Salad
A mix of Radicchio, Green Leaf and Boston Lettuce garnished with sliced Cucumbers, Watercress and Cherry Tomatoes offered with Thousand Island Dressing or Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar
Bread Basket
Assorted Breads including Garlic Bread
Entrees
Filet of Beef
Tenderloin of Beef complemented by a Wild Mushroom Demi-Glace accompanied by sauteed Zucchini with diced Roma Tomatoes, Basil and Oregano and Mashed Potatoes with Chives
Or
Pesto Penne
Penne pasta enhanced by a Basil Pesto sauce tossed with Zucchini, Red and Yellow Bell Peppers and Asparagus
Grilled Chicken can be added to this Entrée upon request
Or
Stir-Fry Shrimp
Shrimp enhanced by a stir-fry sauce presented with Sugar Snap Peas, Lily Bulbs, Napa Cabbage and Chinese Noodles with Dried Shrimp
Or
Pork Stuffed Squash
Minced Pork Meat stuffed in Bitter Squash accented by a Black Bean sauce presented with Broccoli Florets and Shiso Rice
Strange choice… very traditional Chinese dish, but bitter melon was not a popular item… it was a bit challenging to serve this dish. Unless you really like bitter things, don't try it!
Rice served upon request
Dine Upon Request
In an effort to accommodate your individual preferences, American Airlines is pleased to offer this complete and elegant meal, presented all at once, at any time you wish.
Cheese appetizer
Grilled Turkey Breast
Turkey Medallions presented chilled on a bed of fresh vegetables, garnished with Cornbread Croutons and served with a warm Cran-raspberry Vinaigrette
Tiramisu
Dessert
Seasonal Fresh Fruit medley
Or
Vanilla Sundae
Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream presented with a Berry Sauce
Wine List
Champagne
Pommery Apange
White Wines
Laboure-Roi Chablis Grand Cru
Ferrari-Carano Sonoma County Fume Blanc
Red Wines
Chateau Lynch-Moussas
King Estate Oregon Pinot Noir
Sherry
Osborne Amontillado Sherry
Dessert Wine
Graham's Vintage Port
Snack Attack Service
Please feel free to help yourself to an assortment of snacks in our galley, at any time after your meal
Midflight Snack
Bento Box
Chicken breast Sandwich served with Grapes, Cheese and Crackers
Or
Hot Noodles in Beef Broth garnished with braised beef, Spring onion, and Baby Bok choy
Carrot-Mango Fruit Juices
Breakfast
Offered Prior to Arrival
Fresh seasonal Fruit served with warm Croissants, Red Bean Danish and crusty French Rolls
Preserves and Butter
Cheddar Cheese Omelette
Grilled Canadian Bacon and Hash Browns
Or
Congee presented with Traditional Garnishes
Cereal & Yogurt
Not much different from first class… but I think first class can use a nicer champagne and some different wines. It is too cheap to serve the same champagnes for both F and J class.
AA 2777 LAX-SJC Lv1125 Arr1245
McDonnell Douglas MD-82/83 N833RA
The former MD-80 arrived early from Portland, OR, but boarding did not commence till 11:10am. There were only 8 passengers in first class and less than 50% in Y class. The load was light, and the door was closed two minutes early and we pushed back in no times. I saw the Midway's Boeing 737-700 took off for RDU as we taxied to Runway 30L, but we stopped before we passed the FIS area. We were held up for 15 minutes because of LAX congestion. The captain kept us informed and we finally took off from Runway 30L at 11:44am. Flying time was forty-nine minutes. We were served beverage and a pack of Rold Gold's snacks. I was still full from breakfast and took a coke. The coke was served on a real glass, which made it nicer than United Sh*ttle first class. But coffee was still served on a styrofoam cup. Times ran by quickly and we began to descent from 33,000ft at 12:15pm. We landed at Runway 24R at 12:36pm and taxied into our gate, 36, quickly. We passed by the usual QF's dual Boeing 747s, and NZ's Boeing 744s as we taxied to our gate. The bags came out quickly and the priority tags actually worked. I was at the curbside by 1pm. Very quick!
In conclusion, I will definitely fly AA again, especially the J class fare remains at the $900 to $1,100 level, but will give UA one more try. I will compare the service in the future on the exact same route (TPE to the Bay Area) and will hopefully give a more reliable report, but AA is pretty good and the product is definitely comparable to United. However, the UA first suite is very nice, but when AA has completed the installation of its first class suite on its Asian bound planes, AA will definitely be better than UA. Of course, UA's Dom Perignon was still good and AA's cheap champagne really needs to change. I am impressed with AA and definitely will fly AA again. BTW, I also make it AA's Gold Challenge after this flight. A good start!
Carfield http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif