aw
Nov 20, 03, 7:34 pm
Hi everyone,
Last weekend I decided to make a quick trip to FRA on US just to take advantage of the new partnership w/LH in which Dividend members get 2X miles for every flight on US to Germany OR LH systemwide. Even though FRA is not the most "popular" city in Germany, I decided to give it a try and get a personal perspective for myself. From what I have read the concentration of museums and shopping is one of the best in the country and with that in mind I was eagerly anticipating my trip.
US 740 SFO-PIT
Nov 14 - Seat 21D
A321
Today's flight is scheduled to depart at 0700. I detest morning flights since I am not a morning person but as a lowly Silver trying to use his complimentary upgrades this flight connecting through PIT gave me the best chance of scoring a J seat. The ticket cost was $492.50 including all taxes booked in Q.
I arrived at the airport by 0530 and there was already a huge line for regular check-in. From the looks of it this is going to be a full flight. Luckily I was seated at an EMERG EXIT on the second partition of Y and this is in my opinion the best row if one must seat in the back. It offers ample room but beware of window seats in this row since there is no window. Flight started to board at about 40 minutes before departure and cabin crew was cheerful and engaging. In particular, one of the FA's serving in the back possessed the most professional and cooperative attitude which is very refreshing to see these days. There were a lot of German passengers connecting to the FRA flight (no surprise). I think FRA is the only internation flight that PIT has in addition to a seasonal LGW service.
The whole flight was uneventful with 2 beverage cart services and the infamous "Īn-flight Cafe" meals for sale. The selections were a Chocolate Croissant with fruits OR Ham Sanwich with egg slices? with a third choice consisting of a small box of Turkey sandwich w/chips and a cookie I think (this snack box was only $5.00). I declined and instead decided to try to catch some sleep.
US 782 PIT-FRA
Nov 14 - Seat 2G
A330 "Murphy's Law flight"
I was looking forward to enjoying this flight in Envoy since today is my birthday and I was curious to find out how much J class has changed. I was cleared at the gate, assigned 2G and the agent wrote "Happy B-day" on the boarding pass which I find is a nice touch. The flight was scheduled to depart at 1720 and at around 1630 they announced a delay of about 3 hours. No clear explanation was given and I decided to hide in the Club until that time. About 2 hours later I decided to head to the gate and we learned that there was going to be a further delay and due to the brake system being examined. The explanation was that the aircraft encountered "unusual heavy turbulence" and that all flights that were arriving from FRA including FRA-CLT and FRA-PHL were going through the same inspection. At this point I collected a meal voucher from the Club and decided to check out the Food Court.
PIT had a decent selection of places to eat, including Au Bon Pain, McDonalds, Ben & Jerry's, Seattle's Best, a Chinese stand, Italian pizza and some healthy food establishments. By the time I finished walking around the court, it was time to go back to the gate and wait for our fate...It's creepy when a delay keeps being extended. Then it is not only the mechanical delay but we have to worry about the legality of the crew and that adds an extra dimension to the problem. Finally at the gate they announced the good news that the brake system has been replaced and that we will be boarding the aircraft. This was a full flight and the Envoy cabin was pretty much occupied entirely in the front except for 1-2 empty seats. I had a most agreeable German neighbor who turned out to be an engineer working on a project. We had a good conversation and exchanged some insightful notes on American culture. Flight attendants started with the drink service and rolled out the carts with menus, basket of amenities and magazines. My German neighbor inquired about the magazine selections and what some of the titles were and I could see the FA in front of the cart roll her eyes. Now, somehow I can't help to think that if I was flying on an Asian or European carrier the service would have been more professional. I miss the amenity kits and find the offering of items from a basket somehow cheap. It's similar to flying AC J from Europe.
It's been about 1 hour since we have been seated and no updates have been made. Finally it was announced that the mechanics were fine-tuning the new brake system and that we soon would be ready to go....at this point I was beginning to listen to my skeptic side and prepared for the worst. Not very soon after I heard "Bad news, this flight has cancelled". We all disembarked in a hurry and proceeded to make the loooong line for accommodation. The FA at the door apologized for the situation which is a nice touch, even though is not her fault. By now it was about past midnight and babies started to cry. A total of 6 hours have passed since our scheduled dpt. This is indeed an unforgettable B-day!
Once at the counter, I was provided with a sheet of paper for the Embassy Suites and a "special rebooking number" which was the regular intl res number. The note said that the hotel does not pck-up pasgr after midnight but the agent told me that once I call the hotel they will send someone. I proceeded with my new acquaintance to the Baggage area and we said good-bye since he was staying at the Hyatt at the airport. I called Embassy Suites and was told that they DO NOT PCK UP after midnight. Yeah, this is going to be a memorable night. I immediately went to US Baggage Service, showed them my boarding pass and asked them to solve this RIGHT NOW! in the most gentle way I could. (By now it's been a long day for me and I was starting to see double. I did not get any sleep the night before and flew the whole day). They went ahead and gave me a voucher for the Hyatt right away. I then proceeded to the hotel and at the reception there was a huge line with Y passengers waiting to be checked in. It took another 30 minutes for me to get my room key and to top it all there was a group of German passengers who were drunk and shouting in the lobby.
Once at the room, I called the Silver line and was advised that there were several choices for me. I could either be rebooked on LH thru ORD, be confirmed in J with US through MAN via PHL and then LH to FRA (3 legs) or take UA through IAD. I decided to go through MAN and get a confirmed J seat. I took a long hot shower and crashed...
US 516 PIT-PHL
Nov 15 - Seat 1C
737-400
I woke up at around 0700 and decided to stby to PHL and get an early start. I was originally confirmed on US 506 at 1530 but decided to try for US516 leaving at 1145A. I was confirmed in seat 1C at the gate and the flight was wide open. The seat next to me was empty which is always a welcoming surprise. Maybe it was because I was flying on a Sat but there seems to be a lot of non-revenue psgs on this leg. For such a short flight, the purser did a good job of taking drink orders and passing by with the Snack basket which consisted of fruit bars, Milano cookies, Potatoe chips (50% less fat) and cashews. Pretty soon I was in PHL and ready for the ENVOY lounge.
Now, I have not been to the new incarnation of the ENVOY Lounge and the last time I was in the old one about 1.5 - 2 years ago it was a craustrophobic and crowded place. The new side of Terminal A is very spacious and modern looking. There is a very steep escalator to the US Lounge but once there it was HEAVEN! The club is among one of the best I have been to. I am not an expert in clubs and can only offer UA, LX, LY, AA and SN as points of comparison. Anyways, it is spacious, well lit and the selection of food and beverages are excellent. Food and beverages layout are of the help yourself type. On the bar, juices and liquorswere available along with a refrigerator with chilled beer. For food, there were cold cuts and vegetable plates along with a variety of breads. There was also a cheese plate with about 3-4 selections with fruits and a tray of cookies. In addition, there was a bowl of dry mix, cashews, candy and mints. I personally love the Flavia espresso/tea machine. The lounge opens at 1430 and it gets very busy by 1600-1800. It is a great place to spend time relaxing with good views of Terminal A. Life is full of coincidences and I happened to encounter my German acquaintance from the night before. We sat together and chatted some more. He was told that when he rebooked the agt confirmed him on LH F and that upon check-in at PIT, the agt advised him and they could not do that and placed him on US J from PHL-FRA. Personally I think US should have honored the ticket since he was flying in a confirmed J seat. As for me, I was told that I had seat 11F on LH and upon calling LH they could not confirm my seat. So much for smooth transaction. Appearantly, there are still some glitches that need to be fixed.
US 196 PHL-MAN
Nov 15 - Seat 1G
A330
Finally, I was able to get a taste of US F seats by scoring 1G. The front row was completely occupied as expected and the seats were superb. The lie completely flat and with a couple of pillows are pretty comfortable. No padding necessary, unlike LX seats. The seat pitch must have been about 80-90" and when the person next to you is in full flat position you can still get to the aisle. There is a little compartment in front for personal items and noise-cancelling headphones were at the seats.
Upon boarding, FA's distributed the amenities (they were all placed inside the socks pouch), menus were already at the seats (kind of lazy not doing the cart service). Pre-take off drinks were offered and soon we were ready for take-off.
Menus selection were as follow:
For Starters
SAINT ANDRE TART
Flaky pastry shell filled with the Chef's recipe of oven roasted tomatoes and Saint Andre cheese, accented with fresh Arugula and a caper vinaigrette.
Entree
FRESH CRAB CAKES
Flavorful lump crabmeat cakes, subtly seasoned, served with three mustard creme fraiche, sugar snap peas, tangy corn and pickled okra succotash.
PEPPERCORN FILET MIGNON
Cracked black peppercorn crusted beef filet, served with midly spiced green peppercorn and wine sauce, sauteed mushroom caps, creamy potatoe gratin and creamed spinach hinted with nutmeg.
ROASTED DUCK CASSOULET
Traditional slow roasted duck served on top of delicately seasoned stewed white beans, sauteed spinach, roasted baby carrots and grilled garlic duck sausage.
EXPRESS MEAL
GRILLED CHICKEN ARTICHOKE SALAD
Sliced grilled chicken breast served on top of Romaine lettuce and spinach, garnished with grilled artichoke heart, goat cheese crostini, grilled marinated tomato half, caramelized onions, with an olive oil balsamic dressing.
IN CLOSING
A selection of cheeses, a little fresh fruit, and something sweet. (3 chunks of cheese, gouda, swiss and perhaps cheddar, a bunch of grapes and an apple tart).
LIGHT BREAKFAST
3-4 slices of orange with grapes and a warm bagel w/cream cheese.
All the items were served in plastic cutlery but there were glasswares. Food was by Robert Kinkead from Kinkead's Restaurants.
Service was unimpressive, although FA's were friendly. My water glass was never refilled once, though she gave me a bottle of water when taking the drink order. Hot towels were passed before the meal and after arrival.
The Snack station was supplied with water, juices, cookies, cashews, fruit bars, XOXO chocolate bars and potatoe chips.
There are no longer fruits or chocolates, unfortunately.
More to come....
[This message has been edited by aw (edited Nov 20, 2003).]
Last weekend I decided to make a quick trip to FRA on US just to take advantage of the new partnership w/LH in which Dividend members get 2X miles for every flight on US to Germany OR LH systemwide. Even though FRA is not the most "popular" city in Germany, I decided to give it a try and get a personal perspective for myself. From what I have read the concentration of museums and shopping is one of the best in the country and with that in mind I was eagerly anticipating my trip.
US 740 SFO-PIT
Nov 14 - Seat 21D
A321
Today's flight is scheduled to depart at 0700. I detest morning flights since I am not a morning person but as a lowly Silver trying to use his complimentary upgrades this flight connecting through PIT gave me the best chance of scoring a J seat. The ticket cost was $492.50 including all taxes booked in Q.
I arrived at the airport by 0530 and there was already a huge line for regular check-in. From the looks of it this is going to be a full flight. Luckily I was seated at an EMERG EXIT on the second partition of Y and this is in my opinion the best row if one must seat in the back. It offers ample room but beware of window seats in this row since there is no window. Flight started to board at about 40 minutes before departure and cabin crew was cheerful and engaging. In particular, one of the FA's serving in the back possessed the most professional and cooperative attitude which is very refreshing to see these days. There were a lot of German passengers connecting to the FRA flight (no surprise). I think FRA is the only internation flight that PIT has in addition to a seasonal LGW service.
The whole flight was uneventful with 2 beverage cart services and the infamous "Īn-flight Cafe" meals for sale. The selections were a Chocolate Croissant with fruits OR Ham Sanwich with egg slices? with a third choice consisting of a small box of Turkey sandwich w/chips and a cookie I think (this snack box was only $5.00). I declined and instead decided to try to catch some sleep.
US 782 PIT-FRA
Nov 14 - Seat 2G
A330 "Murphy's Law flight"
I was looking forward to enjoying this flight in Envoy since today is my birthday and I was curious to find out how much J class has changed. I was cleared at the gate, assigned 2G and the agent wrote "Happy B-day" on the boarding pass which I find is a nice touch. The flight was scheduled to depart at 1720 and at around 1630 they announced a delay of about 3 hours. No clear explanation was given and I decided to hide in the Club until that time. About 2 hours later I decided to head to the gate and we learned that there was going to be a further delay and due to the brake system being examined. The explanation was that the aircraft encountered "unusual heavy turbulence" and that all flights that were arriving from FRA including FRA-CLT and FRA-PHL were going through the same inspection. At this point I collected a meal voucher from the Club and decided to check out the Food Court.
PIT had a decent selection of places to eat, including Au Bon Pain, McDonalds, Ben & Jerry's, Seattle's Best, a Chinese stand, Italian pizza and some healthy food establishments. By the time I finished walking around the court, it was time to go back to the gate and wait for our fate...It's creepy when a delay keeps being extended. Then it is not only the mechanical delay but we have to worry about the legality of the crew and that adds an extra dimension to the problem. Finally at the gate they announced the good news that the brake system has been replaced and that we will be boarding the aircraft. This was a full flight and the Envoy cabin was pretty much occupied entirely in the front except for 1-2 empty seats. I had a most agreeable German neighbor who turned out to be an engineer working on a project. We had a good conversation and exchanged some insightful notes on American culture. Flight attendants started with the drink service and rolled out the carts with menus, basket of amenities and magazines. My German neighbor inquired about the magazine selections and what some of the titles were and I could see the FA in front of the cart roll her eyes. Now, somehow I can't help to think that if I was flying on an Asian or European carrier the service would have been more professional. I miss the amenity kits and find the offering of items from a basket somehow cheap. It's similar to flying AC J from Europe.
It's been about 1 hour since we have been seated and no updates have been made. Finally it was announced that the mechanics were fine-tuning the new brake system and that we soon would be ready to go....at this point I was beginning to listen to my skeptic side and prepared for the worst. Not very soon after I heard "Bad news, this flight has cancelled". We all disembarked in a hurry and proceeded to make the loooong line for accommodation. The FA at the door apologized for the situation which is a nice touch, even though is not her fault. By now it was about past midnight and babies started to cry. A total of 6 hours have passed since our scheduled dpt. This is indeed an unforgettable B-day!
Once at the counter, I was provided with a sheet of paper for the Embassy Suites and a "special rebooking number" which was the regular intl res number. The note said that the hotel does not pck-up pasgr after midnight but the agent told me that once I call the hotel they will send someone. I proceeded with my new acquaintance to the Baggage area and we said good-bye since he was staying at the Hyatt at the airport. I called Embassy Suites and was told that they DO NOT PCK UP after midnight. Yeah, this is going to be a memorable night. I immediately went to US Baggage Service, showed them my boarding pass and asked them to solve this RIGHT NOW! in the most gentle way I could. (By now it's been a long day for me and I was starting to see double. I did not get any sleep the night before and flew the whole day). They went ahead and gave me a voucher for the Hyatt right away. I then proceeded to the hotel and at the reception there was a huge line with Y passengers waiting to be checked in. It took another 30 minutes for me to get my room key and to top it all there was a group of German passengers who were drunk and shouting in the lobby.
Once at the room, I called the Silver line and was advised that there were several choices for me. I could either be rebooked on LH thru ORD, be confirmed in J with US through MAN via PHL and then LH to FRA (3 legs) or take UA through IAD. I decided to go through MAN and get a confirmed J seat. I took a long hot shower and crashed...
US 516 PIT-PHL
Nov 15 - Seat 1C
737-400
I woke up at around 0700 and decided to stby to PHL and get an early start. I was originally confirmed on US 506 at 1530 but decided to try for US516 leaving at 1145A. I was confirmed in seat 1C at the gate and the flight was wide open. The seat next to me was empty which is always a welcoming surprise. Maybe it was because I was flying on a Sat but there seems to be a lot of non-revenue psgs on this leg. For such a short flight, the purser did a good job of taking drink orders and passing by with the Snack basket which consisted of fruit bars, Milano cookies, Potatoe chips (50% less fat) and cashews. Pretty soon I was in PHL and ready for the ENVOY lounge.
Now, I have not been to the new incarnation of the ENVOY Lounge and the last time I was in the old one about 1.5 - 2 years ago it was a craustrophobic and crowded place. The new side of Terminal A is very spacious and modern looking. There is a very steep escalator to the US Lounge but once there it was HEAVEN! The club is among one of the best I have been to. I am not an expert in clubs and can only offer UA, LX, LY, AA and SN as points of comparison. Anyways, it is spacious, well lit and the selection of food and beverages are excellent. Food and beverages layout are of the help yourself type. On the bar, juices and liquorswere available along with a refrigerator with chilled beer. For food, there were cold cuts and vegetable plates along with a variety of breads. There was also a cheese plate with about 3-4 selections with fruits and a tray of cookies. In addition, there was a bowl of dry mix, cashews, candy and mints. I personally love the Flavia espresso/tea machine. The lounge opens at 1430 and it gets very busy by 1600-1800. It is a great place to spend time relaxing with good views of Terminal A. Life is full of coincidences and I happened to encounter my German acquaintance from the night before. We sat together and chatted some more. He was told that when he rebooked the agt confirmed him on LH F and that upon check-in at PIT, the agt advised him and they could not do that and placed him on US J from PHL-FRA. Personally I think US should have honored the ticket since he was flying in a confirmed J seat. As for me, I was told that I had seat 11F on LH and upon calling LH they could not confirm my seat. So much for smooth transaction. Appearantly, there are still some glitches that need to be fixed.
US 196 PHL-MAN
Nov 15 - Seat 1G
A330
Finally, I was able to get a taste of US F seats by scoring 1G. The front row was completely occupied as expected and the seats were superb. The lie completely flat and with a couple of pillows are pretty comfortable. No padding necessary, unlike LX seats. The seat pitch must have been about 80-90" and when the person next to you is in full flat position you can still get to the aisle. There is a little compartment in front for personal items and noise-cancelling headphones were at the seats.
Upon boarding, FA's distributed the amenities (they were all placed inside the socks pouch), menus were already at the seats (kind of lazy not doing the cart service). Pre-take off drinks were offered and soon we were ready for take-off.
Menus selection were as follow:
For Starters
SAINT ANDRE TART
Flaky pastry shell filled with the Chef's recipe of oven roasted tomatoes and Saint Andre cheese, accented with fresh Arugula and a caper vinaigrette.
Entree
FRESH CRAB CAKES
Flavorful lump crabmeat cakes, subtly seasoned, served with three mustard creme fraiche, sugar snap peas, tangy corn and pickled okra succotash.
PEPPERCORN FILET MIGNON
Cracked black peppercorn crusted beef filet, served with midly spiced green peppercorn and wine sauce, sauteed mushroom caps, creamy potatoe gratin and creamed spinach hinted with nutmeg.
ROASTED DUCK CASSOULET
Traditional slow roasted duck served on top of delicately seasoned stewed white beans, sauteed spinach, roasted baby carrots and grilled garlic duck sausage.
EXPRESS MEAL
GRILLED CHICKEN ARTICHOKE SALAD
Sliced grilled chicken breast served on top of Romaine lettuce and spinach, garnished with grilled artichoke heart, goat cheese crostini, grilled marinated tomato half, caramelized onions, with an olive oil balsamic dressing.
IN CLOSING
A selection of cheeses, a little fresh fruit, and something sweet. (3 chunks of cheese, gouda, swiss and perhaps cheddar, a bunch of grapes and an apple tart).
LIGHT BREAKFAST
3-4 slices of orange with grapes and a warm bagel w/cream cheese.
All the items were served in plastic cutlery but there were glasswares. Food was by Robert Kinkead from Kinkead's Restaurants.
Service was unimpressive, although FA's were friendly. My water glass was never refilled once, though she gave me a bottle of water when taking the drink order. Hot towels were passed before the meal and after arrival.
The Snack station was supplied with water, juices, cookies, cashews, fruit bars, XOXO chocolate bars and potatoe chips.
There are no longer fruits or chocolates, unfortunately.
More to come....
[This message has been edited by aw (edited Nov 20, 2003).]