Did United's 889 and 858 SFO-PEK and PVG-SFO. Still old configuration, but totally fine. I will do mainly pictures with brief descriptions, since when I read these reports, I really just look at the pictures!
UA 889,B777
Depart: SFO 11:13 AM
Arrive: PEK 2:40 PM
Arrives next day
Seats 13A,13B
Here are the pictures of the outbound flight. We had an old configuration 777. Very comfortable. The AV system, is of course, inferior to the new configuration, but overall, a very comfortable ride. The food was quite good, I must say. However, the warm nuts are not as warm as they should be. They are lukewarm at best these days.
I had the shortribs, which were very tasty. Mrs. SFflyer had the chicken. They offered a mid-flight snack of noodles. They also had tons of munchies available--chips and sweets. Right before landing, they had a fruit plate or hot pastrami sandwich. This was quite tasty, actually. They had roasted potatoes with it. We had a nice malbec.
After Beijing, we flew to Xian to see the Terracota warriors. We took China Eastern Airlines with an A320. Surprisingly, the plane was clean and modern. They served a nice snack of two cakes and drinks. They don't serve diet cokes on the planes.
The seats were very comfy, and to be honest, it was nicer than economy of a United flight. The pitch was nearly the same as Economy plus. The seats were clean and not smelly.
This was a 737-800. It was actually quite pleasant. Again, good leg-room. The flight was only 1.5 hours, but they still fed us! It was weird to get food, not only on an economy flight, but a short economy flight. The food was quite tasty, much better than stuff we used to get in economy in the states.
China Southern flew us on a 737-800. Very comfortable plane with excellent legroom. Probably somewhere between United's economy and economy plus. Extremely clean pane, no smell, fabric still intact. Better than some domestic US flights. The flight was only 2 hours, yet they still gave us a very nice meal. Nothing super filling, but great for a 2 hour economy flight.
We then were ready to head home back on United's 858, 747 upper deck business class. We wanted to try the new shanghai maglev train, which gets you from the city to the airport in 7 minutes at 430km/hr! We first took a taxi to the maglev station, which took about 25 minutes with traffic. Despite the long, arduous drive, the cab fare came to only 54 RMB, which is around $8!
Then, we got to the maglev station, and the ticket is 50 RMB (less if you show them your airline ticket) which is around $7-$8. Scan your bags in the luggage scanner, take the escalator up and then get on the train. It is very similar to the train that you take in London's Heathrow, but of course, it is much faster.
Here is a 50 second video of the journey at 430km/hr! Watch how we just fly by the the cars on the freeway as if they were only going at 20mph!
If the OP had short ribs, almost certainly Andean Vineyards Mendoza 2007.
ll22949
Jun 23, 09, 6:31 pm
I do really like the short ribs they have on UA. One of my favorite meals. I also had some kind of okra on my last flight to PEK, which is one of my least favorite veggies, but it was prepared very spicy and sauteed. It was indeed very good.
SFflyer123
Jun 25, 09, 8:49 am
I SO want to do that train ride....
how did you plan the trip?? thanks
I actually booked the land trip through a tour group. It was not bad, $1600 for 10 days, 9 nights. All 5 star hotels, included food, admission fees to places, tour guides, intra-china flights, and transporation on the bus.
They were originally going to have us fly on Air China, but I booked my own UA flight myself, using SWU's to upgrade to business. I paid $1500 for an economy ticket with an upgrade to business.
Yeah, the short ribs are excllent, I agree. I do not remember which type of Malbec, but the funny thing is that I chose the malbec over the often-preferred cabernet. I like malbec quite a bit.
MatthewLAX
Jun 25, 09, 3:07 pm
I am enjoying your trip report, SFflyer123!
Those scorpions look horrible.
whakojacko
Jun 25, 09, 6:49 pm
im so jealous of that maglev...
Nice TR
ijgordon
Jun 25, 09, 10:30 pm
I SO want to do that train ride....
There's a fair amount of discussion on it in the China forum here. Of note is that it only hits the top speed of 430km/h from about mid-morning to late afternoon. Outside of those operating hours the train doesn't go nearly as fast, I think about the same speed as regular high-speed rail (e.g., TGV), or about 300km/h, IIRC. I rode it at both speeds. The slower speed is not nearly as exciting.
As for the pictures in the first post on the UA flight -- that catering looks soooo unappetizing.
SFflyer123
Jun 27, 09, 7:55 am
So after we get to the airport, which is beautiful, by the way, we then proceed to United Check in. Amazingly, it looks just like at home. They have the standard lines and red carpets, etc. There was essentially no line. Our flight was at 12:25pm departure. We left to get into a taxi to go to the maglev at 9am. We got to the airport at 10am, no problem, with a 1/2 hour taxi ride and a 7 min maglev ride.
Check in was a snap, just as fast as in the USA if not faster. United leaves from terminal 2, and the star alliance lounge there is for Shanghai air. They gave us an entry pass into the Shanghai Air lounge. I got the sense the pass was more important than my star alliance gold card and boarding pass. In fact, they didn't even ask for the star alliance gold card.
The lounges are upstairs, just above the terminal from which you depart. We got to our gate, then just took the escalator up to the lounge. They collect the pass, and then you're in the business section. They also have a first class section in the same entry way. This is set up like Lufthansa's lounge of senator and business right next to each other.
The lounge itself is fantastic. Much better than most red carpet clubs. It is comparable to a LH Senator lounge. They have noodles, some dumplings and snacks, wine, beers in cans, and fruit. The matrons who are they are fantastic. They really help you with service (even though it's all self-serve) if you ask them for something. For anybody who has been to China, you know that most of the bathrooms outside of a luxury hotel are simply disgusting. The bathrooms here were fantastic, just like an American bathroom. They don't do announcements at this lounge, but you basically can overlook your gate and see when they start boarding.
Overall, the airport experience was great, and the lounge in Shanghai was really nice. Here are my photos from maglev to check in to lounge to getting ready to board:
The flight was only 1.5 hours, but they still fed us! It was weird to get food, not only on an economy flight, but a short economy flight. The food was quite tasty, much better than stuff we used to get in economy in the states.
It does take some getting used to, doesn't it. And a hot meal too. :) Thanks for the trip report.
SFflyer123
Jun 28, 09, 4:57 pm
If you fly from Shanghai to SFO, United is now the only non-stop airline. I believe Air China also used to do this route, but they've discontinued it. You have to connect through Beijing with Air China. I cannot stand connecting flights, so for me, this was the best: a non-stop United flight with free upgrade to business. No complaints from me here.
UA 858,B747-400
Depart: PVG 12:25 PM
Arrive: SFO 8:14 AM
Same Day Arrival. 11hour flight
Seats 15A,B, Upper Deck
They board just like they do in the states and less like they do in FRA (where it is kind of a free for all and you pray they board business & first class before economy). They have the nice red-carpet lane for GS, 1K, Business & first class, and they board just like domestic United flights. They boarded right on time, no delays at all.
The load was fairly light. Business class upper deck was about 1/2 full. The waiting area did not seem packed full of people like you normally see when waiting for a 747 to load.
We got upstairs to 15A and B. I love these two seats because I can get out from the window to go to the restroom without a problem. I flew in 15A once before going LHR-SFO, and it was just great. The recline is phenomenal, and sometimes I feel like I should not recline all the way since I will be into the next person's space. But it was fine.
They all addressed us by our names and were very helpful during the flight. The warm nuts on united are not as warm as they should be, for some reason. They are lukewarm at best. I think they take them out earlier than they're supposed to. But I've had this problem on a few United flights recently, including the United P.S. flights to JFK.
The entree I ordered (Chicken thigh with Shanghai noodles) was too salty. For some reason, I was thinking that since we were leaving China, the catering would probably make the Chinese dish better than the Western dishes. I was wrong. Mrs. SFFlyer's cod & fried rice was delicious, but my chicken and Shanghai noodles was not. It was a salt bomb with too much sauce. The dessert, however, was really nice. Finally got something besides Eli's tiramisu. It was a chocolate cake that tasted like Ho-ho's with creme anglaise sauce. It was quite delicious, I must say. The service was very good.
The flight had turbulence, but not too bad. The captain was smart and he only kept he seatbelt sign on only when he felt we were going to be in danger. He didn't just keep it on for the constant little bumps that we experienced over the pacific. Our pre-arrival snack was the fruit plate with chinese-brand yogurt. I don't eat Yogurt, but we also had chinese tropical fruit. We'd seen this in all the hotels, and it was fun to see it on the plane, also. A very delicious fruitplate.
All in all, this was a great trip. United and air china are the only two airlines that fly SFO-Beijing non-stop, and United is the only airline to fly PVG-SFO non-stop. I hate connecting flights to my destination, so I take non-stops whenever I can. I think United was great. Yes, its catering is not as nice as some other international business classes, and yes, their seats may be old, but it was great for me, especially since I paid a little more than an economy fare to fly business class with my free upgrade. My other option was to sit in economy on air china, which would have been quite unpleasant. All things considered, my United flights were great, and I really enjoyed the whole experience.
Actually, CA flights 985 and 986 used to originate in Beijing, stop in shanghai to take on passengers, let the domestic travellers off, and have the pax going to SFO get off to go through emigration and then get back on and vice versa. I used to fly this route alot. Part of the reason was at the time, Beijing's airport was the biggest dump I've ever seen. Its immigration facilities were barely existent and at the time, shanghai was china's main port of entry too. I think at the turn of the century, when beijing's airport was massively upgraded, flight 985 and 986 flipped the order of the Chinese cities around (originate in shanghai, stop in Beijing). Fortunately, the dump of a terminal I remember from beijing's airport is no longer around. In its place stands the world's largest airport terminal today.
It was somewhat inconvenient back in the 90's, we had to overfly Beijing, land in shanghai, everyone got off, they handed us a card in the jetway if we were continuing to Beijing, went through immigration, went through some special door, and went right back to the plane back to our same seat. It then became a domestic flight in china on a giant 747 from shanghai to Beijing. They didn't really have a choice as for the routing back then.
What was interesting was on the return Beijing-shanghai-sfo trip, we stop in shanghai, as we leave the jetway, two gate agents just hand out passes to everyone who is going to sfo without bothering to check if the passenger is really ticketed to sfo or is a terminating domestic pax (keep in mind the Beijing-shanghai leg is a domestic flight). And the passes don't show names or any personal info on them. Domestic pax leave through the gate door, continuing pax go down a hallway, no one bothers to check if you're in the right line, it was all chill. How nice the days prior to 9/11 were...
And the service was pretty good too! Those Chinese fa's sure know how to keep the main cabin pax happy! I'd say their service in coach was far better than UA's domestic first class today, though that's prolly not saying much.
somuchtosee
Jul 3, 09, 4:27 am
Totally off the topic but speaking of Before 9/11, I concur it was indeed the best of times. In SeaTac, you could go all the way to the gate to wave someone off. There was minimum to almost no security and everyone could hang out at the gates.
I remember me and my best friend went to airport just to hang out and watch the plans go by. We were young of course but old enough to drive there and park. Main terminal had one of the best cocos ever.
Domestic pax leave through the gate door, continuing pax go down a hallway, no one bothers to check if you're in the right line, it was all chill. How nice the days prior to 9/11 were...
dmodemd
Jul 13, 09, 8:53 pm
We wanted to try the new shanghai maglev train, which gets you from the city to the airport in 7 minutes at 430km/hr!
Here is a 50 second video of the journey at 430km/hr! Watch how we just fly by the the cars on the freeway as if they were only going at 20mph!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAye7KTuuDk
YMMV... I took it and was jipped... for some reason we were capped at 300 km/hr and it was as bumpy as a subway so I am not sure we got off the wheels! Can I get a refund??
You are paying for the thrill ride, its far cheaper to take the bus :) (if you can fight your way on for a seat ;) )
rawilliam
Jul 14, 09, 2:21 am
Nice report!
SFflyer123
Jul 14, 09, 11:45 pm
Nice report!
Thanks!
YMMV... I took it and was jipped... for some reason we were capped at 300 km/hr and it was as bumpy as a subway so I am not sure we got off the wheels! Can I get a refund??
You are paying for the thrill ride, its far cheaper to take the bus :) (if you can fight your way on for a seat ;) )
Yeah, I saw the schedule, and during rush hour, it is at 430km/h, but at other times, it's only 300km/h. I am not sure wh y that is; it's not like there is traffic on the maglev line, I don't hink. Maybe it's to conserve energy.
sobore
Jul 15, 09, 6:24 am
While the AC food did not look great, it was still an economy meal on a 1.5 hour flight! Nice Report!
flyingstudent
Jul 16, 09, 3:35 pm
Thanks!
Yeah, I saw the schedule, and during rush hour, it is at 430km/h, but at other times, it's only 300km/h. I am not sure wh y that is; it's not like there is traffic on the maglev line, I don't hink. Maybe it's to conserve energy.
It only runs at 430km/h for runs before 5pm. After 5pm, it only runs at 300km/h.
g_leyser
Jul 16, 09, 5:31 pm
Totally off the topic but speaking of Before 9/11, I concur it was indeed the best of times. In SeaTac, you could go all the way to the gate to wave someone off. There was minimum to almost no security and everyone could hang out at the gates.
Not just at SEA, you used to be able to do that at any domestic airport.
tylorcl
Jul 28, 09, 11:28 am
im so jealous of that maglev...
Nice TR
I always take the maglev when I travel to Shanghai and i have to admit that the maglev is very convenient and cheap transportation.