Sabarod

I also haven't decided what to do for the night in HNL...hit me up if anyone has a reservation & is interested in sharing a room.

krazykanuck

^ I had thought about finding a room with a friend from college or a family friend, but it would like just be easier to stay in a hotel. I'm open to splitting a place. I think the Hilton I mentioned previously is a pretty good deal. At $183 (plus the stupid $30 resort fee) it would be ~$110 pp in a double room.

Sabarod

Hmmmm...I'll probably go cheaper, but thanks for the offer.

poverty.jet.set

I won't make this meetup but I'm looking at doing the island hopper over Thanksgiving... I have a flight booked on 24 hour hold with the direct hnl-gum but am considering having them change it to island hopper if it's the same price (which according to matrix it should be).

Is there a definitive answer on whether the itin can be split into separate segments and an RPU applied?
For my dates (Nov 28) HNL-MAJ has RN3 (which is the longest segment), but the others are RN0.

Assuming yes, can I apply just one RPU from EWR-HNL and HNL-MAJ (with the 18 hour stopover in HNL from 3:18pm to 7:25am)
I can never get a straight answer from UA on when my RPU applies to the multiple segments and when it doesn't (though long stopovers seem to affect it, as does multiple regions).

krazykanuck

Stumbled across this in the TR forum about a 2 week trip in Manila and a few other places in the Philippines... might be good for some ideas for those of us who have a few days there.

http://gardkarlsen.com/Philippines_trip_report.htm

riphamilton

i'm up for sharing a room in HNL; i'll probably be renting a car since i'll be arriving HNL at noon the day prior.

i also received a lonely planet guide to hawaii from UA this morning. if you've interacted with UA's social media team you can expect one of these to show up.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unite...umbs-up-2.html

riphamilton

viewing my reservation, i get the 'acknowledge schedule change' prompt. however, nothing is highlighted in red. i'm guessing what changed is time on the ground at one of the islands?

if anyone else got a schedule change, please post.

spearsba

I used to fly the HNL-MAJ-KWA-MAJ-HNL quite often. On pmCO I always got a CPU, always bought a Y fare. Post merger, I was told that the CPU was not eligible even though UA shows that Y fares in Oceana are CPU eligible. After being told that for about 8 trips, I switched and take a military flight to KWA out of Hickam. Plus on UA HNL-KWA is about $1000 + each way.

If you don't want to pay the resort fee, stay at the Doubletree. Its newly refurnished and a short walk around the corner to the Hilton to access the beach.

For you all going to MNL, take time to go to Corrigedor. Totally awesome tour. Island is a national park and they take you around on an open bus to all the sites. If you're in the PI a few days take a short flight to Boracay. Amazing place is all I can say.

TheBOSman

I got same, but my LAX-HNL on the evening before is highlighted in red as the schedule change (UA 1544).

AFAM-DFW

Mine was the hNL-Lax on return

PV_Premier

this is an excellent recommendation, FWIW. i have found the doubletree to be solid for a one night, no frills stay in waikiki

pspark

Hey all. I thought I'd try to give a little something back considering all the knowledge I gained from this site. I just took this flight on 10/8/14. These are pretty rough notes but I hope they are helpful. My Wednesday flight did not stop on KOS. I can post photos if people want. I did a lot of research on this flight and wanted to post something that tried to consolidate logistics, etc. as every review I usually write elsewhere tends to focus on the intangibles that can make or break the pace and quality of a trip.

BOOKING/SEAT:
Seat: 7A
Recommend left side of aircraft for best views of MAJ, KWA, PNI on both approach and take off. Right side is better for TKK but the plane circles over the lagoon so you will still get some nice views. Did not visit KOS. Row 7 is usually blocked out but can be accessed via the mobile app. It is with some reluctance that I publicize this fact as loophole protection is important to a lot of us.

Rows past 12 are obscured by the wing or don't have a window. I do not recommend sitting in the rear sections of the plane (see "wheelchairs and the obese" below). They get too crowded. If you can get upgraded then fine but you want to be next to the mechanic (see below). The pilots just slept up front the entire time on my flight.

The mechanic sits in 7C. Pilots get 1A and 1B. The back-up crew boards at MAJ and deplanes at GUM. If you are lucky you will sit next to the supervising mechanic on this route. He is a 25 year United employee and the stories and advice he has are invaluable. I am proud to say he is now a friend. I will not post his name or photo publicly out of respect of his privacy, but if you PM me, I can tell you who to look out for. There are usually four mechanics that work this flight, but currently they are down to three mechanics.

WHEELCHAIRS AND THE OBESE: the number of disabled or medically fragile patients will go up once you get to PNI and TKK. A lot of them go to GUM or even MNL for treatment. Obesity rates are extremely high amongst the locals. I am medically qualified to say this (M.D. for 17 years and also confirmed this with the head M.D. from PNI who was on my flight).

HNL TRANSIT:
I stayed at the Best Western. The price is exorbitant for what you get, but it has the merit of being a clean, close, and reasonably well appointed hotel for a quick overnight and had a free shuttle. I arrived from SFO at 2130 and left on the 0530 shuttle to make a 0725 flight. The Best Western is two blocks away from a small mini-mall with a convenience store and L&L BBQ (open until 2300). Call for the shuttle immediately upon exiting the plane if you have no carry-on and you will be at the hotel in no time. I happened to walk out just as it was loading so there was no wait.

I highly recommend that you simply stay here vs Waikiki. There's a decent pool, etc. Morning traffic in Honolulu can be absolute murder. Take it from somebody who lived there for a few months and is Kama'aina on Maui. You run a high risk of missing your flight if there is any sort of mishap on the freeway.

I had no wait at check-in at HNL. There was nobody in terminal at all at 0540 when I arrived but obviously this changes and you'll want to beat the crowds if you aren't TSA pre-select or qualify for Premier Access.

FLIGHT:
The longest leg is HNL-MAJ. Heavy passenger loads until KWA. A lot of people deplane there at the missile base and then it is fairly light until PNI. I did not stop at KOS. The plane will load up again to full capacity at PNI and top off at TKK due to locals heading to GUM for work or welfare benefits.

KWA: you don't have to lower the shades at KWA, but you also can't deplane. You'll be able to get all the photos you want.

GUM TRANSIT:
Customs: highly recommend Global Entry to expedite transition through GUM. I had to go through twice on my way to my final destination and then back. It is worth it to beat the crowd to the lounge facilities to secure a good seat in the quieter side room with the large-screen TV, plush leather seats, and ample power sockets. I had a Monday morning return flight that routed me through GUM-NRT and by boarding time the lounge was swarmed with Japanese tourists as well as parents and kids gorging themselves and making horrible messes and noise throughout the main area. It was disgusting.

LOUNGES:
HNL will be your last real lounge. Shirley and Hau'oli were the aunties working the desk on the Wednesday I arrived. PNI has a small lounge/restaurant area in a separate room. TKK facilities are awful. The mechanic warned me long beforehand to avoid the toilet at TKK at all costs.

EATS/DRINKS:
FILL YOUR WATER BOTTLE AT HNL. I can't stress this enough. There is some bottled water on the plane, but the water at the airports beyond is highly questionable. Carry a small packet of tissues. Pack a couple of energy bars.
There is a small snack bar at MAJ and PNI. Beers at PNI are $4 bucks for a Budweiser. Everything is coach-quality food.

GUM lounge is passable but like all United Clubs fails to impress with it's carb-heavy breakfast station and instant noodles. The GUM lounge is at Gate 10 and it can be a long walk to any connections so plan ahead.

HOW I PACKED:
In terms of baggage, I checked my main bag all the way through to MNL. I carried a change of clothes with me. My clothing on the plane was a t-shirt, flip-flops, and cargo shorts. I had a small backpack with me.

COMS:
I bought an EasyACC portable charger pack ($23.99 on Amazon) for the trip, but I never used it. There are no reliable opportunities to charge your devices en route. The only cell carrier is FSM and I was able to text a bit, but was unable to access social media sites or email. WiFi does exist for a charge at all the waiting areas, but it's also spotty. Just wait until GUM to post your selfies.

CURRENCY:
USD taken everywhere. There's not much to buy in terms of souvenirs or meals at each airport and the prices are high.

MISHAPS:
These occur frequently on this route and are usually due to bird strikes or more serious mechanical issues. I don't have any official statistics but after talking with the mechanic, I would recommend you keep your plans flexible. He told me a story about a fuel module going bad which stranded the plane on TKK until the following day when a rescue plane could be sent in. Those that stayed in the Chuuk Hotel got bedbugs. He slept on a mat in the terminal with most of the passengers.

BEYOND GUM: highly recommend avoiding MNL for too many reasons to list. The mechanic recommended that people skip the 777 direct flight in either direction as there really is no entertainment system on board. Exact words "I would not wish that flight on anybody." He also recommends avoiding going west to east on the island hopper.

Hope all this helps people. Feel free to holler at me with any questions or errors so I can update.

krazykanuck

Looks like the fare mentioned here works with the island hopper for the same dates, granted not at $800 but around $1100 for the island hopper. The cheapest fares make you go HNL-Guam direct.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...n-dec-jan.html

ICNer

I just completed a westbound Island Hopper on Friday October 25. I'm sure each of these runs is slightly unique in its own way, so FWIW, here are my impressions and experiences, in no apparent order:

1. I agree with pspark that the left side is a better view. I had 8A with an opportunity to move to the bulkhead in 7F (via mobile app), but ended up staying put. I definitely sacrificed some comfort when the plane filled up on MAJ-KWA, PNI-TKK and TKK-GUM, but I thought the view on approach to the Majuro Atoll alone (a long approach followed by a wide arc around the atoll right before touchdown) was worth the price. The rest of the views were marginally better from the left side and at TKK they were worse on the left side. The captain informed me that the TKK landing alternates sides depending on the winds.

2. Since the metal is a pmCO 738, the economy seat pitch is indeed miserable unless you're in the exit rows or the bulkhead row 7. I saw them enforce the buy up rule on seat swapping, mainly due to the number of standby passengers that they accept at the stops along the way. A lady with a SBY boarding pass sat next to me on MAJ-KWA. When the plane emptied out at the next stop, she tried to switch to the exit row, only to be sent scurrying back by the FA. After I pointed to several empty aisle seats in other rows, the FA let her move.

3. Having said that, the cabin crew are really wonderful. They are among some of the most caring, friendly, empathetic people I have met in the sky. A unique twist is the number of pass-riders and non-uniformed personnel dead-heading the flight. At first glance it seems that everyone knows each other, and then you realize--they do, because they all work together.

4. The pilots were friendly too. One invited me to sit next to him during a stop and we chatted about his former station as a 747 captain out of SFO. Apparently there are a number of pilots who have elected to "downsize" from transpac routes and transfer to Guam. The main reason, it seems, is lifestyle.

5. My experience was primarily shaped by IRROPS that began at HNL, where we were 30 minutes delayed due to baggage loading. What might seem like a relatively minor delay created a domino effect that culminated in a missed connection in GUM. Despite the seemingly vast airspace around the Marshall Islands and Micronesia, the lack of radar on these islands requires all aircraft within a 30 minutes radius to be on the ground before another plane can depart. Our initial delay, punctuated by repeated difficulties with the SATLINK system for sending ACARS messages (presumably to Houston or Chicago) resulted in no less than THREE ground stops. We arrived two hours late into Guam, missing the Manila, Hong Kong and assorted island connections. While this might seem like a "one-off," multiple people, including regular passengers and customs/immigration officials in Guam noted that the delays on this flight have become much worse recently.

Bottom line, build in a layover in Guam to your itinerary or at least have a backup plan. United put about two dozen of us up in hotels near the airport, but they re-routed the Hong Kong bound passengers through Narita the next day, arriving 24 hours later! A quick change to the next Manila flight, departing at 5:25am, and connecting to CX put me into HK that same morning, a savings of 12 hours.

Another casualty of the delay was our freedom to walk around at each stop. They restricted us to the plane, though the pilots walked around outside. So the best we could do was stroll to the top of the stairs and breathe some fresh air. As reported elsewhere, there were no pictures allowed at KWA.

6. Passengers were mostly islanders, with a sprinkling of military and government contractors. This changed at somewhat at Pohnpei and considerably at Truk, where tourists back from diving expeditions boarded. Here were a collection of mostly Australians, Americans, British, Dutch and Germans.

7. I couldn't get cell service at any of the islands, though in Kosrae, Pohnpei and Truk, you can get a wifi signal from inside the plane (with the door open). However you need to purchase a pre-paid telcard from FSMTC in order to access it (a deal-killer for me).

8. Food: service in economy was standard for an international flight: they start you off with a hot breakfast of an egg omelet and sausage. And an Oreo cookie snack prior to landing. Between the remaining five segments, you get a total of two sandwiches and 3 beverage-only services. I strongly suggest you bring your own food. Especially since the flight is prone to delays. The United Club in HNL has yogurt, fruit, and donuts for the taking. They will trot out cheese packs and crackers if you ask nicely. Note that they don't provide bottled water. Only tap. Nice touch, United.

9. Upgrades: the official policy, which I challenged multiple times at multiple locations, is that the upgraded seat needs to be open for all segments in order to be considered "available." There is no seat swapping allowed between segments. So I was quite surprised to see a lot of seat-swapping during the course of the journey. It turns out these were pass-riders. The rules don't apply to them! At one point, one of the F/A's offered to keep an eye out for a free first class seat for me. But there didn't seem to be much point to upgrading for one or two of the short segments. Otherwise, a GPU and minimum W fare are required for an upgrade. Prior to the flight, the United rate desk offered to upgrade my K fare to a W for HNL-GUM only for $300. However they still would have required a GPU and it was wait-list only at that point.

Overall, it was a unique experience, but once is enough. I'd be tempted to travel to Palau or Truk, but only because it's a non-stop flight from Guam.

WORLDWIDE TRAVELER

Thank you for your nice report, I will do the same on dec.12 from Gum to Hnl also with all 5 stops
and onward to new york.
I cant wait to start this trip
cheers