This is a really painful flight to be stuck in Y, and I have to admit, I haven’t flown 869 westbound SFO-HKG since joining FT. (Instead I’ve been arranging my routing through NRT, where I connect to 891 NRT-HKG on a 777. But I guess I’ll be switching to the new 867 next time.)
But back to 869...as I remember, the first meal is served appx 2 hours after takeoff, and has usually been a choice of beef or chicken. That means it’s almost 2pm Pacific Time before you get lunch, so you may want to eat a hearty breakfast that morning, or possibly bring some snack food.
The midflight snack varies, but typically it’s a cup of noodles (lower case, not Nissin brand) with a cookie (sometimes an almond cookie, or possibly a pecan cookie, but definitely singular, not plural).
The 2nd meal will be served about 90 mins or so prior to landing, and is usually a lighter meal, something like a choice between pasta or chicken noodles, with some fruit.
Small hot towels are distributed before each of the 2 meals, but I didn’t find this terribly impressive. These towels are pretty thin, and once you unwrap them, the heat dissipates pretty quickly, often before I finish wiping.
The beverage cart comes through the cabin 3 times. The 1st time is about 1 hour after takeoff. The other 2 times follow the respective meal distributions. After the 1st meal, after the cabin lights are turned off, an FA does go through the cabin offering water periodically.
As for the IFE, I just don’t have good luck with the movies. Somebody in an E or F seat, typically stands up, blocking the screen, then remains standing while asking the D or G occupant if he/she can be let out. Then this person blocks my view again when returning from the rest room and sometimes decides something needs to be retrieved from an overhead bin. Ugh!
Are the Row 35 exit row seats any better? Not necessarily. I sat in 35C 2 weeks ago on 891 LAX-NRT (flight time 10hr 30min), and was kicked or bumped 5 times by people waiting for the rest room. I realize it was all accidental, but it’s still annoying, especially when trying to sleep. People just can’t be expected to see where they’re going with the cabin lights off.
Anyway, good luck with the SWU clearing!