End of an Era: My last SIN run on UA (warning: long)
Mar 3, 2003, 4:28 pm
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End of an Era: My last SIN run on UA (warning: long)
Trip Report – LAX-NRT-SIN-NRT-LAX – UA/C (all aircraft, 747-400)
This being the sunset of UA’s entire existence, I wanted to say ‘goodbye’ via a run to SIN (standard disclaimer: the opinions expressed by Auggie Doggie regarding the future of UA are strictly subjective and have absolutely no basis in fact). Having found an upgradeable Q fare (with no minimum stay) in early January, I booked it and was upgraded to Business on all segments immediately.
I arrived at the Parking Spot at around 8:45 a.m. I parked on the roof as it is only $9.95 a day, and I am extremely cheap. I forgot to pick up some bottled water on the way to the shuttle. One of the reasons that I use the Parking Spot is the free bottled water. It’s nice to pick up a bottle or two on your way to your flight and then have some waiting for you on the return.
The airport wasn’t too busy for a Saturday, and the ridiculous extra airport entrance security was gone since we have moved our national threat level down to Yellow….whatever that means.
I checked in at the UA T6 International area. I lined up approximately 3rd in the UA Business/1K/Star Alliance Gold Line. I noticed that the line next to me was the First Class line. What? I looked further over and noticed that the First Class check-in room that they have used previously was dark. I have only used that room once, but it was a nice way to check in for your flight with some peace and quiet. I’m sure that this is yet another non-existent cost cutting measure since the room still actually exists and the people who worked the room still actually exist.
The agent who checked me in was friendly and efficient. She checked my passport and collected my SWU for the flight. I had the SWU sitting out on the counter, so I don’t know if she would have bypassed it if I would not have presented it. She confirmed my seat selection of 16A on both the NRT and SIN segments. As she handed me the boarding passes, she welcomed me to visit the Red Carpet Club.
I proceeded to Security where the wait was about 5 minutes. Only two lines were open (out of 4).
I proceeded to the RCC. As I was requesting some drink chits from the matron, a gentleman came in and indicated that he just came off a UX flight and he was looking for the gate for his codeshare flight to Toronto. The b*tchy matron replied… “that’s handled by Air Canada….you have to see them for the gate information.” You had to have heard her tone. Gee, no freakin kidding. Why couldn’t she have said something like “all Air Canada departures are out of Terminal 2….to get to Terminal 2, take the Star Alliance bus…blah, blah, blah…. But I digress. I received my two drink chits and proceeded to the bar.
Yes, it’s early, but hey….I’m on vacation. Being in a celebratory mood, I used my drink chits on some Korbel “California Champagne.” The bouquet of the “champagne” reminded me a bit of the times in high-school when I used my fake ID to buy Andre at approximately $2.50 a bottle from Dart Drug. Ahhh….thank you Korbel for bringing back the memories!
Having some more time before the flight, I perused the duty free shop. I was planning on buying some scotch at duty free in NRT on the return, but I also like to check out the US duty free prices. Nothing too exciting so I went back to the RCC where a different matron was working the door. Just for laughs, I asked her for a drink chit.
At about 10:10, I left the RCC and walked to Terminal 6 for boarding. The NRT flight has been departing out of 68B as of late. The gate area was very crowded as there were other UA domestic flights departing around the same time. At 10:20, the agent announced that boarding would be delayed for 10 minutes as they were still servicing the aircraft. It had arrived into LAX a little late from NRT.
We began boarding at 10:35. I settled into 16A and was offered a pre-departure drink soon after. Bouvet was the pre-dep Champagne. Amenity kits and menus were also handed out before departure. I love seat 16A on the upper deck of the 747-400. I had this reserved for 3 of the 4 legs on this trip. Next month, both the LAX-NRT and NRT-SIN will go 777, so it was nice to do this one last time on the –400.
Boarding was efficient and the door was closed at 11:05….right on time. I watched the jetway pull away from the aircraft and waited for us to start moving. Unfortunately, a couple of minutes later, I see the jetway approaching the plane again. Crap…here we go. The pilot announced that there was a mechanical issue with the plane on the way in from NRT and they had to do the ‘minor’ repair and get the paperwork in order and we would be on our way….”it shouldn’t be more than 10 or 15 minutes.”
So we push back an HOUR later and are on our way. Even with our delay, the Airshow indicated that we would be arriving at 3:57pm on Sunday. Basically right on schedule because of favorable winds.
After takeoff, nuts were offered with cocktails. I had the Veuve Cliquot, and it was very nice. Hot towels were offered before the meal. Speaking of the meal, here is the menu:
Menu:
Featured Wines:
Champagne:
Brut, Veuve Cliquot
Brut non-vintage, Drappier
White Wine:
Burgundy:
St-Veran Chardonnay, Bouchard Pere et Fils
Alsace:
Pinot Blanc 2001, Dopff & Irion
Chardonnay:
Argyle Winery Willamette Valley 1999
Sauvignon Blanc
Buena Vista Winery California
Red Wine:
Bordeaux:
Haut-Medoc Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 Chateau d’Arvigny
Languedoc-Roussilion
Corbieros 2000 Cahteau Camp de la Val
Merlot
Robert Mondavi Coastal Central Coast 2000
Cabernet Merlot
Houge Washington 2000
Sake is available on flights to and from Japan
Gekkeikan Sake
To Begin
Smoked Salmon with Parma Ham
Capers and lemon aioli
Garden Salad
Balsamic vinagrette dressing
Main Course
Filet Mignon with Hollandaise Sauce
Home fried potatoes with green beans and carrot batonnets
Rotisserie style chicken with honey mustard beurre blanc
Corn flan and spinach with smoked bacon
Japanese Obento Selection
An appetizer of shrimp with fish roe, zucchini with miso paste, crabmeat roll with egg yolk vinegar and green tea buckwheat noodles.
A main course of steamed white fish with shiitake mushrooms, marinated chicken, stir fried burdock and steamed rice. Served with green tea.
Dessert
International Cheese selection
Brie and New England Cheddar cheese
Eli’s Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
Midflight Snack
Enjoy our mid-flight snack.
Prior to Arrival
Penne with Spring Vegetables in a vodka cream sauce
Parmesan cheese with a fresh fruit appetizer.
Fresh seasonal fruit plate with creamy yogurt.
A note on the wine list: The same wine list was the same on all 4 flights. If I recall correctly, here are the ones that were served:
Champagne: Veuve Cliquot (all flights…and yes, I drank it on all 4 flights)
Burgundy: Bouchard
Chardonnay: Argyle (I tried a glass of this and didn’t like it – too oakey)
Bordeaux: Haut Medoc
Merlot: Robert Mondavi – Coastal Central (I had a glass of this…very good).
I had pre-ordered the Obento meal. From what I recall from previous flights, the Obento was always served with Wagashi (some dessert thing). I never liked it, but I did notice that it’s gone. The meal was fantastic.
The rest of the flight was uneventful. I watched some DVD’s on my PC and passed on the UA in-flight entertainment. Overall, I would say the service on the flight was good. Of the two flight attendants that worked the upper deck, one was very friendly and full of smiles, the other one was professional and not as smiley.
I ended up sleeping through the second meal service, which was fine with me. I figured that I would be having a full meal on the way to SIN, so I didn’t want to overdo it.
As we closed in on NRT, our arrival time on the airshow kept slipping back. Eventually, we circled a few times off the coast of Japan before being cleared for landing. By the time we taxied to our remote gate (argh!), it was about 4:45pm. So much for having some time in NRT to check out the new RCC.
After being bussed back to the terminal and clearing security, it was about 5:05. The SIN flight leaves at 5:35, so boarding had already begun. I went right to the gate and boarded.
Pre-departure drinks were being distributed as I took my seat in 16A. Departure for SIN was right on-time. Climb out from NRT was a little bumpy.
Service began with cocktails and supreme nut mix. Hey, what happened to the Otsumami? Flight attendants handed out menus. The menu was marked for NRT-BKK. I mentioned this to the FA, and he indicated that the food was the same on both flights. Here is the menu:
To Begin:
Seared Ahi Tuna on Sushi rice with mushrooms and vegetables.
Mesclun salad with asian dressing
Main Course:
Sauteed veal Zurichoise with a mushroom cream sauce
Pumpkin gnocchi pasta with tomato fondue
Five spice chicken with chicken jus
Egg fried rice and broccoli florets
Yuzu flavored red snapper with a vegetable medley
Shiitake mushrooms and steamed rice with peas
Dessert:
Chocolate brownie with vanilla sauce
The appetizer was not as printed. It was similar to the description, but it was smoked salmon and definitely not ahi tuna. It was OK. For the main course, I had the veal. I thought it was kind of tough, but the gnocchi was awesome. A NRT based cabin crew staffed this flight. They were more attentive than the crew on the last flight.
I slept for much of the trip to SIN. Arrival was scheduled at 11:42 – about 10 minutes early. As we taxied to the gate (C2), there was another UA 747-400 which had just arrived from HKG. You could see people still disembarking as we pulled into the gate.
Being a 7 hour turn around, I was torn on whether to head into the city or not. Last time I did this, I went to the city, had some great food, but was totally bored by 2am. So this time, I decided to stay in the airport.
Changi Airport at 11:45pm was still fairly active. Many shops were still open (but the majority closed by 12:00). I changed some money (some left over British Pounds from my last trip to London). And made my way to the Transit Hotel. I did not reserve a room in advance, and they were full (I figured they would be). Having brought some running shorts and a workout t-shirt, I chose to use the gym facilities adjacent to the Transit Hotel. Cost for the gym is 13 sin dollars and includes the use of a shower and one free drink.
I worked out for about an hour and then got myself cleaned up. I walked back to the 24 Hour Café in Terminal 1 and found that they had moved the Internet Terminals downstairs. The internet terminals are free from midnight to 6a.m., but unfortunately the broadband connection was down or something. None were working.
To kill some time, I walked to Terminal 2. T2 had a 24 Hour 7-11 store. I browsed the many tasty selections such as prepared cuttlefish, dried cod snacks, prawn crackers but chose something very boring…some cheeto type of snacky thing. I also considered the “Wild Consomme!” Pringles, but they were only available in the big can. I wanted to find out just how WILD consommé could really be.
I planted myself and my snacky thing in front of the BBC tv set in the media area. Several other tv’s were in the vicinity with various themes playing. The chairs were comfy and had the speakers built into the arms. I watched for a while and got tired of hearing all of the Iraq stuff. The T2 internet terminals were close by. They were free until 6am and they worked.
Of course I immediately tried to access Flyertalk, but could not get to the site for some reason. What gives??? I spent some time on Fark.com and various other sites to kill some time.
Before you know it, it’s 4:30am and time to check-in for the return flights. I walked over to the Transit area near the UA gates and the gentleman had me on my way in seconds. Having my invitation to the SATS lounge, I proceeded upstairs. I thought about using the shower facilities in the SATS lounge, but since I had showered only a few hours before, I thought I was still clean enough.
The typical fare of sandwiches and muffins was out at the SATS lounge. I watched CNN and had a couple of cups of green tea. The lounge ended up being fairly busy as people for both the UA HKG and UA NRT flights were arriving.
Boarding and departure for our flight to NRT was smooth and uneventful. I was fairly hungry and was looking forward to breakfast. Here’s the menu:
To Begin
Your selected entrée will be served with breakfast breads, butter, and fruit preserves.
Main Course:
Mozzarella scrambled eggs
Chicken sausage patty, tomato gratine, roasted new potatoes, and a fresh seasonal fruit appetizer.
Hainanese chicken and rice with oyster sauce
Braised bok choy, chili sauce with fresh ginger, and a fresh seasonal fruit appetizer.
Continental Breakfast
Selection of breakfast pastries, sliced fresh seasonal fruit, yogurt and cereal.
Prior to Arrival:
Capellini Amatriciana
Pasta with a pancetta bacon and tomato sauce
Peppered roast sirloin
Slices of peppered roast sirloin atop a new potato salad and mango with Thai chili sauce
For breakfast, I had the chicken. It was lousy! Greasy dark meat chicken swimming in some brown sauce. I poured the chili sauce over the rice and ate that.
For lunch I had the pasta. It was fine, but the Roast Sirloin salad actually looked better.
Flight attendants were very attentive and were around with water (and Veuve Cliquot) about every 5 minutes. The flight was fairly boring and we arrived into NRT about 10 minutes early.
My plan upon arrival into NRT was the following:
See the new RCC.
Take a shower
Visit the Silver Kris lounge.
Buy some scotch at duty free.
Our flight parked at Gate 33, and I made a dash to clear security. There was a sizeable line. I cleared security in about 8 minutes and was in the RCC soon after. This was my first visit to the new RCC, and I have to say I don’t like it. I much prefer the old one. The old one had a better view of the runway. Also, I liked the way the old one was split up on separate floors. This new RCC is just one large boring room. Food selection was crappy as usual. However, the beer machines are fully functional.
I made my way to the back of the RCC where the shower rooms were. Procedures have changed a bit. They used to have all the soaps/shampoos in the shower room, but now the agent asks you which ones you want and gives them to you as you check in. She assigned me to shower room #13. Unlucky 13.
The shower rooms here are definitely not as nice as in the old RCC. If I recall correctly, the old RCC’s showers were mostly marble tile. Here in the new RCC, the shower rooms are made of cheaper ceramic tile (like the kind you would find in a healthclub shower). I showered very quickly as I wanted to high-tail it to the Silver Kris lounge.
Smelling FANTASTIC as a result of the Ginseng shower gel, I bolted out of the RCC toward Satellite 1. It’s definitely a little longer walk to get to Satellite 1 now. I had 55 minutes until the departure of the flight to LAX, but I was hell bent on going.
Upon arrival at the Silver Kris lounge, the agent greeted me and took down my information. I walked in to find myself the only person in the lounge. There was a typical SQ spread of food that included: finger sandwiches, bagel sandwiches, various noodles, some sushi, fried tofu balls, ice cream, etc… FYI: It seems that the ice cream has changed again. If I recall correctly, it was Haagen Daaz at one time, and then it might have been Ben & Jerry’s. Now it’s some brand I’ve never heard of. Sorry I can’t recall it now. But they still have ice cream.
I helped myself to a ½ of a bagel sandwich and a glass of Mumm champagne. Five minutes later, it was time for me to head to my gate.
On the way back to Satellite 3, I stopped at the Duty Free shop to buy a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It was about $125 in NRT. Slightly cheaper than in SIN. However, the package available at NRT comes with a complimentary 200ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label. Blue Label is awesome.
So it’s right about now that my luck starts to turn. I approach Gate 33 (same plane that brought us up from SIN) only to find that it has been delayed due to a mechanical. Apparently, there is some gauge in the cockpit that went haywire on the way up from SIN. They had to replace that but didn’t have a new departure time for us. In my typical fashion, I start to get nervous and think about other options. I went back to the RCC and had them protect me on the 7:15pm departure to SFO. Chances were that I would not need that reservation, but I needed to be back on Monday and couldn’t risk being stranded for a night.
Shortly after my panic attack, they posted a new departure time of 5:45 for our flight. However, they moved the plane to a remote gate. So we were moved to gate 28A where we boarded busses to head to our plane. By the time I boarded the bus (in the first group), it was 5:30. We definitely would not make our 5:45 departure. Weather was lousy. It was raining fairly steadily.
I think it was about 6:20 or so by the time everyone had boarded and the doors were closed. As we taxied to the runway, I started dozing off. I woke up 30 minutes later to find that we were still on the ground. The lousy weather was causing air traffic issues into and out of NRT. We were lined up and didn’t depart until about 7:25.
The climb out was very bumpy. The Cap’n had the crew stay seated for about the first 45 minutes of the flight. After that, they were up and down sporadically throughout the meal service. They were definitely trying to provide a nice meal service, but the weather was not cooperating. It was VERY bumpy, and I don’t envy them trying to serve a meal when the plane is shaking all over the freakin place. Here’s the menu:
To Begin
Smoked Salmon sushi with gari and crabmeat
Cucumber wakame salad and fresh lemon
Garden Salad
Asian Citrus Dressing
Main Course
Filet Mignon with New Orleans seasoning
Garlic Mashed Potatoes, vegetable medley, and pomodoro sauce
Pecan crusted salmon with lemon beurre blanc
Sweet potato and Portobello mushroom hash with green beans
Japanese Obento selection
An appetizer of grilled scallop, steamed shrimp, eel rolled in egg and green tea buckwheat noodles. A main course of steamed red snapper, vinegared octopus, chilled beef with ginger and steamed rice with peas. Served with Green Tea.
Dessert
International Cheese selection
Brie and Yuulong Lavender cheese
Chocolate brownie with vanilla sauce
Prior to Arrival
Tomato and chive omlette with Hollandaise Sauce
Chicken sausage and hash brown potatoes with a fruit appetizer
Fresh seasonal fruit plate with creamy yogurt
I had the Obento meal again, and it rocked. I fell asleep as they were bringing the dessert trolley around.
I slept on and off. I watched some DVD’s to pass the time. I had brought the Simpsons 2nd season and Star Trek TNG 5th Season (geek!). I watched a couple of TNG episodes and then realized we still had 4 ½ hours to go. This flight seemed to take forever!
I had the fruit plate for breakfast and washed it down with several cups of coffee to get myself jump started.
Landing in LA was uneventful. 3 hours late in arrival. I was one of the first off the plane and was through the immigration line in a flash. I was stopped at customs, but I told them the truth about my trip. They thought I was nuts, recorded some stuff about me in the computer and sent me on my way.
I think this was my last mileage run. I honestly think UA is going Ch 7 within a year, so for me this is it. The SWU changes of course don’t help either, but I could swallow an H fare.
Overall, it was a fun way to spend the weekend.
This being the sunset of UA’s entire existence, I wanted to say ‘goodbye’ via a run to SIN (standard disclaimer: the opinions expressed by Auggie Doggie regarding the future of UA are strictly subjective and have absolutely no basis in fact). Having found an upgradeable Q fare (with no minimum stay) in early January, I booked it and was upgraded to Business on all segments immediately.
I arrived at the Parking Spot at around 8:45 a.m. I parked on the roof as it is only $9.95 a day, and I am extremely cheap. I forgot to pick up some bottled water on the way to the shuttle. One of the reasons that I use the Parking Spot is the free bottled water. It’s nice to pick up a bottle or two on your way to your flight and then have some waiting for you on the return.
The airport wasn’t too busy for a Saturday, and the ridiculous extra airport entrance security was gone since we have moved our national threat level down to Yellow….whatever that means.
I checked in at the UA T6 International area. I lined up approximately 3rd in the UA Business/1K/Star Alliance Gold Line. I noticed that the line next to me was the First Class line. What? I looked further over and noticed that the First Class check-in room that they have used previously was dark. I have only used that room once, but it was a nice way to check in for your flight with some peace and quiet. I’m sure that this is yet another non-existent cost cutting measure since the room still actually exists and the people who worked the room still actually exist.
The agent who checked me in was friendly and efficient. She checked my passport and collected my SWU for the flight. I had the SWU sitting out on the counter, so I don’t know if she would have bypassed it if I would not have presented it. She confirmed my seat selection of 16A on both the NRT and SIN segments. As she handed me the boarding passes, she welcomed me to visit the Red Carpet Club.
I proceeded to Security where the wait was about 5 minutes. Only two lines were open (out of 4).
I proceeded to the RCC. As I was requesting some drink chits from the matron, a gentleman came in and indicated that he just came off a UX flight and he was looking for the gate for his codeshare flight to Toronto. The b*tchy matron replied… “that’s handled by Air Canada….you have to see them for the gate information.” You had to have heard her tone. Gee, no freakin kidding. Why couldn’t she have said something like “all Air Canada departures are out of Terminal 2….to get to Terminal 2, take the Star Alliance bus…blah, blah, blah…. But I digress. I received my two drink chits and proceeded to the bar.
Yes, it’s early, but hey….I’m on vacation. Being in a celebratory mood, I used my drink chits on some Korbel “California Champagne.” The bouquet of the “champagne” reminded me a bit of the times in high-school when I used my fake ID to buy Andre at approximately $2.50 a bottle from Dart Drug. Ahhh….thank you Korbel for bringing back the memories!
Having some more time before the flight, I perused the duty free shop. I was planning on buying some scotch at duty free in NRT on the return, but I also like to check out the US duty free prices. Nothing too exciting so I went back to the RCC where a different matron was working the door. Just for laughs, I asked her for a drink chit.
At about 10:10, I left the RCC and walked to Terminal 6 for boarding. The NRT flight has been departing out of 68B as of late. The gate area was very crowded as there were other UA domestic flights departing around the same time. At 10:20, the agent announced that boarding would be delayed for 10 minutes as they were still servicing the aircraft. It had arrived into LAX a little late from NRT.
We began boarding at 10:35. I settled into 16A and was offered a pre-departure drink soon after. Bouvet was the pre-dep Champagne. Amenity kits and menus were also handed out before departure. I love seat 16A on the upper deck of the 747-400. I had this reserved for 3 of the 4 legs on this trip. Next month, both the LAX-NRT and NRT-SIN will go 777, so it was nice to do this one last time on the –400.
Boarding was efficient and the door was closed at 11:05….right on time. I watched the jetway pull away from the aircraft and waited for us to start moving. Unfortunately, a couple of minutes later, I see the jetway approaching the plane again. Crap…here we go. The pilot announced that there was a mechanical issue with the plane on the way in from NRT and they had to do the ‘minor’ repair and get the paperwork in order and we would be on our way….”it shouldn’t be more than 10 or 15 minutes.”
So we push back an HOUR later and are on our way. Even with our delay, the Airshow indicated that we would be arriving at 3:57pm on Sunday. Basically right on schedule because of favorable winds.
After takeoff, nuts were offered with cocktails. I had the Veuve Cliquot, and it was very nice. Hot towels were offered before the meal. Speaking of the meal, here is the menu:
Menu:
Featured Wines:
Champagne:
Brut, Veuve Cliquot
Brut non-vintage, Drappier
White Wine:
Burgundy:
St-Veran Chardonnay, Bouchard Pere et Fils
Alsace:
Pinot Blanc 2001, Dopff & Irion
Chardonnay:
Argyle Winery Willamette Valley 1999
Sauvignon Blanc
Buena Vista Winery California
Red Wine:
Bordeaux:
Haut-Medoc Cabernet Sauvignon 1998 Chateau d’Arvigny
Languedoc-Roussilion
Corbieros 2000 Cahteau Camp de la Val
Merlot
Robert Mondavi Coastal Central Coast 2000
Cabernet Merlot
Houge Washington 2000
Sake is available on flights to and from Japan
Gekkeikan Sake
To Begin
Smoked Salmon with Parma Ham
Capers and lemon aioli
Garden Salad
Balsamic vinagrette dressing
Main Course
Filet Mignon with Hollandaise Sauce
Home fried potatoes with green beans and carrot batonnets
Rotisserie style chicken with honey mustard beurre blanc
Corn flan and spinach with smoked bacon
Japanese Obento Selection
An appetizer of shrimp with fish roe, zucchini with miso paste, crabmeat roll with egg yolk vinegar and green tea buckwheat noodles.
A main course of steamed white fish with shiitake mushrooms, marinated chicken, stir fried burdock and steamed rice. Served with green tea.
Dessert
International Cheese selection
Brie and New England Cheddar cheese
Eli’s Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake
Midflight Snack
Enjoy our mid-flight snack.
Prior to Arrival
Penne with Spring Vegetables in a vodka cream sauce
Parmesan cheese with a fresh fruit appetizer.
Fresh seasonal fruit plate with creamy yogurt.
A note on the wine list: The same wine list was the same on all 4 flights. If I recall correctly, here are the ones that were served:
Champagne: Veuve Cliquot (all flights…and yes, I drank it on all 4 flights)
Burgundy: Bouchard
Chardonnay: Argyle (I tried a glass of this and didn’t like it – too oakey)
Bordeaux: Haut Medoc
Merlot: Robert Mondavi – Coastal Central (I had a glass of this…very good).
I had pre-ordered the Obento meal. From what I recall from previous flights, the Obento was always served with Wagashi (some dessert thing). I never liked it, but I did notice that it’s gone. The meal was fantastic.
The rest of the flight was uneventful. I watched some DVD’s on my PC and passed on the UA in-flight entertainment. Overall, I would say the service on the flight was good. Of the two flight attendants that worked the upper deck, one was very friendly and full of smiles, the other one was professional and not as smiley.
I ended up sleeping through the second meal service, which was fine with me. I figured that I would be having a full meal on the way to SIN, so I didn’t want to overdo it.
As we closed in on NRT, our arrival time on the airshow kept slipping back. Eventually, we circled a few times off the coast of Japan before being cleared for landing. By the time we taxied to our remote gate (argh!), it was about 4:45pm. So much for having some time in NRT to check out the new RCC.
After being bussed back to the terminal and clearing security, it was about 5:05. The SIN flight leaves at 5:35, so boarding had already begun. I went right to the gate and boarded.
Pre-departure drinks were being distributed as I took my seat in 16A. Departure for SIN was right on-time. Climb out from NRT was a little bumpy.
Service began with cocktails and supreme nut mix. Hey, what happened to the Otsumami? Flight attendants handed out menus. The menu was marked for NRT-BKK. I mentioned this to the FA, and he indicated that the food was the same on both flights. Here is the menu:
To Begin:
Seared Ahi Tuna on Sushi rice with mushrooms and vegetables.
Mesclun salad with asian dressing
Main Course:
Sauteed veal Zurichoise with a mushroom cream sauce
Pumpkin gnocchi pasta with tomato fondue
Five spice chicken with chicken jus
Egg fried rice and broccoli florets
Yuzu flavored red snapper with a vegetable medley
Shiitake mushrooms and steamed rice with peas
Dessert:
Chocolate brownie with vanilla sauce
The appetizer was not as printed. It was similar to the description, but it was smoked salmon and definitely not ahi tuna. It was OK. For the main course, I had the veal. I thought it was kind of tough, but the gnocchi was awesome. A NRT based cabin crew staffed this flight. They were more attentive than the crew on the last flight.
I slept for much of the trip to SIN. Arrival was scheduled at 11:42 – about 10 minutes early. As we taxied to the gate (C2), there was another UA 747-400 which had just arrived from HKG. You could see people still disembarking as we pulled into the gate.
Being a 7 hour turn around, I was torn on whether to head into the city or not. Last time I did this, I went to the city, had some great food, but was totally bored by 2am. So this time, I decided to stay in the airport.
Changi Airport at 11:45pm was still fairly active. Many shops were still open (but the majority closed by 12:00). I changed some money (some left over British Pounds from my last trip to London). And made my way to the Transit Hotel. I did not reserve a room in advance, and they were full (I figured they would be). Having brought some running shorts and a workout t-shirt, I chose to use the gym facilities adjacent to the Transit Hotel. Cost for the gym is 13 sin dollars and includes the use of a shower and one free drink.
I worked out for about an hour and then got myself cleaned up. I walked back to the 24 Hour Café in Terminal 1 and found that they had moved the Internet Terminals downstairs. The internet terminals are free from midnight to 6a.m., but unfortunately the broadband connection was down or something. None were working.
To kill some time, I walked to Terminal 2. T2 had a 24 Hour 7-11 store. I browsed the many tasty selections such as prepared cuttlefish, dried cod snacks, prawn crackers but chose something very boring…some cheeto type of snacky thing. I also considered the “Wild Consomme!” Pringles, but they were only available in the big can. I wanted to find out just how WILD consommé could really be.
I planted myself and my snacky thing in front of the BBC tv set in the media area. Several other tv’s were in the vicinity with various themes playing. The chairs were comfy and had the speakers built into the arms. I watched for a while and got tired of hearing all of the Iraq stuff. The T2 internet terminals were close by. They were free until 6am and they worked.
Of course I immediately tried to access Flyertalk, but could not get to the site for some reason. What gives??? I spent some time on Fark.com and various other sites to kill some time.
Before you know it, it’s 4:30am and time to check-in for the return flights. I walked over to the Transit area near the UA gates and the gentleman had me on my way in seconds. Having my invitation to the SATS lounge, I proceeded upstairs. I thought about using the shower facilities in the SATS lounge, but since I had showered only a few hours before, I thought I was still clean enough.
The typical fare of sandwiches and muffins was out at the SATS lounge. I watched CNN and had a couple of cups of green tea. The lounge ended up being fairly busy as people for both the UA HKG and UA NRT flights were arriving.
Boarding and departure for our flight to NRT was smooth and uneventful. I was fairly hungry and was looking forward to breakfast. Here’s the menu:
To Begin
Your selected entrée will be served with breakfast breads, butter, and fruit preserves.
Main Course:
Mozzarella scrambled eggs
Chicken sausage patty, tomato gratine, roasted new potatoes, and a fresh seasonal fruit appetizer.
Hainanese chicken and rice with oyster sauce
Braised bok choy, chili sauce with fresh ginger, and a fresh seasonal fruit appetizer.
Continental Breakfast
Selection of breakfast pastries, sliced fresh seasonal fruit, yogurt and cereal.
Prior to Arrival:
Capellini Amatriciana
Pasta with a pancetta bacon and tomato sauce
Peppered roast sirloin
Slices of peppered roast sirloin atop a new potato salad and mango with Thai chili sauce
For breakfast, I had the chicken. It was lousy! Greasy dark meat chicken swimming in some brown sauce. I poured the chili sauce over the rice and ate that.
For lunch I had the pasta. It was fine, but the Roast Sirloin salad actually looked better.
Flight attendants were very attentive and were around with water (and Veuve Cliquot) about every 5 minutes. The flight was fairly boring and we arrived into NRT about 10 minutes early.
My plan upon arrival into NRT was the following:
See the new RCC.
Take a shower
Visit the Silver Kris lounge.
Buy some scotch at duty free.
Our flight parked at Gate 33, and I made a dash to clear security. There was a sizeable line. I cleared security in about 8 minutes and was in the RCC soon after. This was my first visit to the new RCC, and I have to say I don’t like it. I much prefer the old one. The old one had a better view of the runway. Also, I liked the way the old one was split up on separate floors. This new RCC is just one large boring room. Food selection was crappy as usual. However, the beer machines are fully functional.
I made my way to the back of the RCC where the shower rooms were. Procedures have changed a bit. They used to have all the soaps/shampoos in the shower room, but now the agent asks you which ones you want and gives them to you as you check in. She assigned me to shower room #13. Unlucky 13.
The shower rooms here are definitely not as nice as in the old RCC. If I recall correctly, the old RCC’s showers were mostly marble tile. Here in the new RCC, the shower rooms are made of cheaper ceramic tile (like the kind you would find in a healthclub shower). I showered very quickly as I wanted to high-tail it to the Silver Kris lounge.
Smelling FANTASTIC as a result of the Ginseng shower gel, I bolted out of the RCC toward Satellite 1. It’s definitely a little longer walk to get to Satellite 1 now. I had 55 minutes until the departure of the flight to LAX, but I was hell bent on going.
Upon arrival at the Silver Kris lounge, the agent greeted me and took down my information. I walked in to find myself the only person in the lounge. There was a typical SQ spread of food that included: finger sandwiches, bagel sandwiches, various noodles, some sushi, fried tofu balls, ice cream, etc… FYI: It seems that the ice cream has changed again. If I recall correctly, it was Haagen Daaz at one time, and then it might have been Ben & Jerry’s. Now it’s some brand I’ve never heard of. Sorry I can’t recall it now. But they still have ice cream.
I helped myself to a ½ of a bagel sandwich and a glass of Mumm champagne. Five minutes later, it was time for me to head to my gate.
On the way back to Satellite 3, I stopped at the Duty Free shop to buy a bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. It was about $125 in NRT. Slightly cheaper than in SIN. However, the package available at NRT comes with a complimentary 200ml bottle of Johnnie Walker Gold Label. Blue Label is awesome.
So it’s right about now that my luck starts to turn. I approach Gate 33 (same plane that brought us up from SIN) only to find that it has been delayed due to a mechanical. Apparently, there is some gauge in the cockpit that went haywire on the way up from SIN. They had to replace that but didn’t have a new departure time for us. In my typical fashion, I start to get nervous and think about other options. I went back to the RCC and had them protect me on the 7:15pm departure to SFO. Chances were that I would not need that reservation, but I needed to be back on Monday and couldn’t risk being stranded for a night.
Shortly after my panic attack, they posted a new departure time of 5:45 for our flight. However, they moved the plane to a remote gate. So we were moved to gate 28A where we boarded busses to head to our plane. By the time I boarded the bus (in the first group), it was 5:30. We definitely would not make our 5:45 departure. Weather was lousy. It was raining fairly steadily.
I think it was about 6:20 or so by the time everyone had boarded and the doors were closed. As we taxied to the runway, I started dozing off. I woke up 30 minutes later to find that we were still on the ground. The lousy weather was causing air traffic issues into and out of NRT. We were lined up and didn’t depart until about 7:25.
The climb out was very bumpy. The Cap’n had the crew stay seated for about the first 45 minutes of the flight. After that, they were up and down sporadically throughout the meal service. They were definitely trying to provide a nice meal service, but the weather was not cooperating. It was VERY bumpy, and I don’t envy them trying to serve a meal when the plane is shaking all over the freakin place. Here’s the menu:
To Begin
Smoked Salmon sushi with gari and crabmeat
Cucumber wakame salad and fresh lemon
Garden Salad
Asian Citrus Dressing
Main Course
Filet Mignon with New Orleans seasoning
Garlic Mashed Potatoes, vegetable medley, and pomodoro sauce
Pecan crusted salmon with lemon beurre blanc
Sweet potato and Portobello mushroom hash with green beans
Japanese Obento selection
An appetizer of grilled scallop, steamed shrimp, eel rolled in egg and green tea buckwheat noodles. A main course of steamed red snapper, vinegared octopus, chilled beef with ginger and steamed rice with peas. Served with Green Tea.
Dessert
International Cheese selection
Brie and Yuulong Lavender cheese
Chocolate brownie with vanilla sauce
Prior to Arrival
Tomato and chive omlette with Hollandaise Sauce
Chicken sausage and hash brown potatoes with a fruit appetizer
Fresh seasonal fruit plate with creamy yogurt
I had the Obento meal again, and it rocked. I fell asleep as they were bringing the dessert trolley around.
I slept on and off. I watched some DVD’s to pass the time. I had brought the Simpsons 2nd season and Star Trek TNG 5th Season (geek!). I watched a couple of TNG episodes and then realized we still had 4 ½ hours to go. This flight seemed to take forever!
I had the fruit plate for breakfast and washed it down with several cups of coffee to get myself jump started.
Landing in LA was uneventful. 3 hours late in arrival. I was one of the first off the plane and was through the immigration line in a flash. I was stopped at customs, but I told them the truth about my trip. They thought I was nuts, recorded some stuff about me in the computer and sent me on my way.
I think this was my last mileage run. I honestly think UA is going Ch 7 within a year, so for me this is it. The SWU changes of course don’t help either, but I could swallow an H fare.
Overall, it was a fun way to spend the weekend.
Mar 3, 2003, 10:25 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K MM, Accor Plat, Htz PC, Natl ExEm, other random status
Posts: 2,876
That sounds just like the trip I made last weekend.
I'd add a couple of things:
If you have a laptop, the internet hookups in the carrels near the free terminals are also free (and fairly quick).
After checking in at UA at 4:30 or 4:45, and if you have a C boarding pass, there's plenty of time to go to Terminal 2 and visit the Silver Krisk lounge. It's a bit of a walk to the lounge, but by the time you are ready to come back to your flight, the Skytrain is operating again, which saves some walking.
But if you're doing a quick turn, the walk is good for you. . .
Great report!
Greg
I'd add a couple of things:
If you have a laptop, the internet hookups in the carrels near the free terminals are also free (and fairly quick).
After checking in at UA at 4:30 or 4:45, and if you have a C boarding pass, there's plenty of time to go to Terminal 2 and visit the Silver Krisk lounge. It's a bit of a walk to the lounge, but by the time you are ready to come back to your flight, the Skytrain is operating again, which saves some walking.
But if you're doing a quick turn, the walk is good for you. . .
Great report!
Greg
Mar 5, 2003, 11:23 pm
#6
Moderator, Argentina and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: MIA / EZE
Programs: Lord of Malbec & all Wines Argentine. AA EXP / Marriott Lifetime Silver / Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 35,681
Great report, thank you. I agree with your title... its the end... 
Mar 6, 2003, 3:11 am
#7
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Planet Earth, sometimes Mars
Posts: 146
Nice report.
1. Did you visit the SQ lounge at Changi?
( I love the lounge at NRT)
2. Did UA have channel 9/ATC on any of the flights?
3. Did you try to crash the UA First lounges? sometimes it works if you are flying Business and elite.
Welcome home.
------------------
PA747-May it rest in Peace
1. Did you visit the SQ lounge at Changi?
( I love the lounge at NRT)
2. Did UA have channel 9/ATC on any of the flights?
3. Did you try to crash the UA First lounges? sometimes it works if you are flying Business and elite.
Welcome home.
------------------
PA747-May it rest in Peace
Mar 6, 2003, 10:03 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: Seattle, WA
Posts: 685
Sounds like my run from last weekend, too 
. I had the same plane (N104UA I believe it was) from LAX-NRT-SIN-NRT. Luckily we were early on the LAX-NRT so I had time to take a shower on both sides in NRT - really refreshing. The Internet machines in T1 were down when I was there too - looked like they unplugged the hub at midnight.
It was great fun and quite an experience. I did get hassled at customs in SEA on the return... partially because I darted out of there with no luggage.
Re: the showers in NRT, I think they're roughly the same as the old ones. I think there may be more of them in the new RCC. Also don't forget the soap... You get a little menu of items that you want, don't forget to get the shower gel, as for the last year or so they haven't had bars of soap in the shower rooms. I am not a fan of the RCC overall, too crowded between 3 and 5 pm.
I had EXCELLENT service on the NRT-SIN and SIN-NRT legs upstairs. Can't say enough about those NRT-based crews.
. I had the same plane (N104UA I believe it was) from LAX-NRT-SIN-NRT. Luckily we were early on the LAX-NRT so I had time to take a shower on both sides in NRT - really refreshing. The Internet machines in T1 were down when I was there too - looked like they unplugged the hub at midnight. It was great fun and quite an experience. I did get hassled at customs in SEA on the return... partially because I darted out of there with no luggage.
Re: the showers in NRT, I think they're roughly the same as the old ones. I think there may be more of them in the new RCC. Also don't forget the soap... You get a little menu of items that you want, don't forget to get the shower gel, as for the last year or so they haven't had bars of soap in the shower rooms. I am not a fan of the RCC overall, too crowded between 3 and 5 pm.
I had EXCELLENT service on the NRT-SIN and SIN-NRT legs upstairs. Can't say enough about those NRT-based crews.