SYD-LGA // J-CLASS // NZ & UA
Mar 25, 2003, 3:55 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC*75K, DL*FO, MB*TTN
Posts: 123
SYD-LGA // J-CLASS // NZ & UA
This trip report began with LGA-AKL // J-CLASS // AC & NZ. It now continues...
***
Air New Zealand NZ014
Sydney-Kingsford Smith (SYD) to Los Angeles-International (LAX)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 747-400
Seat 19A, Business Class
Scheduled Departure Time: 1135 Actual Departure Time: 1408
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0605 Actual Arrival Time: 0743
Check-in
I arrived at the airport a good three hours prior to the departure of this flight. However, the special check-in area for this flight was not open! Check-in was a breeze – the girl at check-in had to cope with a few different tickets for both my Grandad and I (my YYZ-LGA and his YYZ-YUL were both booked seperately from the rest of our flights). However, she managed well – except for the seating on our Sydney-LAX flight. We were assigned 18D & 18E, and she said that she could not change it because her computer wouldn’t let her see the lower deck configuration of Business Class (more on this computer issue later...). “No worries,” I told her. After passing through Australian customs and security, it was off to the Koru Club.
Departure Airport
The AirNZ Koru Club in Sydney is gorgeous – very modern, and it has a nice view of the gates & planes located directly below it. Maori artwork adorned the walls. (There are views at the extreme right of the lounge; however, this area has been blocked off solely for the average 14 AirNZ First Class passengers the lounge sees every day – the only AirNZ planes which offer First Class are the 747s, and those arrive at Sydney only for the flights to Los Angeles, and occasionally to Auckland. I suppose that Emirates First Class passengers may use it, but it’s still a bit of a waste...but what can we do...??)
There was a decent amount of snacks in the lounge (tea sandwiches and the like), with soft drinks, tea & coffee, beers, spirits, and wines available. Showers were available, and I popped into one of them for a peek – great looking little day rooms, as far as I’m concerned. The bathrooms were gorgeous – the sinks looked like modern Maori artwork (which I’m sure, in a sense, they were).
The Lounge agents, like those in Los Angeles, were a tad bit high on themselves. I asked one if she could check the lower deck seating on my flight and give my Grandad and I a pair of seats on a window. She said that they don’t usually do that in the lounge. When I told her that the check-in agent told us that she couldn’t see the lower deck on her computer, she got flustered and reseated us, after calling the check-in staff to chew them out. Oy...I felt really bad about that. She reseated us at 19A & 19B, and it took quite a while for the boarding passes to print. The computers, like those at check-in, were operating extremely slow.
10 minutes before scheduled boarding time, we walked down to the gate. To enter it, you had to pass through further security. One agent, obviously profiling, sent certain passengers through to be inspected further, and others to simply go to the gate lounge area. My Grandad and I were both searched thorougly. My bag was inspected thoroughly, I was checked with a hand-held metal detector, and my shoes were tested.
After a good 10 minutes after boarding was scheduled to commence, we were told that the computers all across Sydney’s Airport had malfunctioned, and we had to be boarded manually. Agh...that was quite the event. However, I was the first passenger on the plane, and therefore waited the longest of anyone on the plane during our extended groundhold on the 747...a good two hours.
Aircraft Seating
The Air New Zealand Business Class seats are extremely comfortable, and nearly identical to the Air Canada Executive Class seats on the Airbus A319s & A320s. There were controls to raise the legrest, to extend the legrest, to recline, and to adjust the lumbar support. When the seatback is reclined, the legrest raises higher. A nice feature is that when the legrest is extended, it pops out, giving better leg support. Also, there was a 6-way adjustable headrest. In general, the seats were just perfect for a 12+ hour flight. Sadly, I was on the lower deck this time – meaning no stowage at my side! Seat pitch was 48”.
Flight Attendants
Take what I said about the flight attendants on the AirNZ flight from LAX to Auckland, and multiply it by a couple thousand. That would describe the service provided by the two flight attendants, Caroline and Shane, attending to the lower deck Business Class cabin. They were so service oriented the whole flight that I wanted to give one of them my seat halfway to Los Angeles and tell them that I’d do whatever they needed to get done! They were constantly visible in the cabin, walking through with water, and going in and giving the lavs a clean! I haven’t seen such service in a long time. I plan on writing a letter to AirNZ to tell them how excellent the cabin crew on this flight was.
I must also comment that the In-flight Service “Leader”, Moya, worked so hard on the flight. Since we left two and a half hours late, and most of the 300+ passengers onboard had connections, almost all of the passengers would have to be rebooked – which Moya rebooked. She talked to all of the Business Class passengers individually, and came to my Grandfather and I because she knew that we were certainly going to miss our connection to Toronto. I told her that I’d like to be rebooked on United directly to New York City, and bypass Toronto all together, and he wanted to be booked on the non-stop Montreal flight. She said “No problem”, and four hours later, she returned with the rescheduled information.
And throughout the ground hold, the flight attendants didn’t run and hide like their colleagues at other airlines often do – they were milling about, trying to keep the passengers up to date on the situation and ensure that they were comfortable.
This is why Air New Zealand will always be, to me, “the world’s warmest welcome.” Brilliant service from the brilliant crew!!
In-flight Entertainment
Air New Zealand is a model of efficiency, and this is evident in the inflight magazines. air new zealand. was filled with fascinating articles, including one about what it’s like to grow up Maori, and anything you’d ever need to know about AirNZ. premiere, the First & Business Class entertainment guide, gave brief yet helpful information regarding the in-flight entertainment and the operation of the IFE equipment. There were 9 channels of entertainment, and two cycles on each, which were repeated throughout the flight. One channel had an alternate German language soundtrack (Lufthansa passengers connect with AirNZ & United’s flights “down under”). One channel showed what was playing on the mainscreen in Pacific Class, while another played Airshow. Except for a channel playing feature television (“Showcase”) and comedies (“Laugh Lounge”), the rest screened movies. Three were “New Cinema” releases, one offered mystery/crime BBC movies (“Armchair Theatre”), another screened “Festival Cinema”, and one played classics (“Encore Cinema”). In addition, there were 10 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
Here was the menu from the flight. Let me just say that the AirNZ menus are stylish and colorful – very pleasing to the eye. There was also a separate wine list:
***
Menu: Sydney to Los Angeles
Air New Zealand is proud to present our award-winning Business Class inflight dining experience. Presented in contemporary brasserie style, our service is designed in consultation with our team of contributing chefs. Today’s menu has been created by Philip Johnson of e’cco Brisbane. Inspired by the flavours of New Zealand, the emphasis of our service is on freshness and innovative cuisine. We hope you enjoy today’s service.
Main Meal
Appetiser
Salad of smoked ocean trout with Mediterranean tomato and olive salsa
Main Course
Pan seared beef fillet steak with garlic and herb mash, caramelised onion and wild mushroom
Sautéed fillet of snapper with asparagus, tapenade, potatoes with Italian parsley and lemon herb butter (This was the “Light Choice” selection.)
Tomato, saffron and mascarpone risotto cake with wilted baby spinach, mushrooms and roasted cherry potatoes
Dessert
Fig, honey and ginger ice cream and banana passion fruit ice cream
Peach and almond tart with crema di mascarpone
Cheese and Fruit
A selection of fine cheese and seasonal fruit
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea and hot chocolate
Cuisine Express
A quick meal consisting of a selection of breads, the appetiser of the day, cheese and chocolates
Snack Service
A selection of sandwiches and snacks are available at any time throughout the flight
Breakfast
Beverages
Start your day with a fruit smoothie, your choice of juice, freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Continental Selection
Fruit selection with assorted cereals and yoghurts
Croissants, white and wholemeal toast with fruit conserve
Hot Options
Three egg omelette with cheddar, green onions and herbs, served with tomato and potato rösti
Mushroom ragoût with Canadian bacon, veal breakfast sausage and oven-roasted tomatoes
Poached eggs florentine with hollandaise sauce, baby spinach and baked potatoes
Wine: Worldwide Service
An exquisite Australasian selection
Sparkling Wine
Deutz Marlborough Cuvé Marlborough, New Zealand
Nicholas Feuillatte NV Reserve Particuliere Champagne, France
White Wine
Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Marlborough, New Zealand
Nautilus Chardonnay 2000 Marlborough, New Zealand
Palliser Estate Riesling 2001 Martinborough, New Zealand
Red Wine
Harrier Rise ‘Bigney Coigne’ Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2000 Kumeu, New Zealand
Gunn Estate Woolshed Cabernet/Merlot 2001 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2000 Victoria, Australia
Dessert Wine
De Bortoli Noble One 1999 Riverina Australia
Beverages: Worldwide Service
A refreshing selection
Spirits
Glenmorangle Malt Whiskey, Chivas Regal Blended Whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black Label, Gordons Gin, Absolut Vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan Rum, Ron Bacardi Superior
Port and Liquers
Selected Fine Portuguese Port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish Cream
Beer
A selection beer featuring Steinlager, Export Dry, Heineken and low alcohol lager.
Soft Drinks
Mineral water, orange juice, tomato juice, cola, lemonade, tonic water, ginger ale and a choice of diabetic drinks are available.
***
Meal service began shortly after take-off. The appetiser was, in my opinion, much better than the one offered on the flight from LAX to Auckland. The trout was delicious, and the salsa on the plate complemented it very well. I selected the beef fillet for the main meal and it was served piping hot. So after letting it cool down, I tried it and was very pleased. The onion/mushroom sauce was excellent and the beef was well cooked. It was served with green beans, which I love. The mashed potatoes were a bit disappointing, but the day when airline catering manages to make delicious mashed potatoes, I’ll be truly impressed. I thought the dessert selection was rather poor. I had the peach tart, which was tasty, but nothing to write home about.
Once again, though I was offered wine by the flight attendants (maybe I look 21...or 18, at the least), I passed. I drank cola during dinner, and water throughout the flight.
As I said earlier, Caroline and Shane passed through the cabin at least every five minutes during the flight with a tray full of water in their hands. While I was watching “Shakespeare In Love”, I asked if it would be possible to get a cup of hot chocolate. She looked at me as if I were crazy and said, “Of course you can! Would you like some sandwiches with it?” She reappeared moments later with the nice snack, letting me know that if I needed anyting else, she would be in the galley.
Breakfast was served about three hours prior to landing, beginning with the beverage service. The raspberry smoothie was excellent, and it certainly seemed like it had been made freshly (unlike on the LAX-Auckland flight, there was no branded bottle, from which it came, on the cart). Again, the fruit was a waste – a massive chunk of sour mango in a bowl, with two grapes and a strawberry. I selected the mushroom ragoût for the main meal, but wasn’t terribly taken by it (I only had it because everything else was overshadowed by eggs, which I hate), so I asked for a bowl of müesli, which Caroline was only more than happy to provide. She seemed to feel really badly that I didn’t have a more substantial breakfast!
Arrival Airport
When the plane reached the gate at Los Angeles, we were told that we would have to wait on the plane for about 20 minutes because there were much too many people in the customs hall downstairs (of course, if we had arrived on-time, this wouldn’t have been a problem because NZ014 is the earliest arrival at Terminal 2). At this point, First Class passengers began moving towards Door 2L, telling the Business Class passengers that they had priorty. Psha to that!
The Service Leader, Moya, announced all of the arrival information from right next to me, and she was so devastated that she had to keep us onboard. However, we were on our way soon enough, and I told her that AirNZ was my new airline of choice. She told me that she hoped to see me again soon on one of her flights.
With that, I dashed off into the Terminal 2 arrivals area. What a mess. First off, we had to be cleared back into the United States. However, since my Grandfather is a Canadian citizen, he had to get into the “Visitor” line, while I sped through the U.S. line. In this tiny room, bags were EVERYWHERE, and the line for customs declaration was massive. Luckily, the priority tag made a difference, and I had a green band around my suitcase, so I grabbed it with no problem.
After customs, I got in line with Air New Zealand special services (the line was huge, as it was not only AirNZ, but also a group of other airlines). However, my Grandfather met up with me and told me that an agent had had a check-in baggage tag on hand for him (I assume because he’s Aéroplan SuperÉlite), so his bag was checked. I said, “Screw this, let’s go on over to United.”
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water, champagne, or orange juice.
-The garlic bread served during dinner was the best I have ever tasted!
-Hot towels were offered after take-off and prior to the breakfast service.
-I did something which I, nor any of my friends or family has done before: I purchased a product from the (Air New Zealand) SkyShop. I got a watch...and it was so incredibly easy!
-A nice feature of the flight was the candy served prior to landing, which I assumed was to help passengers with the effect of the pressure change on the ears.
-Though the flight was severely delayed and caused a bit of havoc in my travel plans, it ranks at least in the Top 3 of all flights which I’ve ever taken.
United Airlines UA842
Los Angeles-International (LAX) to Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 777-200ER [WORLD#1 Configuration]
Seat 13J, United Business
Scheduled Departure Time: 1050 Actual Departure Time: 1109
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0439 Actual Arrival Time: 0443
Check-in
After deciding that, while I had had a wonderful flight with Air New Zealand, I was not in the mood to cope with their ground staff, I dashed over to United’s Domestic Terminal 7, knowing full well that if any airline could help me, it would be United...my favorite airline.
I got in line at the Business Class/Star Gold check-in, and the agent who helped me was simply brilliant. My Grandad came with me over to the United Terminal, and after explaining to the check-in agent what had happened, he asked me if it was OK if he left. The agent told him that I would certainly get on the flight, so he could leave if that’s what his concern was. So he left, and the agent, named Carole, took my tickets and the slip which the Purser on the AirNZ flight had given me to get my rebooked travel plans confirmed.
She returned telling me that she needed something known as a “FIM” from AirNZ to rebook (one of these days, I plan on learning about all of that kind of reservations stuff...at that moment I regretted not doing it already). However, she told me that I could get on the flight and she would pick up the FIM later on. She printed my bag tag and boarding passes and rushed me over to checked baggage screening.
Departure Airport
Checked baggage screening was relatively efficient. Of course, since I had little time to make my flight, they decided to go through my bag...you know, I look so much like an international terrorist. (However, as my mother later reminded me, they also look for drugs, and I’m a prime candidate for trafficking those). So after ten minutes of ensuring that the many stuffed animals which I bought for my sister were neither bombs nor filled with coke, I was cleared to go to the carry-on baggage & passenger screening facility.
After waiting for five minutes in a short line, I was directed to another security line – which was massive. Agh...my life! However, the girl standing next to me was on my flight with me, so we talked a bit, and decided that they couldn’t leave without people as important as us! After another five minutes, we ran as fast as we could to the gate and got onboard.
Aircraft Seating
What a day...and what could be better than to have the chance to take a few moments to relax in the United Business seat. This is, in my opinion, the best non-flat sleeper seat out there. The legrest raises very high, and will extend far, which pleased me because I’m tall. The recline is also quite deep. However, the best feature of this seat is without question the lumbar support system. BackCycler is my life: it cycles the lumbar support, which acts as a massage. And if you don’t like that, you can adjust the electric lumbar to your preferred position. Of course, there’s also an in-seat adjustable reading light, an EmPower computer charger (which was activated on this flight), a convenient cocktail table, and a 6-way adjustable headrest. Honestly, I could go on and on about this seat – I think it’s one of the most comfortable out there. The pitch was 48”, and this aircraft was not configured with the so-called “United Business Plus.”
Flight Attendants
Well, I pity the flight attendant who has to be compared to his/her colleague on Air New Zealand! While that’s no joke, the flight attendants on the United flight were very friendly, as usual. There were certainly 2-3 of them assigned to United Business; however, flight attendants seemed to shuffle between the cabins, so you might have been served by a different one every time!
In-flight Entertainment
As with all of United’s Internationally-configured aircraft, this Boeing 777 was equipped with United’s 9-channel video system. There were four channels of movies, and five channels of feature television. There is no doubt that the video programming available on United Airlines is the most diverse of any airline in the world. As for Hemispheres, there was no page turner article, but it was a nice distraction for twenty minutes or so. In addition, there were 20 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
I fell asleep immediately after take-off, and awoke after the whole United Business cabin had been served lunch. I caught the attention of one of the flight attendants, and asked her if I could possibly have the meal that had been served. She looked at me and said, “Sorry...no, you can’t.” And then she started laughing and said, “No, of course you can!” For the first time in a while, I felt like I was definitely back in the United States, where even the flight attendants are sarcastic. No complaints there...I’m as sarcastic as they come.
The meal was, what I have ascertained to be the “new standard” on most of United’s North American flights in United First & United Business: the choice between the chef salad and the deli plate. I received the deli plate and was quite impressed: there was roast beef, swiss cheese, and various vegetables – as well as a roll to put it all on. I thought it was quite clever, and quite tasty. My only comment is that United should consider bigger bread rolls to be provided with the deli plates, as the one provided isn’t large enough to hold a sizeable amount of the available cold cuts. Regardless, I think that these two options are reasonable meals for United Business – I hope they’re cheap enough for cost cutting (I assume they must be).
Arrival Airport
Arrival at Chicago was painless – it was the first time in a long time that I didn’t have to get off a plane and immediately pass through customs, collect my baggage, or contact an airline representative!
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water or orange juice.
-Hot towels were notably not offered after any point.
-Unlike most airlines I’ve travelled with since September 11th, United continues to keep the curtains open between different classes.
-United has come up with a brilliant plastic knife – it’s not flimsy like those that you get on most airlines (or at your Grandparents’ backyard barbecue), yet it’s still plastic. I was impressed by it.
-I’m assuming that United must have some sort of marketing partnership with “Eclipse”, because I’ve been seeing Eclipse products offered on most United flights and in United Red Carpet Clubs for a while now.
United Airlines UA1012
Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) to New York-LaGuardia (LGA)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 757-200
Seat 2D, United First
Scheduled Departure Time: 1800 Actual Departure Time: 2109
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0558 Actual Arrival Time: 2101
Check-in
I checked in for this flight in Toronto (see above flight, AC795).
Departure Airport
While my flight from Los Angeles arrived at B16, my flight to New York was to leave from B2 – all the way at the opposite end of the B-Concourse. When I arrived at the gate, I was too exhausted to crawl over to the United Red Carpet Club, so I sat in front of the Easyinfo screen (which has to be one of the most clever inventions in the history of the airline industry) and simply watched the countdown to boarding time. I was the second passenger to board.
Aircraft Seating
This Boeing 757 was equipped with the new United First Domestic seats, which are essentially derivatives of the new United Business seats (which I had flown with on my flight before this one). They have a 6-way adjustable headrest, a recline feature – and that’s about it on the comfort front...not even a footrest. The pitch was 38”, but it felt quite a bit tighter.
Flight Attendants
The flight attendants were, from what was said after arrival in New York City, all New York-based. They were very efficient, but not quite as chatty as the ones on the flight from Los Angeles, a no where near as friendly and all around brilliant as the ones on AirNZ. There were two assigned to the United First cabin.
In-flight Entertainment
Overhead video was available: a bunch of great clips from “The Johnny Carson Show” which turned out to be an extended ad for a collection of the best moments from Carson’s “Tonight Show.” United’s “NBC In-flight” followed, and had some interesting features. However, halfway through a feature story, it was announced that “the United Entertainment Network programming was ending,” and the screens immediately went black. Oh well...In addition, there were 8 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
Here’s a shock: a choice of a chef salad or a deli plate was offered. However, again, I fell asleep after take-off, and woke up as drink orders were being taken. I noted that, as I have heard, meal orders are taken are taken by status (a practice which I question, but United obviously doesn’t because it needs to keep those 1Ks to keep flying the friendly skies). So when I was asked about my selection, there was no choice: the deli plate, or a bag of “nut party mix.”
The deli plate was even better this time: it had turkey! However, it also had a bunch of other deli meats on it – more than one could fit in that tiny little roll. Here’s a hint if United wants to save money: no one in the world could/should eat as much meat as is often put on the deli plate, so save a few cents, pick a meat, and stick with it!
Arrival Airport
Arrival...ah, no customs, no immigration...just had to grab my bags. As usual, the “Priority” tag meant nothing to the LaGuardia baggage collectors, so I had to wait quite a while for the bag. Oh well...I was so close to home. No complaints!
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water or orange juice.
-Hot towels were notably not offered after any point.
-Seriously...what’s the deal with all the “Eclipse” crap?!
*************
I hope that you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it...please, contact me with any questions that you may have!
Thanks, Derek
***
Air New Zealand NZ014
Sydney-Kingsford Smith (SYD) to Los Angeles-International (LAX)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 747-400
Seat 19A, Business Class
Scheduled Departure Time: 1135 Actual Departure Time: 1408
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0605 Actual Arrival Time: 0743
Check-in
I arrived at the airport a good three hours prior to the departure of this flight. However, the special check-in area for this flight was not open! Check-in was a breeze – the girl at check-in had to cope with a few different tickets for both my Grandad and I (my YYZ-LGA and his YYZ-YUL were both booked seperately from the rest of our flights). However, she managed well – except for the seating on our Sydney-LAX flight. We were assigned 18D & 18E, and she said that she could not change it because her computer wouldn’t let her see the lower deck configuration of Business Class (more on this computer issue later...). “No worries,” I told her. After passing through Australian customs and security, it was off to the Koru Club.
Departure Airport
The AirNZ Koru Club in Sydney is gorgeous – very modern, and it has a nice view of the gates & planes located directly below it. Maori artwork adorned the walls. (There are views at the extreme right of the lounge; however, this area has been blocked off solely for the average 14 AirNZ First Class passengers the lounge sees every day – the only AirNZ planes which offer First Class are the 747s, and those arrive at Sydney only for the flights to Los Angeles, and occasionally to Auckland. I suppose that Emirates First Class passengers may use it, but it’s still a bit of a waste...but what can we do...??)
There was a decent amount of snacks in the lounge (tea sandwiches and the like), with soft drinks, tea & coffee, beers, spirits, and wines available. Showers were available, and I popped into one of them for a peek – great looking little day rooms, as far as I’m concerned. The bathrooms were gorgeous – the sinks looked like modern Maori artwork (which I’m sure, in a sense, they were).
The Lounge agents, like those in Los Angeles, were a tad bit high on themselves. I asked one if she could check the lower deck seating on my flight and give my Grandad and I a pair of seats on a window. She said that they don’t usually do that in the lounge. When I told her that the check-in agent told us that she couldn’t see the lower deck on her computer, she got flustered and reseated us, after calling the check-in staff to chew them out. Oy...I felt really bad about that. She reseated us at 19A & 19B, and it took quite a while for the boarding passes to print. The computers, like those at check-in, were operating extremely slow.
10 minutes before scheduled boarding time, we walked down to the gate. To enter it, you had to pass through further security. One agent, obviously profiling, sent certain passengers through to be inspected further, and others to simply go to the gate lounge area. My Grandad and I were both searched thorougly. My bag was inspected thoroughly, I was checked with a hand-held metal detector, and my shoes were tested.
After a good 10 minutes after boarding was scheduled to commence, we were told that the computers all across Sydney’s Airport had malfunctioned, and we had to be boarded manually. Agh...that was quite the event. However, I was the first passenger on the plane, and therefore waited the longest of anyone on the plane during our extended groundhold on the 747...a good two hours.
Aircraft Seating
The Air New Zealand Business Class seats are extremely comfortable, and nearly identical to the Air Canada Executive Class seats on the Airbus A319s & A320s. There were controls to raise the legrest, to extend the legrest, to recline, and to adjust the lumbar support. When the seatback is reclined, the legrest raises higher. A nice feature is that when the legrest is extended, it pops out, giving better leg support. Also, there was a 6-way adjustable headrest. In general, the seats were just perfect for a 12+ hour flight. Sadly, I was on the lower deck this time – meaning no stowage at my side! Seat pitch was 48”.
Flight Attendants
Take what I said about the flight attendants on the AirNZ flight from LAX to Auckland, and multiply it by a couple thousand. That would describe the service provided by the two flight attendants, Caroline and Shane, attending to the lower deck Business Class cabin. They were so service oriented the whole flight that I wanted to give one of them my seat halfway to Los Angeles and tell them that I’d do whatever they needed to get done! They were constantly visible in the cabin, walking through with water, and going in and giving the lavs a clean! I haven’t seen such service in a long time. I plan on writing a letter to AirNZ to tell them how excellent the cabin crew on this flight was.
I must also comment that the In-flight Service “Leader”, Moya, worked so hard on the flight. Since we left two and a half hours late, and most of the 300+ passengers onboard had connections, almost all of the passengers would have to be rebooked – which Moya rebooked. She talked to all of the Business Class passengers individually, and came to my Grandfather and I because she knew that we were certainly going to miss our connection to Toronto. I told her that I’d like to be rebooked on United directly to New York City, and bypass Toronto all together, and he wanted to be booked on the non-stop Montreal flight. She said “No problem”, and four hours later, she returned with the rescheduled information.
And throughout the ground hold, the flight attendants didn’t run and hide like their colleagues at other airlines often do – they were milling about, trying to keep the passengers up to date on the situation and ensure that they were comfortable.
This is why Air New Zealand will always be, to me, “the world’s warmest welcome.” Brilliant service from the brilliant crew!!
In-flight Entertainment
Air New Zealand is a model of efficiency, and this is evident in the inflight magazines. air new zealand. was filled with fascinating articles, including one about what it’s like to grow up Maori, and anything you’d ever need to know about AirNZ. premiere, the First & Business Class entertainment guide, gave brief yet helpful information regarding the in-flight entertainment and the operation of the IFE equipment. There were 9 channels of entertainment, and two cycles on each, which were repeated throughout the flight. One channel had an alternate German language soundtrack (Lufthansa passengers connect with AirNZ & United’s flights “down under”). One channel showed what was playing on the mainscreen in Pacific Class, while another played Airshow. Except for a channel playing feature television (“Showcase”) and comedies (“Laugh Lounge”), the rest screened movies. Three were “New Cinema” releases, one offered mystery/crime BBC movies (“Armchair Theatre”), another screened “Festival Cinema”, and one played classics (“Encore Cinema”). In addition, there were 10 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
Here was the menu from the flight. Let me just say that the AirNZ menus are stylish and colorful – very pleasing to the eye. There was also a separate wine list:
***
Menu: Sydney to Los Angeles
Air New Zealand is proud to present our award-winning Business Class inflight dining experience. Presented in contemporary brasserie style, our service is designed in consultation with our team of contributing chefs. Today’s menu has been created by Philip Johnson of e’cco Brisbane. Inspired by the flavours of New Zealand, the emphasis of our service is on freshness and innovative cuisine. We hope you enjoy today’s service.
Main Meal
Appetiser
Salad of smoked ocean trout with Mediterranean tomato and olive salsa
Main Course
Pan seared beef fillet steak with garlic and herb mash, caramelised onion and wild mushroom
Sautéed fillet of snapper with asparagus, tapenade, potatoes with Italian parsley and lemon herb butter (This was the “Light Choice” selection.)
Tomato, saffron and mascarpone risotto cake with wilted baby spinach, mushrooms and roasted cherry potatoes
Dessert
Fig, honey and ginger ice cream and banana passion fruit ice cream
Peach and almond tart with crema di mascarpone
Cheese and Fruit
A selection of fine cheese and seasonal fruit
Beverages
Freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea and hot chocolate
Cuisine Express
A quick meal consisting of a selection of breads, the appetiser of the day, cheese and chocolates
Snack Service
A selection of sandwiches and snacks are available at any time throughout the flight
Breakfast
Beverages
Start your day with a fruit smoothie, your choice of juice, freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate
Continental Selection
Fruit selection with assorted cereals and yoghurts
Croissants, white and wholemeal toast with fruit conserve
Hot Options
Three egg omelette with cheddar, green onions and herbs, served with tomato and potato rösti
Mushroom ragoût with Canadian bacon, veal breakfast sausage and oven-roasted tomatoes
Poached eggs florentine with hollandaise sauce, baby spinach and baked potatoes
Wine: Worldwide Service
An exquisite Australasian selection
Sparkling Wine
Deutz Marlborough Cuvé Marlborough, New Zealand
Nicholas Feuillatte NV Reserve Particuliere Champagne, France
White Wine
Wairau River Sauvignon Blanc 2001 Marlborough, New Zealand
Nautilus Chardonnay 2000 Marlborough, New Zealand
Palliser Estate Riesling 2001 Martinborough, New Zealand
Red Wine
Harrier Rise ‘Bigney Coigne’ Merlot/Cabernet Franc 2000 Kumeu, New Zealand
Gunn Estate Woolshed Cabernet/Merlot 2001 Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Rosemount Estate Shiraz 2000 Victoria, Australia
Dessert Wine
De Bortoli Noble One 1999 Riverina Australia
Beverages: Worldwide Service
A refreshing selection
Spirits
Glenmorangle Malt Whiskey, Chivas Regal Blended Whisky, Jack Daniel’s Black Label, Gordons Gin, Absolut Vodka, Courvoisier VSOP, Captain Morgan Rum, Ron Bacardi Superior
Port and Liquers
Selected Fine Portuguese Port, Grand Marnier, Baileys Irish Cream
Beer
A selection beer featuring Steinlager, Export Dry, Heineken and low alcohol lager.
Soft Drinks
Mineral water, orange juice, tomato juice, cola, lemonade, tonic water, ginger ale and a choice of diabetic drinks are available.
***
Meal service began shortly after take-off. The appetiser was, in my opinion, much better than the one offered on the flight from LAX to Auckland. The trout was delicious, and the salsa on the plate complemented it very well. I selected the beef fillet for the main meal and it was served piping hot. So after letting it cool down, I tried it and was very pleased. The onion/mushroom sauce was excellent and the beef was well cooked. It was served with green beans, which I love. The mashed potatoes were a bit disappointing, but the day when airline catering manages to make delicious mashed potatoes, I’ll be truly impressed. I thought the dessert selection was rather poor. I had the peach tart, which was tasty, but nothing to write home about.
Once again, though I was offered wine by the flight attendants (maybe I look 21...or 18, at the least), I passed. I drank cola during dinner, and water throughout the flight.
As I said earlier, Caroline and Shane passed through the cabin at least every five minutes during the flight with a tray full of water in their hands. While I was watching “Shakespeare In Love”, I asked if it would be possible to get a cup of hot chocolate. She looked at me as if I were crazy and said, “Of course you can! Would you like some sandwiches with it?” She reappeared moments later with the nice snack, letting me know that if I needed anyting else, she would be in the galley.
Breakfast was served about three hours prior to landing, beginning with the beverage service. The raspberry smoothie was excellent, and it certainly seemed like it had been made freshly (unlike on the LAX-Auckland flight, there was no branded bottle, from which it came, on the cart). Again, the fruit was a waste – a massive chunk of sour mango in a bowl, with two grapes and a strawberry. I selected the mushroom ragoût for the main meal, but wasn’t terribly taken by it (I only had it because everything else was overshadowed by eggs, which I hate), so I asked for a bowl of müesli, which Caroline was only more than happy to provide. She seemed to feel really badly that I didn’t have a more substantial breakfast!
Arrival Airport
When the plane reached the gate at Los Angeles, we were told that we would have to wait on the plane for about 20 minutes because there were much too many people in the customs hall downstairs (of course, if we had arrived on-time, this wouldn’t have been a problem because NZ014 is the earliest arrival at Terminal 2). At this point, First Class passengers began moving towards Door 2L, telling the Business Class passengers that they had priorty. Psha to that!
The Service Leader, Moya, announced all of the arrival information from right next to me, and she was so devastated that she had to keep us onboard. However, we were on our way soon enough, and I told her that AirNZ was my new airline of choice. She told me that she hoped to see me again soon on one of her flights.
With that, I dashed off into the Terminal 2 arrivals area. What a mess. First off, we had to be cleared back into the United States. However, since my Grandfather is a Canadian citizen, he had to get into the “Visitor” line, while I sped through the U.S. line. In this tiny room, bags were EVERYWHERE, and the line for customs declaration was massive. Luckily, the priority tag made a difference, and I had a green band around my suitcase, so I grabbed it with no problem.
After customs, I got in line with Air New Zealand special services (the line was huge, as it was not only AirNZ, but also a group of other airlines). However, my Grandfather met up with me and told me that an agent had had a check-in baggage tag on hand for him (I assume because he’s Aéroplan SuperÉlite), so his bag was checked. I said, “Screw this, let’s go on over to United.”
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water, champagne, or orange juice.
-The garlic bread served during dinner was the best I have ever tasted!
-Hot towels were offered after take-off and prior to the breakfast service.
-I did something which I, nor any of my friends or family has done before: I purchased a product from the (Air New Zealand) SkyShop. I got a watch...and it was so incredibly easy!
-A nice feature of the flight was the candy served prior to landing, which I assumed was to help passengers with the effect of the pressure change on the ears.
-Though the flight was severely delayed and caused a bit of havoc in my travel plans, it ranks at least in the Top 3 of all flights which I’ve ever taken.
United Airlines UA842
Los Angeles-International (LAX) to Chicago-O’Hare (ORD)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 777-200ER [WORLD#1 Configuration]
Seat 13J, United Business
Scheduled Departure Time: 1050 Actual Departure Time: 1109
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0439 Actual Arrival Time: 0443
Check-in
After deciding that, while I had had a wonderful flight with Air New Zealand, I was not in the mood to cope with their ground staff, I dashed over to United’s Domestic Terminal 7, knowing full well that if any airline could help me, it would be United...my favorite airline.
I got in line at the Business Class/Star Gold check-in, and the agent who helped me was simply brilliant. My Grandad came with me over to the United Terminal, and after explaining to the check-in agent what had happened, he asked me if it was OK if he left. The agent told him that I would certainly get on the flight, so he could leave if that’s what his concern was. So he left, and the agent, named Carole, took my tickets and the slip which the Purser on the AirNZ flight had given me to get my rebooked travel plans confirmed.
She returned telling me that she needed something known as a “FIM” from AirNZ to rebook (one of these days, I plan on learning about all of that kind of reservations stuff...at that moment I regretted not doing it already). However, she told me that I could get on the flight and she would pick up the FIM later on. She printed my bag tag and boarding passes and rushed me over to checked baggage screening.
Departure Airport
Checked baggage screening was relatively efficient. Of course, since I had little time to make my flight, they decided to go through my bag...you know, I look so much like an international terrorist. (However, as my mother later reminded me, they also look for drugs, and I’m a prime candidate for trafficking those). So after ten minutes of ensuring that the many stuffed animals which I bought for my sister were neither bombs nor filled with coke, I was cleared to go to the carry-on baggage & passenger screening facility.
After waiting for five minutes in a short line, I was directed to another security line – which was massive. Agh...my life! However, the girl standing next to me was on my flight with me, so we talked a bit, and decided that they couldn’t leave without people as important as us! After another five minutes, we ran as fast as we could to the gate and got onboard.
Aircraft Seating
What a day...and what could be better than to have the chance to take a few moments to relax in the United Business seat. This is, in my opinion, the best non-flat sleeper seat out there. The legrest raises very high, and will extend far, which pleased me because I’m tall. The recline is also quite deep. However, the best feature of this seat is without question the lumbar support system. BackCycler is my life: it cycles the lumbar support, which acts as a massage. And if you don’t like that, you can adjust the electric lumbar to your preferred position. Of course, there’s also an in-seat adjustable reading light, an EmPower computer charger (which was activated on this flight), a convenient cocktail table, and a 6-way adjustable headrest. Honestly, I could go on and on about this seat – I think it’s one of the most comfortable out there. The pitch was 48”, and this aircraft was not configured with the so-called “United Business Plus.”
Flight Attendants
Well, I pity the flight attendant who has to be compared to his/her colleague on Air New Zealand! While that’s no joke, the flight attendants on the United flight were very friendly, as usual. There were certainly 2-3 of them assigned to United Business; however, flight attendants seemed to shuffle between the cabins, so you might have been served by a different one every time!
In-flight Entertainment
As with all of United’s Internationally-configured aircraft, this Boeing 777 was equipped with United’s 9-channel video system. There were four channels of movies, and five channels of feature television. There is no doubt that the video programming available on United Airlines is the most diverse of any airline in the world. As for Hemispheres, there was no page turner article, but it was a nice distraction for twenty minutes or so. In addition, there were 20 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
I fell asleep immediately after take-off, and awoke after the whole United Business cabin had been served lunch. I caught the attention of one of the flight attendants, and asked her if I could possibly have the meal that had been served. She looked at me and said, “Sorry...no, you can’t.” And then she started laughing and said, “No, of course you can!” For the first time in a while, I felt like I was definitely back in the United States, where even the flight attendants are sarcastic. No complaints there...I’m as sarcastic as they come.
The meal was, what I have ascertained to be the “new standard” on most of United’s North American flights in United First & United Business: the choice between the chef salad and the deli plate. I received the deli plate and was quite impressed: there was roast beef, swiss cheese, and various vegetables – as well as a roll to put it all on. I thought it was quite clever, and quite tasty. My only comment is that United should consider bigger bread rolls to be provided with the deli plates, as the one provided isn’t large enough to hold a sizeable amount of the available cold cuts. Regardless, I think that these two options are reasonable meals for United Business – I hope they’re cheap enough for cost cutting (I assume they must be).
Arrival Airport
Arrival at Chicago was painless – it was the first time in a long time that I didn’t have to get off a plane and immediately pass through customs, collect my baggage, or contact an airline representative!
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water or orange juice.
-Hot towels were notably not offered after any point.
-Unlike most airlines I’ve travelled with since September 11th, United continues to keep the curtains open between different classes.
-United has come up with a brilliant plastic knife – it’s not flimsy like those that you get on most airlines (or at your Grandparents’ backyard barbecue), yet it’s still plastic. I was impressed by it.
-I’m assuming that United must have some sort of marketing partnership with “Eclipse”, because I’ve been seeing Eclipse products offered on most United flights and in United Red Carpet Clubs for a while now.
United Airlines UA1012
Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) to New York-LaGuardia (LGA)
Sunday, March 23, 2003
Boeing 757-200
Seat 2D, United First
Scheduled Departure Time: 1800 Actual Departure Time: 2109
Scheduled Arrival Time: 0558 Actual Arrival Time: 2101
Check-in
I checked in for this flight in Toronto (see above flight, AC795).
Departure Airport
While my flight from Los Angeles arrived at B16, my flight to New York was to leave from B2 – all the way at the opposite end of the B-Concourse. When I arrived at the gate, I was too exhausted to crawl over to the United Red Carpet Club, so I sat in front of the Easyinfo screen (which has to be one of the most clever inventions in the history of the airline industry) and simply watched the countdown to boarding time. I was the second passenger to board.
Aircraft Seating
This Boeing 757 was equipped with the new United First Domestic seats, which are essentially derivatives of the new United Business seats (which I had flown with on my flight before this one). They have a 6-way adjustable headrest, a recline feature – and that’s about it on the comfort front...not even a footrest. The pitch was 38”, but it felt quite a bit tighter.
Flight Attendants
The flight attendants were, from what was said after arrival in New York City, all New York-based. They were very efficient, but not quite as chatty as the ones on the flight from Los Angeles, a no where near as friendly and all around brilliant as the ones on AirNZ. There were two assigned to the United First cabin.
In-flight Entertainment
Overhead video was available: a bunch of great clips from “The Johnny Carson Show” which turned out to be an extended ad for a collection of the best moments from Carson’s “Tonight Show.” United’s “NBC In-flight” followed, and had some interesting features. However, halfway through a feature story, it was announced that “the United Entertainment Network programming was ending,” and the screens immediately went black. Oh well...In addition, there were 8 channels of audio entertainment.
Meal Service
Here’s a shock: a choice of a chef salad or a deli plate was offered. However, again, I fell asleep after take-off, and woke up as drink orders were being taken. I noted that, as I have heard, meal orders are taken are taken by status (a practice which I question, but United obviously doesn’t because it needs to keep those 1Ks to keep flying the friendly skies). So when I was asked about my selection, there was no choice: the deli plate, or a bag of “nut party mix.”
The deli plate was even better this time: it had turkey! However, it also had a bunch of other deli meats on it – more than one could fit in that tiny little roll. Here’s a hint if United wants to save money: no one in the world could/should eat as much meat as is often put on the deli plate, so save a few cents, pick a meat, and stick with it!
Arrival Airport
Arrival...ah, no customs, no immigration...just had to grab my bags. As usual, the “Priority” tag meant nothing to the LaGuardia baggage collectors, so I had to wait quite a while for the bag. Oh well...I was so close to home. No complaints!
Final Comments
-Pre-departure drinks were offered: water or orange juice.
-Hot towels were notably not offered after any point.
-Seriously...what’s the deal with all the “Eclipse” crap?!
*************
I hope that you enjoyed reading that as much as I enjoyed writing it...please, contact me with any questions that you may have!
Thanks, Derek
Mar 25, 2003, 10:01 pm
#2
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1MM, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,758
Thanks for the report! I'll be flying LAX-SYD on NZ biz class in a few weeks, so it's nice to hear about the positive experiences you had. As far as the seating, did you prefer the upper deck or the lower deck?
Mar 26, 2003, 12:01 am
#3
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: SYD
Programs: Too many golds, no plat: OZ*G, AC*G, NZ*G, VA Gold, QF Gold, HH Gold, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 5,350
Nice reports, UnitedFirst - thanks! Glad you enjoyed your flights on NZ. I agree with you about the service - it gets my vote for the best mix of genuine friendliness and eagerness to please without being insincere or overly formal. Agreed also that the ground service is not quite up to the same standard, though I've never had problems with unhelpful lounge attendants... then again I've probably never asked a great deal of them. The Koru Lounge in Sydney is also used by Thai Airways for their 2 daily flights to Bangkok and 1 daily flight to Auckland, so in addition to AirNZ and Emirates that does represent a reasonable number of first class passengers. (AirNZ is suspending the direct SYD-LAX flights in favour of increasing capacity on AKL-LAX so there will now be no NZ F service into Sydney. 
) The view from the main section of the lounge is actually better than the F section, though it does have fabulous bathrooms!
On the subject of being offered wine, I don't know what (if any) laws restrict the serving of alcohol on international flights. New Zealand generally has quite a relaxed approach to the serving of alcohol, and I've been offered wine on NZ flights since I was 16 or so (and a babyfaced 16 at that!).
Finally, glad to hear they handled rebooking your flights so professionally. I think NZ sometimes drop the ball when it comes to situations like that, but it sounds like your crew were exemplary.
) The view from the main section of the lounge is actually better than the F section, though it does have fabulous bathrooms!On the subject of being offered wine, I don't know what (if any) laws restrict the serving of alcohol on international flights. New Zealand generally has quite a relaxed approach to the serving of alcohol, and I've been offered wine on NZ flights since I was 16 or so (and a babyfaced 16 at that!).
Finally, glad to hear they handled rebooking your flights so professionally. I think NZ sometimes drop the ball when it comes to situations like that, but it sounds like your crew were exemplary.
Mar 26, 2003, 2:52 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Plano, TX
Programs: Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold, Hertz President's Circle, Avis Preferred Plus, AMEX Platinum
Posts: 344
I'm glad your flights on UA were quite good. Everyone here on FT is always complaining about flying UA these days.
Unfortunately, service on NZ on my recent SIN-AKL flight in Y was not up to par; even UA service in generally better. Since NZ has a reputation for good service, I'm pretty sure they were just bad apples and based on your experience, plan to consider burning some miles on a J class ticket to NZ some day.
Unfortunately, service on NZ on my recent SIN-AKL flight in Y was not up to par; even UA service in generally better. Since NZ has a reputation for good service, I'm pretty sure they were just bad apples and based on your experience, plan to consider burning some miles on a J class ticket to NZ some day.
