United SEA-SFO-SYD (Business)
Aug 14, 2005, 10:40 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Chicago
Programs: UA 1K, AA Gold
Posts: 3,640
United SEA-SFO-SYD (Business)
I booked this flight about 2 weeks in advance, and my SWU did not clear at time of booking, nor did I get an email telling me my upgrade had cleared, but when I checked online the day before travel, the upgrade had cleared. Certainly good news!
Background – I had flown into YVR from PEK the day before, so this travel day (Friday July 29) was fairly busy. I had to drive down to Seattle and run several errands in Seattle, Lynwood, and Bellevue, and make it to the airport for my 7pm flight.
I was up late the night before in Vancouver, but still managed to wake up early and headed off around 7am for the drive down to Seattle, using a rental car I’d picked up from National the day before. Cross border rentals are normally expensive (this one was $92 CAD/day), but for single day it’s not too bad a deal – and is so much easier than hassling with Greyhound or Amtrak, and cheaper (and likely quicker) than a flight.
The drive down was no problem but my errands and final packing obviously took longer than anticipated (I’m in process of relocating). By 5:30pm when I was heading down 405 to catch my flight, I was getting quite tired, and quite hungry (no time for lunch), and late, because my flight was at 7pm and traffic was heavy. By some miracle, I returned my car at 6pm, and was able to get checked in around 6:15pm, right before the 45 minute cutoff.
The agent was super friendly, could see I was running, and instead of lecturing me for almost missing the flight, invited me to stop for a cold drink in the RCC. ;-) She realized that I knew I had cut it too close. Fortunately, had I missed the flight, they probably could have rerouted me on the 7:35pm flight via LAX, but then I would have probably lost my upgrade.
SEA-SFO was on a 757, and the F cabin had several empty seats – a surprise for a Friday afternoon – but likely it’s summertime so less business travel going on. The F/As were attentive, but the service was just your basic snack mix and drinks. As usual, the view from this flight is really quite spectacular.
A while after deplaning in SFO, I realized I had left my 6-pack of water bottles on board. Because I like to stay hydrated, don’t like to be too high maintenance for the F/As, can’t afford airport water prices, and also don’t like tap water, I carry my own water on long haul flights. Fortunately once I tracked down a gate agent, she was able to track down my water.
Then it was off to the international terminal on the bus and a quick stop at the RCC before heading to the gate. I noticed that the RCC now stamps your BP to indicate receipt of drink chits, to avoid double dipping. Since a glass or two of wine with dinner is the extent of alcohol my body can tolerate on long haul flights, and since I’m not an RCC member, I don’t visit on short haul trips, I’m amassing quite a collection of RCC drink coupons which perhaps I’ll bring to a FT do someday.
Tonight’s flight was fully loaded in First and Business (I was on main deck), with about an 80% load in Y. We pushed back right on time, which was a surprise because this flight often is delayed to ensure we do not arrive in Sydney before the curfew, but I later found out there was some enroute weather which increased the flying time. Meal orders were taken before takeoff.
Given our takeoff weight, the takeoff was very long, and the initial ascent was not particularly steep – but soon enough we were over the ocean and on our way. I missed the hot towel service (in the restroom), but the standard offering of mixed nuts and drinks were offered prior to the main meal.
to begin
Boursin stuffed artichoke hearts, smoked salmon and shrimp
Balsamic Dijon vinaigrette
Fresh seasonal greens
Asian sesame ginger or creamy Gorgonzola dressing
Main course
Extra vegetable selection: zucchini with basil
Filet mignon with chipotle red pepper and mustard demi-glace
Buttermilk mashed red skin potatoes, creamed spinach and crispy shallots
Chicken parmesan with smoked mozzarella and marinara sauce
Lemon herbed orzo with brunoise peppers and a sautéed Mediterranean vegetable medley with mushrooms
Baked potato and bacon chowder
Creamy chicken broth with vegetables and cheddar cheese
Dessert
International cheese selection
Gorgonzola and New England Cheddar cheese
Eli’s Black Bottom pie
I saw this menu on FT prior to travel and it didn’t look that exciting – but I went with the filet, which was predictable and quite moist and tasty. The appetizer was nicely presented but the stuffed artichokes were quite tasteless. Overall, I’m getting jaded from travel and wasn’t wowed by the meal, but the service (especially from one of the F/As) was really solid – for example, seconds were offered on the bread (the multi grain rolls were really good) and he even offered dessert and cheese. (I recall last time I took the flight, in the second to last row of main deck Business, the F/A hesitated when I asked for both the dessert and the cheese.
My normal strategy on 863 is to stay up for a few hours past the meal, and go to bed when it is bedtime in Sydney, but my body clock was so messed up and I was so tired that I went to bed after the meal and snoozed off and on for the whole flight.
Of course I’ll always awake to take a peek at the refreshments cart, and helped myself to a few bananas. Seems like hot sandwiches have been downgraded to cold sandwiches, which at least on this flight were equivalent to what used to be in the mid-con snack box. No big deal because I wasn’t too hungry.
Breakfast was served about 1:45 out of Sydney – a bit early – and of course I missed the hot towel service again because I was snoozing.
Prior to arrival
Fresh seasonal fruit appetizer with breakfast bread, butter, fruit, and preserves
Swiss and Colby cheese omelette with pomodoro sauce
O’Brien potatoes, sautéed turkey sausage, and Canadian bacon
Overall the breakfast was tasty, but the service was rushed, and because I took a bathroom break, I missed out on the omelette until I asked. The problem with Main Deck Business is that since there are 5 F/As, the service isn’t well personalized.
We landed in SYD about 10 minutes late at 6:20am – we had to do some circling around, and we also lost time because of some weather around New Caledonia. Immigration was quicker than normal, but there was quite a long line at Customs and at the taxi rank – I wasn’t on my way til 7:20am.
One highlight from the week in SYD was meeting some FTers atop the Shangri La for drinks, was a great ‘mini event’ – hope there are many more get-togethers once I’m permanently living in Sydney.
Overall another good flight on UA - gotta love those SWUs. ;-)
Background – I had flown into YVR from PEK the day before, so this travel day (Friday July 29) was fairly busy. I had to drive down to Seattle and run several errands in Seattle, Lynwood, and Bellevue, and make it to the airport for my 7pm flight.
I was up late the night before in Vancouver, but still managed to wake up early and headed off around 7am for the drive down to Seattle, using a rental car I’d picked up from National the day before. Cross border rentals are normally expensive (this one was $92 CAD/day), but for single day it’s not too bad a deal – and is so much easier than hassling with Greyhound or Amtrak, and cheaper (and likely quicker) than a flight.
The drive down was no problem but my errands and final packing obviously took longer than anticipated (I’m in process of relocating). By 5:30pm when I was heading down 405 to catch my flight, I was getting quite tired, and quite hungry (no time for lunch), and late, because my flight was at 7pm and traffic was heavy. By some miracle, I returned my car at 6pm, and was able to get checked in around 6:15pm, right before the 45 minute cutoff.
The agent was super friendly, could see I was running, and instead of lecturing me for almost missing the flight, invited me to stop for a cold drink in the RCC. ;-) She realized that I knew I had cut it too close. Fortunately, had I missed the flight, they probably could have rerouted me on the 7:35pm flight via LAX, but then I would have probably lost my upgrade.
SEA-SFO was on a 757, and the F cabin had several empty seats – a surprise for a Friday afternoon – but likely it’s summertime so less business travel going on. The F/As were attentive, but the service was just your basic snack mix and drinks. As usual, the view from this flight is really quite spectacular.
A while after deplaning in SFO, I realized I had left my 6-pack of water bottles on board. Because I like to stay hydrated, don’t like to be too high maintenance for the F/As, can’t afford airport water prices, and also don’t like tap water, I carry my own water on long haul flights. Fortunately once I tracked down a gate agent, she was able to track down my water.
Then it was off to the international terminal on the bus and a quick stop at the RCC before heading to the gate. I noticed that the RCC now stamps your BP to indicate receipt of drink chits, to avoid double dipping. Since a glass or two of wine with dinner is the extent of alcohol my body can tolerate on long haul flights, and since I’m not an RCC member, I don’t visit on short haul trips, I’m amassing quite a collection of RCC drink coupons which perhaps I’ll bring to a FT do someday.
Tonight’s flight was fully loaded in First and Business (I was on main deck), with about an 80% load in Y. We pushed back right on time, which was a surprise because this flight often is delayed to ensure we do not arrive in Sydney before the curfew, but I later found out there was some enroute weather which increased the flying time. Meal orders were taken before takeoff.
Given our takeoff weight, the takeoff was very long, and the initial ascent was not particularly steep – but soon enough we were over the ocean and on our way. I missed the hot towel service (in the restroom), but the standard offering of mixed nuts and drinks were offered prior to the main meal.
to begin
Boursin stuffed artichoke hearts, smoked salmon and shrimp
Balsamic Dijon vinaigrette
Fresh seasonal greens
Asian sesame ginger or creamy Gorgonzola dressing
Main course
Extra vegetable selection: zucchini with basil
Filet mignon with chipotle red pepper and mustard demi-glace
Buttermilk mashed red skin potatoes, creamed spinach and crispy shallots
Chicken parmesan with smoked mozzarella and marinara sauce
Lemon herbed orzo with brunoise peppers and a sautéed Mediterranean vegetable medley with mushrooms
Baked potato and bacon chowder
Creamy chicken broth with vegetables and cheddar cheese
Dessert
International cheese selection
Gorgonzola and New England Cheddar cheese
Eli’s Black Bottom pie
I saw this menu on FT prior to travel and it didn’t look that exciting – but I went with the filet, which was predictable and quite moist and tasty. The appetizer was nicely presented but the stuffed artichokes were quite tasteless. Overall, I’m getting jaded from travel and wasn’t wowed by the meal, but the service (especially from one of the F/As) was really solid – for example, seconds were offered on the bread (the multi grain rolls were really good) and he even offered dessert and cheese. (I recall last time I took the flight, in the second to last row of main deck Business, the F/A hesitated when I asked for both the dessert and the cheese.
My normal strategy on 863 is to stay up for a few hours past the meal, and go to bed when it is bedtime in Sydney, but my body clock was so messed up and I was so tired that I went to bed after the meal and snoozed off and on for the whole flight.
Of course I’ll always awake to take a peek at the refreshments cart, and helped myself to a few bananas. Seems like hot sandwiches have been downgraded to cold sandwiches, which at least on this flight were equivalent to what used to be in the mid-con snack box. No big deal because I wasn’t too hungry.
Breakfast was served about 1:45 out of Sydney – a bit early – and of course I missed the hot towel service again because I was snoozing.
Prior to arrival
Fresh seasonal fruit appetizer with breakfast bread, butter, fruit, and preserves
Swiss and Colby cheese omelette with pomodoro sauce
O’Brien potatoes, sautéed turkey sausage, and Canadian bacon
Overall the breakfast was tasty, but the service was rushed, and because I took a bathroom break, I missed out on the omelette until I asked. The problem with Main Deck Business is that since there are 5 F/As, the service isn’t well personalized.
We landed in SYD about 10 minutes late at 6:20am – we had to do some circling around, and we also lost time because of some weather around New Caledonia. Immigration was quicker than normal, but there was quite a long line at Customs and at the taxi rank – I wasn’t on my way til 7:20am.
One highlight from the week in SYD was meeting some FTers atop the Shangri La for drinks, was a great ‘mini event’ – hope there are many more get-togethers once I’m permanently living in Sydney.
Overall another good flight on UA - gotta love those SWUs. ;-)
Aug 21, 2005, 6:04 pm
#2
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Durham, NC (RDU/GSO/CLT)
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Posts: 33,857
I was suprised to see that no one has replied to this, so let me be the first to tell you good report! I was in SEA last week and I flew out on AA to DFW and I can say the view was also amazing, I've never been so close to a mountain.
Aug 22, 2005, 1:27 pm
#4
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Long Beach, CA, USA
Programs: DL, AA, US, UA, VX
Posts: 454
Originally Posted by CMK10
I was suprised to see that no one has replied to this, so let me be the first to tell you good report! I was in SEA last week and I flew out on AA to DFW and I can say the view was also amazing, I've never been so close to a mountain.
Aug 25, 2005, 7:42 pm
#8
Join Date: May 2001
Location: RNO, NV, USA.
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 5,063
Originally Posted by das
One highlight from the week in SYD was meeting some FTers atop the Shangri La for drinks, was a great ‘mini event’ – hope there are many more get-togethers once I’m permanently living in Sydney.
Overall another good flight on UA - gotta love those SWUs. ;-)
Overall another good flight on UA - gotta love those SWUs. ;-)
I enjoyed reading your trip report and meeting at the Shangri-La bar. I agree, I've never been so grateful for having SWUs as when I settle into my C seat SFO-SYD! If you're living in Sydney, does this mean you'll be attending "Oz Fest #3"?
