Carfield

Dear all,

Here is my series of trip reports on a couple ex-CMB tickets. The first one is a leftover of the TG F ticket that was bought almost a year ago, and due to TG’s cancellation of the LAX-KIX and its incompetent and rude staff, this ticket is finally endorsed over to United Airlines. Of course that includes a $2000USD additional collection because TG claims that this is a YY ticket and my agent is still in the midst of dispute, but my only warning is don’t ever book a ticket with TG and issue one in TG stock. Their staffs are obnoxious and irresponsible. Never call back and I personally am not flying TG for a long time and avoid it at all costs. Enough said! Of course, my demand for TG to change my flight from a LAX(-SFO)-KIX-HND/NRT-HKG-BKK-SIN-CMB ticket to LAX-NRT-HKG-BKK-SIN-CMB was rejected, as they do not want to re-issue the ticket at all. Nevertheless fate played a twisted game on me and/or TG. I somehow ended up in Tokyo much earlier.

June 7, 2006
Original Plan:
UA 885 LAX-SFO 0755 0909 757 Beverage N551UA
UA 885 SFO-KIX 1258 1635+1 777 Lunch and Light Meal
JL 1320 KIX-HND 2105 2215 763 Beverage

Well this morning began with an unexpected early arrival of my Super Shuttle van, and I left the house without a shower, which was always a bad omen. I also hate it but I know I can catch up with a shower at one of the United International First Class lounges. I arrived LAX around 6am and thank god, the 1K/First class line had returned, despite the agent did not direct me to the right lane, even after I flashed the 1K card. It did not matter because there was no one there. The agent was very indifferent and not the typical 1K agent. She did not smile or simply went through the motion. It was a very disappointing staff, and a definitely minus, compared even to American Airlines. She checked my bag through to Haneda, and then I went through security quickly and headed towards the International First Class lounge, which thankfully was a much better experience. The angel was there to thank me and to welcome me into the club. However, the breakfast spread has gotten worst, down to really cartons of Special K cereals, some strawberry yogurts, cheese & dried fruit plate with crackers, and lots of Milano and Brussels cookies, but the bar is fully equipped. The lounge was occupied by a number of p.s. folks obviously and some Hollywood types, and the typical business type. They all left soon for the first flight to JFK. I took the leisure of taking some pictures, as my aircraft towed in from the hangar, N551UA, into gate 75B.

The angel paged me at 7:30am, as boarding would commence shortly. I headed towards 75B, and waited and waited. Boarding indeed was delayed due to the failure of the auxillary power units and the cabin was pitch dark. Updates occurred a few times with really no information and many folks with International connection were obviously concerned. With four hours transit time, I was in no hurry, but the wait was annoying and finally commenced around 8:30am. Boarding completed by 8:50am and the F/A brought everyone pre-takeoff beverage in F. Then many business types began to leave the plan and to head over to the 9:30am flight. The pilot did not say a word till much later, but the F/As kept telling folks there were no ETD, and the pilot came out and tell us that they were trying to fix a broken AUX unit. Another thirty minutes passed, more people took off, but some came back as the line outside was very long. The passenger counts were down to a few in F and a few in Y – only a handful, but with bags checked to KIX and HND, I thought I had times. Finally at 10am, the F/A asked where I was going and the agent immediately sent me out and tried to put me on another SFO flight. Well I headed to the counter and the crowd had already dissipated. The agent told the operation to cancel this flight, since there was no one on board, except the air marshals, and a few folks. Even the F/As were heading out to get information. The agent immediately looked up my ticket and then did not know what to do. Then I told him to book me to Narita, as long as he could fix my bag situation, which was my biggest concern. I was literally moving from place to place each day. Well the agent immediately took my original coupon and rebooked me to NRT, and then told me that the bag would make it fine. He also intelligently cancelled my JAL segment, so the rest of the ticket would remain valid. Hopefully the bag would follow me.

UA 899 LAX-NRT Lv1233 Arr1555+1 Boeing 747-400 N182UA/8182 (Old livery)

Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsr6

The angel was surprised to see me back so quickly and I recapped my story and she said that she had to thank the agent downstairs for taking care of me. But since LAX Int’l First lounge does not have a shower, I was not a happy camper, but what could I do? At least I got to go nonstop to Tokyo now, despite having to take the bus to Haneda because I was trying out a few domestic side trips the next day. Even with the traffic at Narita’s immigration line and road traffic in Tokyo, I should make it to HND much earlier than expected. My only concern was my bag now, but nothing I could do now.

The lunch spread at the lounge has slightly improved with pre-made sandwiches and cut fruits, and tortilla chips and salsa. I logged online and did some work and made some phone calls. Then the angel brought us down to the gate around 11:50am. It was a pretty full flight as expected, and we bypassed all the line, and brought towards the front door. The angel certainly reminded me of the great concierge service from the past. Those great agents with the big red flowers took care of F passengers, and sadly, that no longer existed except for VIP guests.

The Boeing 747-400 was fine and I did not have high expectation about United. I knew that it would not be like my SQ flight a few months ago, and my curiosity lies on how well United compared to American on this highly competitive route. In terms of seats, I have to say American wins right the way with its flagship suites (not the coffin seats though). The AA’s Flagship suites are better padded, wider, and better designed. However, the rest of the service was not so much different especially after the recent cutbacks in AA too.

The F/As immediately passed out amenity kits, slippers, and headsets. AA is a bit better with the BOSE headsets, but amenity kits and slippers were comparable. Then I walked towards the front console, where sadly only Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Financial Times, and Japanese papers in both native and English language were available. LA Times and New York Times were offered by AA and at least LA Times should be offered. Pre-takeoff beverage was offered, and menus were passed out next.

Announcements were made in both English and Japanese, and around 12:34pm, all doors were closed and we pushed back shortly after. Traffic was not that busy at LAX and we took off at 12:49pm from R/W25R. Flying time was estimated to be ten hours and forty-four minutes, and the routing took us along the West coast at 32,000feet plus a beautiful view of the Bay Area (see pictures), and then climbed to 34,000feet after passing Cape Mendocino, and then climbing up to 36,000feet after passing Bristol and Cold Bay in Alaska southwestern tip, and then further up to 38,000feet as we crossed the International Date Line.

After seat belt sign was turned off, beverage service immediately began with warmed mixed nuts. The first thing I noticed was the absence of the old distinctive first class glasses – the one with the line designed. Everything is now the same between first and business class now in terms of glassware and china. I was not surprised but sad to see the line between F and J slowly disappearing. Meal orders were taken next, and then the table was setup with thankfully the distinctive gold linen cloth, but sadly the plastic salt and pepper tubes, that did not belong to a world-class first and business product. Then the appetizer cart was rolled out and you could take both the hot and cold choices, and then a small cup of soup, and then followed by pre-plated salad with topping to be added, and then the entrée, and then the return of the separate cheese and fruit plate/basket, and then the ice cream cart. Bread was offered throughout the flight.

Here is the menu transcript and wine list:
Wine List
Champagne
Laurent Perrier 1996 Champagne
Heidsieck Diamant Bleu Brut 1996 Champagne

White Wine
Schlumberger Pinot Gris Grand Cru Spiegel 2002
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2004 Wehlener Sonneuhr Mosel
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2002 Columbia Valley
Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough

Red Wine
Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva 2001 Sangiovese
Clos St. Anne 2003 Pomerol
Rockbare Shiraz 2003 McLean vale
Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot 2000 Howell Mountain

Gekkeikan Sake Daiginjo is available on flight to and from Japan.
Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto will be offered during the main meal’s dessert

To Begin:
Join us in a sampling of appetizers:
Hot wild mushroom and goat cheese strudel with Madeira herb sauce
Balik-style smoked salmon with carmelized red onion compote
Yukon Potato and cheddar chowder

Salad
Fresh Seasonal Greens
Hot chili-seared shrimps
Country ranch or balsamic Dijon vinaigrette

Main Course
Filet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce
Pecan-crusted Chicken with black peppercorn cream sauce

The above entrees include your choices of:
Twice baked cheddar potato, rice pilaf with caramelized shallots or steamed rice
Green beans with red pepper and marjoram or a mixed vegetable sauté

Shiitake Mushroom shrimp cake with sweet chili sauce
Chow Mein noodles and kailan with red peppers

Japanese Obento Selection
An appetizer of crabmeat in layer eggs, shrimp sushi, chicken sansho-yaki, scallions with miso paste, broiled tuna and cha-soba noodles
A main course of beef tenderloin with mushrooms, steamed snapper, five-kind mixed vegetables, hakusai with fried bean curd and sesame steamed rice
Served with green tea

Dessert
To complete your dining experience:
Ice cream with sundae toppings (only hot fudge and whipped cream)
Cheese Selection: Kerrygold Vintage Cheddar, Port Salut, Wensleydale with cranberry
Fresh strawberries with brown sugar sour cream dip

In terms of meals, American offers a unique Japanese meal for first class and United uses the same bento for first and business class. AA also has the salad cart, but those fancy toppings are only limited to the daytime flight. I really like United’s appetizers and you can have both choices. They have one warm and one cold choice, and seem to change frequently. The salmon was alright and the offerings are generous with layers of salmon. The warmed strudel also tasted fine, but I just did not like goat cheese personally, but the mushroom fillings were delicious. Then I enjoyed the cup of soup. The chowder was hearty enough with good chunks of new potatoes, as well as bacons and chives. It was not a big bowl of soup, but for a rich chowder, the nice was just right. The salad was basically a Mesclun kind with olives, and tomato and the spicy shrimps added some favor to it. I did not even need salad dressing. I had the Shiitake Mushroom and Shrimp cake as entrée, and it was okay.

Then in terms of desserts, I am glad to see UA offers two rounds of desserts with fruit and cheese first. Fruit baskets feature peaches, grapes, and bananas, and then there were plates of strawberries, and then a full cheese plate. AA rolls out everything at once now, and the cheese selection is limited to two kinds. But AA scores higher points for a full sundae cart, and United offers a vanilla and chocolate ice cream with hot fudge topping and whipped cream – not the variety offered by AA. In general, I like United spread better and more diverse choice of appetizers and a soup course, and some variety is provided.
Midflight Snack
Chocolate chip cookie warm from the oven
Hot noodles are available upon request

Bottles of Aquafina water were passed out after the meal, and the F/As were very good in checking with folks. After waking up from my nap, I was offered a cookie immediately. They worked throughout the flight refilling water bottles and asking if beverages are needed. Both AA and UA are pretty good in their premium cabin checks.

Entertainment was sadly outdated, not in terms of movie choices, but the fact that tapes were still used, as well as a non-AVOD PTV (not to mention the small screens). However the Power Port worked well, and Channel nine was turned on, but really nothing much was going on during most of the flight. But listening to the Japanese ATC is an interesting experience especially trying to understand their English.

Prior to arrival
Asparagus and Asiago pie with pomodoro sauce
Black Forest Ham and sautéed zucchini with basil
Or
Fresh Seasonal Fruit plate with creamy yogurt
(Grapes, melon, strawberry, cantaloupe)

06/06
LAX/SEA/SFO-NRT, SFO-KIX/NGO (LD91-S97E-L97)

However, UA’s weakest point is that prior to arrival meals. This pie thing is better than other attempts at pasta with awful sauce. They can’t really serve a decent hot meal. American, and all other airlines manage to offer a nice light supper, but why United can’t do the similar. AA offers a choice between a fresh hearty salad and a chunky soup, which definitely works much better than UA, and AA also offers a real dessert. Also two hot choices should be offered, instead of one cold and one hot. I had the hot meal, which was a bit heavy and the ham was very salty. The fruit appetizer had nice watermelon, melon and cantaloupe cubes, and there is a warmed multigrain roll on the side.

Descent began at 3pm NRT local time, and then we landed on R/W16R after AC 1 at 3:34pm NRT local time. We were parked at gate 37 four minutes later, and the line was not too bad for foreigners. But it is certainly nice to see all these Star Alliance carriers today with the odd Dragonair’s A330 in the middle. OZ and TG all use UA pier. My bag thankfully made it with a rerouting sticker. Thank god that I did not try to get on the SFO flight.

In conclusion, UA F is not too bad with an okay seat, and new improved main meals, but things need to work on are:
1. The prior to arrival meal is a disgrace. Go back to a sandwich concept and avoid heavy sauce and food. If they want to serve breakfast food, it is okay. Also introduce a dessert to go with it.
2. Amenity kits need to be improved.
3. Aquafina water bottles – If NW’s WBC goes with Evian, UA should do so as well.
4. Introduce back a separate set of first class wine glasses, water glasses, and china to hype up the product.
5. Update the video system.

Carfield

Part II: Japanese Domestic Flights

Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsuM

I finally got to find out what traveling is about in Japanese domestic flights. First thing I learned is that there are lots of low fare/low cost airlines and they have all go to a “non-service” track with absolutely no service to talk about – no in-flight magazine, no beverages & caterings of any sort even in their “premium” cabin. The only amenities are blankets. Second, things are very efficient in the ground, and lines are barely found even at peak hours. Third, security is all good and efficient. You know you are perfectly safe and the staffs are helpful. TSA should send some staff to Japan to learn about manners. Fourth, Japanese airports are great with lots of food options and shops. The Haneda domestic terminals are amazing. You almost forget that you are at the airports, and they take good care of the aviation enthusiasts by providing great observation decks.

June 9, 2006
SKY 007 HND-FUK Lv0925 Arr1110 Boeing 767-300 JA767B
The morning started off with me walking around terminal one looking for Skymark Airlines’ counters. Of course, without any sense of direction, I walked the wrong way, and there was no line. The agent asked if I spoke Japanese, and then checked me in quickly. If you buy tickets online, you are expected to show your credit card, but it is possible to buy tickets on line even from overseas. It is very simply and easy. After check-in, I went to get breakfast.

Passing security was efficient and quick, and I realized that SKYMARK used mainly bus gates in Haneda, but I spotted one of their Boeing 737-800s using a real gate. Anyway, the agent began boarding at 9:05am. Due to the rain, things ran a bit slower, but after three loads of bus, the F/A closed the door. We pushed back at 9:31am and slowly headed towards the queue for R/W16L. At 9:49am, we took off and our flight to Fukuoka was an hour and forty-five minutes. The F/As basically did three rounds – blankets, schedules, and then picked up trash at the end. Most of the time, they were in the galley.

After reading much about Skymark Airlines through different Japanese magazines, I thought the Cyrus Class will feature at least some beverages and snacks. However twenty minutes into the flight, there were no actions and beverage orders. Everyone just went to sleep. Then I decided to read some of the timetables that I picked up and then through reading the intro, I realized that they had cancelled all those services in order to give out lower fares. Then I realized why all the F/As were hiding in the galley. I think if they spoke better English, they would tell me. Well you can be reassured that I won’t be flying Skymark Airlines any more.

Descent began at 10:53am, and we landed on R/W34 at 11:32am at gate 2.

NH 252 FUK-HND Lv1220 Arr1355 Boeing 747-400D JA8099
Well with a late arrival of my Skymark, I did not have time to wonder around the Fukuoka Airport. I headed immediately to the check-in counters and then found the Super Premium check-in counters, which were fairly busy, but good. The agent was friendly and then I got my boarding pass within minutes. Then the agent asked me if I knew the location of the Signet lounge, and then I wasted no time to head there to grab a snack and something to drink. The lounge was actually quite nice and as typical Japanese lounges, snack mixes and beverages are offered. Not much of real food to talk about… The airport itself was not much to talk about and our a/c soon arrived at gate 5 around noon. With a late arrival, we were guaranteed a late departure. They finally postponed the departure time for twenty minutes (of course, it would be nice if they could post it earlier, so I could stay in the lounge a bit longer).

Boarding began at 12:31pm with priority boarding reinforced, which was a good thing. I immediately headed towards my seat 1A. As I was about to take a cabin picture, the F/A told me digital camera was not allowed on the ground, takeoff and landing. I sort of understood takeoff and landing part, but not even in the ground. Anyway, newspapers were offered and there were English newspapers. A pair of slippers and headsets, were placed at each seat pocket with a pillow and blanket at each seat. The F/As assisted passengers with carry-on, and in thirteen minutes, doors were closed and we pushed back a few minutes later. That was one of the most efficient boarding experiences. With folks no need to worry about bags and willing to check in bags, it was not surprised that everything was done so quickly.

We took off from R/W34 at 1:03pm. Flying time was a much quicker an hour and nine minutes. Hot towels were first passed out, and then the cart was rolled out with the unique bento and beverage service – miso soup is offered as well. The bento was nice and there was a card that describes the content. I don’t speak or write Japanese, but will try to take a picture and/or scan. Maybe some of your Japanese speakers can tell me what it is. Using my own judgment, the main dish was rice topped with fish, shrimp, bamboo shoots and some fresh vegetables, and the side dishes include fruit (watermelon, cantaloupe, kiwi, and orange), a vegetable dish with Pumpkin, Tomago (Egg roll), pea pod, and lotus root, as well as a red bean dumpling. There are also pickles of course, It is a very fresh bento and tasty too. The ingredients are definitely all fresh, but some Western folks may find it strange. During the meal, the F/A made one more beverage run, and then when they picked up the bentos, they asked if you need more drinks. Like America West and Delta, everything was served in plastic and/or paper cups.

For entertainment, there was an episode of “ANA Sake Club II” shown. Descent soon began at 1:48pm and we landed on a rainy Haneda at 2:12pm on R/W34L, and parked at gate 59 a few minutes later.

There is no doubt that ANA Super Premium is very good – definitely the best Japanese domestic airlines. Hopefully I will be able to give JAL and Starflyer a try next time. Skymark Airlines is disappointing and for the first time, I really feel that concept of “airplane ride as a bus ride,” even stronger than flying Southwest. At least, WN offers you a drink and some peanuts (which are actually good too).

Carfield

Back to CX:
CX 505 NRT-HKG Lv1830 Arr2205 Boeing 747-400 B-HOV
Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsuu

After arriving from Fukuoka and picked up my bag from the nice Haneda airport hotel, I headed towards the bus stop for the ride back to Narita. I am always amazed at the Airport Limosine service/bus at Tokyo. Everything is so efficient and friendly. Compared to my usual Airport bus experiences at New York, the Japanese are just so good in being punctual, yet so friendly and polite. Of course we were caught in traffic and did not arrive till ninety minutes later. The North Wing at Terminal One was no longer the nightmare from before, as only AA, CX, and Northwest are using that area (along with some other European Airlines that don’t have flights this late, except Air France’s late evening flight to CDG), and UA and most Star Alliance are moved to South Wing now. The immigration and custom lines were not busy at all. I guess it was either the time of the evening or the airlines being evenly distributed at the airport. I could not recall I ever faced an almost empty immigration line at Narita.

The check-in counters were a bit chaotic, as some folks were blocking the entrance to the F/J line. There were lots of delays by CX that morning due to the black raining signal at HKG earlier that morning. CX 521 was delayed for hours, while my flight, CX 505, suffered a thirty minutes delay as of that point. Some folks missed connections and were sent to JAL. Anyway, once passed that line, I was checked in quickly and was on my way to Hong Kong.

CX lounge was as busy as ever, especially with the situation tonight. I was lucky to find a seat. After taking advantage of the free wifi service, I relaxed a bit and saw our incoming, CX 450, arriving at 5:50pm. Boarding began at 6:40pm, but after everyone settled down, we were told that the flight was delayed by ATC due to many traffics heading to Hong Kong that evening and some weather warning. Our takeoff time was 7:55pm. If it was your typical US airline flight, you might get an extra round of drink in F, and/or the F/As taking beverage and meal orders. Of course, CX did all that, but what more, they actually served the first round of beverage with the canapé course. We pushed back at 7:40pm, which was a bit earlier than F/As anticipated, but everyone got their canapés to munch on. We taxied slowly and took off exactly at 7:55pm from R/W34L.

Well I had the Japanese meal service tonight, which was not as good as my CX 504 flight a few months ago, but was decent nonetheless. The first course featuring sushi that I had before takeoff contained a piece of eel sushi, rice ball filled with salmon and topped with seaweed power and sesame seed, and a cucumber roll covered with beef slice. Very creative course! Then the rest of the menu will explain the meal. It was interesting that this menu really adjusts according to season. The cold noodles were different from normal, and had a sesame sauce, and the miso soup was red-miso flavored, which was a bit stronger. The fruit plate was the same for everyone and contained rose apple, watermelon, melon, and cantaloupe. The dessert was good too, although a la mode (ice cream) will be a better accompaniment with the warm chocolate brownie than just whipped cream. For those who do not know, the food on CX 505 was not catered in Japan, but in Taipei from the outbound CX 450 flight. I guess the move is to save money. Nevertheless, the food was really good and Taipei’s catering is definitely one of my favorite CX outstations.

Here is the wine list and menu transcript!
First Class Wine List
Champagne
Cuvee William Deutz Brut 1998

White Wines
Puligny Montrachet Les Grandes Marches 2002
Mount Plesant Maurice O’Shea Chardonnay 2004

Red Wines
Chateau Branaire-Ducru 1998, 4eme Cru Classe
Corton Grand Cru Louis Max 1996
Tignanello 2000

Port
Ramos Pinto Quinta da Ervamoira 10 Years Old Tawny Port

Tokyo to Hong Kong
Dinner
Appetizer
King Prawn and Bean Curd with Thai Pesto Dressing

Soup
Apple Tomato Soup with Bacon

Main Courses
Braised Tender Pork with Abalone
Pan-fried Tiger Prawn and Grilled Salmon Fillet with Lobster Sauce
Fettuccine with Sauteed Veal and Mixed Mushrooms

Accompaniments
Potato Gratin or Steamed Rice with Mixed Vegetables
Selection of Western or Oriental Vegetables

Cheese
And
Fresh Seasonal Fruit

Dessert
Warm Pecan Brownie Pudding served with Fresh Cream and Chocolate Sauce
Tea and Coffee
Pralines

Japanese Meal
Canapes
Seasonal Sushi for aperitif

Liqueur
Green Apple Wine with Soda

Appetizer
Steamed Sea Conch with Sake
Japanese Green Bamboo Skewer
Fish Roe Sushi
Roasted Squid Slices with Egg
Plum Shape Yam
Grass Shrimp with Caviar

Soup
Japanese Clear Soup with Blanched Sea Perch

Braised Dish
Bean Curd with Shrimp and Lotus Root
Abalone Slice
Salmon Roe

Main Dish
Fish Rolled with Potato
Boiled Sweet Potato Happou Sauce
Pak Choy
Chestnut Wrapped in Sweet Potato

Vinegar Dish
Sea Urchin
Cucumber Slices
Yam Angel Hair

Noodle
Japanese Glass Noodle with White Sesame Sauce and Tomato Slices

Rice Dish
Steamed Rice
Miso Soup

Assorted Pickles

Fruit
Fresh seasonal fruit

Beverages
Ginjyo-Sake
Green Tea
Mineral Water

After dinner, I watched a few television series and descent began at 11:31pm, and there was a few turbulent as we descended into Hong Kong, but things were clear out as we reached the city itself. Things were unusually busy this late evening, as I later found out that all CX flights were literally delayed for hours, and lines of planes could easily be spotted tonight. We landed on R/W25R at 11:20pm HK local time (HK was an hour behind from Japan). We parked at gate 25 eleven minutes later.

I stayed over at the new Novotel City Gate Hong Kong, which was the second airport hotel. I usually did not write about it, but knowing the limited option at HK airport, it will be interesting to write a short report about it. The rate of the hotel is still relatively high, but is reasonable compared to what Regal Airport Hotel attempts to charge. While Regal wants over $2000HKD for a small hotel room (not to mention the very unimpressive amenity and small room and not too friendly staff), Novotel charges $1300HKD.

Access to Hotel: Regal is connected to the airport, so very easy. But Novotel is located about five minutes away and involves a quick five minute bus ride. The bus runs to the hotel every thirty minutes on the :15 and :45 mark from 6am to 11:45pm. You need to sign in at counters A16 and B16 (Joint counters with Marco Polo and a few other hotels), and was very easy to find. The only complaint I have is the long walk to the transportation center and the lack of real luggage rack for bags at these buses used by Novotel.

The lobby: Novotel was definitely using the high ceiling and open design commonly these days. There was no wait as quite a number of staffs were working and also lots of last minute travelers. The hotel staff was very helpful in general. The bus driver, the doorman, the concierge, and the bell boy were all very efficient and kind. The only weakest point is the girl, who checked me in, and could not decide whether to speak to me in Cantonese and/or English. She did not smile at all during the whole check-in process, which was very different from other hotels. Thankfully when I checked out the next morning, the guy was much more friendly.

The room: I had the standard room, which was actually decent sized. The bed was very comfortable, and all the amenities were high tech, including a fancy home phone, plasma TV, and wireless and high speed Ethernet connection, (which costs extra of course… the rate was about the same), and the only strange aspect was the open bathroom design, which possibly makes the room bigger. There is no separate bathroom per se, and everything was open. There were two stalls – one for the bathroom, and the other one was a shower. The only thing needed was light at the stall. The room was small compared to US standard, but okay for the rest of the world.

I generally will recommend this hotel over Regal Airport. Even if you missed the bus ride, I cannot imagine the cab charging more than $30HKD (up to the number of bags you have… HK cab charges $5 per bag).

If you have more questions about the hotel, please feel free to ask and I will try to answer it. But one thing I was grateful… I did not book a hotel at the city, and was able to catch an extra hour of sleep. Also if you booked on CX 505 NRT-HKG, please be aware of the relatively unimpressive on time record for this flight because this flight was the last one of the day and was prone to many reasons for delays.

June 10, 2006
CX 713 HKG-BKK Lv0855 Arr1030 Boeing 747-400 B-HKD
Photo link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsvI

I arrived at the airport about two hours prior to flight. I noticed that the first class check-in counters are being renovated but the usual friendliness and efficiencies are still there. I went to the Pier, as my departure gate was 61 this morning. The aircraft arrived a bit late from London Heathrow, but boarding commenced around 8:43am. With a nice tail wind, we not only caught up but also arrived a bit early. The lounge was a bit quiet due to the weekend, and I had a nice Chinese breakfast and caught up with emails. I was too tired to login the evening before.

The loads in first class were five people, and the service was excellent as usual. Newspapers, menus, and hot towels were all passed out prior to takeoff. We took off from R/W25R at 9:18am, and the usual routing took us towards Hainan and then into Vietnam, Surin, and Bangkok. Flying time was a short two hours and a minute with a cruising attitude of initially 39,000feet before climbing up to 40,000feet later in flight.

The breakfast was the usual affair with the full breakfast spread. I notice that individual bread baskets were used now and each basket contained a croissant, a wholemeal roll, and a delicious raisin-orange-pecan muffin, and all are warmed of course. I had a bowl of cornflakes as well as a “Berry Paradise yogurt. The fruit plate contained rose apple, blueberry, orange, grapefruit, pomelo, and strawberry. I had the Chinese dim sum as dessert, which was delicious with the update from the Jade Garden. It contained a shrimp dumpling (har gow), a Seafood Siumai, a Mushroom & snow fungus dumpling, as well as a glutinous rice dumpling filled with mushroom and shredded pork. Here is the full menu transcript: (I guess CX can use another type of Omelet and this Spanish Omelet seems to be a permanent breakfast item for the past year).

Hong Kong to Bangkok
CX 713-2249F <JUN 06>
Breakfast
Juice Selection

Appetizer
Fresh Seasonal Fruits

Yogurt Selection
Natural or Low Fat Fruit flavored

Cereals
Muesli, Corn Flakes, or Rice Crispies

Main Courses
Spanish Omlette
Dim Sum Selection
*Jade Garden

Accompaniments
Broiled Back Bacon, Pan-fried Pork Sausages and Grilled Lamb Noisette, Lyonnaise Potatoes, Vine Ripened Tomato and Sauteed Fresh Mushrooms

Bread Basket
Assorted Warm bread and Breakfast Pastries served with Preserves, Honey and Butter

Tea and Coffee

Descent began at 9:55am Bangkok time (Bangkok is an hour behind from Hong Kong). We landed on R/W21R at 10:19am. We parked at gate 42 a few minutes later. Of course, the Swiss Air counter was not opened till two hours prior to departure. But then I can walk to departure level and come back later. So I walked around and did a bit of plane spotting. Get to see an Aeroflot IL-96 RA-96011 up close, as well as a TG Airbus A340-600 HS-TNE to Moscow.

hairpeace

Waiting for more!

SMART51

Sorry but could not understand this :There were lots of delays by CX that morning due to the black raining signal at HKG earlier that morning

Carfield

In Hong Kong, heavy rains are marked by three signals: yellow, red, and black.

Yellow signals a moderate amount of heavy rain within a short period of time.

Red signals a higher level.

Black signals the highest level. Basically all offices will be closed and schools as well. it is dangerous to be in the outside.

You can look up exact information in the Hong Kong observatory website. Basically there were heavy rains and thunderstorms that morning, which postponed arrival and departure, and caused a chain effect down the road. The flight was late leaving HK an hour +...

Carfield

Carfield

LX 182 BKK-SIN Lv1510 Ar1830 Airbus A340-300 HB-JMC
Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsvq

Despite Thai Airways being ground agents for many of these airlines, no check-in could take place until that specific TG ground agent for that specific airline arrived. I guess TG only trained certain amount of people for specific airlines, but anyway, as Swiss is a Star Alliance member, TG should be familiar with their systems. Anyway, one can’t expect too much out of TG! Swiss still uses Cathay Pacific lounge, and I decided to stick with it, as I was familiar with it, and I am just not fond of TG, even though the new lounge was nice according to various pictures.

The aircraft arrived a bit late from Zurich today, and therefore our departure time was moved back ten minutes. Knowing how efficient these European airlines are, I arrived at the gate around 2:30pm, and at 2:48pm, boarding began with the folks from Zurich first, and then the usual F/J/Star Alliance Gold, and then row number.

It was not my first trip with Swiss First, but it was a while. My last trip was with Swiss Asia from Bangkok to Taipei, and that flight was great. With the new Swiss, I did not expect much, but the F/As proved to be some of nicest people. They were always there to take good care of you, and chatted you up about their home country. Once on board, the F/A immediately offered me a glass of champagne and opened a new bottle just for me, and let me did a wine test too. Unfortunately, not much amenities, such as array of Piarie Products as well as amenity kits are offered anymore, but headsets were passed out, as well as a nice menu featuring Tocino in the cover – the Italian-speaking part, if I am not mistaken. The seat is incredible and you can see from the pictures, and I guess the only problem is the lack of privacy of the seat. Other than that, it is smartly designed and very comfortable.

Door was closed at 3:18pm, and we pushed back a minute later. We took off from R/W21R at 3:29pm. Flying time was two hours and two minutes. As expected, only a light meal was served, but the first two courses were great. I had the house salad as a starter, which features fresh Mesclun greens, as well as shredded carrots, and I picked French Vinaigrette dressing. Choice of breads included croissants, brioche, loaf slices, and various crackers and brown bread. For the main course, I had the red snapper, which was tasty, and both courses had unbelievable presentations. The only disappointment was the dessert plate, which featured a regular fruit tart, a cake of sort, and a walnut cake slice. Personal TV was the interactive kind and various comedies and short subjects are featured on this short flight. Descent soon began at 6:01pm Singapore time (an hour ahead of BKK), and hot towels were once again passed out. After wishing me a good trip, we landed at R/W2L at 6:31pm and parked at gate C25 a few minutes later.

Here is the wine list and menu transcript:
Bangkok to Singapore
Light Meal
Fresh seasonal salad

Thinly Sliced beef fillet
Oyster sauce, sautéed vegetables and steamed rice
Or
Red snapper
White wine sauce, mixed vegetable julienne, tomatoes, asparagus, and potatoes

Sweet favorites

Swiss chocolates
Espresso and a selection of coffees and teas

Wine List
Prestige Cuvee Allegra 1999, Jaquardt, France

White Wine
Bianco del Ticino DOC Donnay 2003, G.Brivio SA, Mendrisio, Ticino, Switzerland
Chablis AC 1er Cru Les Lys 2004, Domaine William Fevre, France
Sauvignon Blanc DOC Collection Otto Graf Huyn 2005, Kellerei Gries, Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy

Red Wines
Rosso del Ticino DOC Vigna D’Antan 2003, G.Brivio SA, Mendrisco, Ticino, Switzerland
Gevrey-Chambertin AC, Clos des Varoilles, 1er Cru 2002, Domaine de Varoilles, France
Pomino Rosso DOC Castello di Pomino 2000, Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi, Tuscany, Italy

Dessert Wine
Sauternes AC Les Sables d’Or 2003, France, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc, Muscadelle

F-182-C3 06/06-08/06

After this wonderful trip, I know my UA miles will definitely go for a Swiss First Class trip.

SQ 468 SIN-CMB Lv2245 Arr0020+1 Boeing 777-200ER 9V-SQN
Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bstA

Finally come to the final segment of the day, I headed straight to the Silver Kris Lounge and received my onward boarding pass to Colombo, as well as having them tracing the bags. The agents were pleasant as usual, and then I headed to the lounge. Yes, SQ F lounge is definitely not as great as CX and TG’s respective flagship lounges, but real food is offered and I like the unlimited supplies of Evian water bottles. For tonight, there were miso soup and vegetable soup. Regarding miso soup, the spring onions, seaweed, and tofu should be placed on the side for us to add. There are some kinds of goulash, and the usual hot savories, as well as fruit, cheese, dessert, and Asian/Singaporean dishes.

Boarding began at 10:13pm at gate E27, despite the screen showing the flight is closing. Changi airport really needs to work on conveying accurate information. I know airlines like to make sure things run on time and the system may design with that in mind, but soon, people will realize that the screen is incorrect at best and ignores the sign. That will defeat the purpose. Well there were three F passengers, and the crews were excellent as usual. They were smiling and warm, and made great small talks with me. I really don’t know why folks think that they are robotic and I have more indifferent crew on other US major airlines than SQ. The load was light in all cabins due to some holidays at Sri Lanka. We pushed back late due to some “no show” passengers, but we landed early due to a nice tail wind. We took off from Runway 2C at 11:10pm. Flying time was three hours and eleven minutes. Unfortunately the air show was not working today and could not get the attitude information.

The other two passengers declined the meal service and F/As passed out the first beverage order, as well as mini Evian water bottles immediately, as well as the signature hot towel. Then they brought my special Book the Cook service. I ordered the Kyo-Kaiseki meal today. I actually high recommended pre-ordering the meals because the selection is usually pretty light and unimpressive due to the late night nature of the flight. Well the Kyo-Kaiseki meal was actually not as good as CX, but is decent enough. I am sure the Kaiseki meals on normal Japanese bound flights are different. It was served in three courses.

First, it has the appetizer course (so-called). It features a dish with shrimp, deep fried Taro, bean curd roll, fish cake, and some marinated budrocks, and then there is a dish of somen (cold noodles), as well as a dumpling in a sesame sauce, and sashimi (tuna and white fish). Then the second course is the main entrée featuring a grilled sea bass with chopped ginger and vegetable sauce, a bowl of rice topped with chopped cooked fish, a pickle dish, a bowl of dark miso soup, boiled/stewed pork belly with daikon, and vegetable, and a cold dish featuring squid. The final course is a nice panna cotta dessert topped with strawberry and kiwi sauce.

The F/As were very friendly and served me green tea continuously, as well as Dom. They were both very nice and kept on promoting the nonstop Newark flight after finding out I am from the city. I also found out that they had three days at Newark and they got to stay in a nice hotel at Manhattan. We talked about shopping at Soho.

I took a nap afterward, and soon we began our landing preparation. We landed on R/W32 at 11:51pm local (CMB is an hour and half behind from SIN). It was my real “arrival” experience at Colombo. The immigration line was not busy at all but could imagine a longer line at busier times. The baggage claim area was relatively small and the bags came out in about twenty minutes. The airport was under lots of construction, but thankfully I ordered a car service from the hotel (which is recommendable due to problems with Colombo taxies and recommended by various tourist guides). Yes it costs $40+ USD, but well worth it for safety purposes, especially the Sri Lankan police will stop cars for security checks. The hotel itself is fine and like a different community. Food is charged at regular hotel price. The Japanese restaurant is a bit pricey but the buffet is not too bad. Of course there is no fancy spread, but the price is okay for a NYC person like myself.

Carfield

Here is the return:
June 12, 2006
UL 312 CMB-KUL Lv0705 Arr1305 Airbus A330-200 4R-ALB
Photo Link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bswS

The departure experience is interesting, as it is my first time to have to go through so many security and passport checks. Knowing the history of this airport, I am not surprised, but then when you get to the check in desk, they don’t even bother checking your passport. They just took the ticket receipt, tagged my bag, and then gave me a lounge pass and boarding pass. The departure experience is fine, and the new lounge is actually very nice. It has really fancy furniture, and then there is a nice breakfast buffet featuring Sri Lankan dishes such as curry and rice, as well as Western dishes lie scrambled eggs, sausages, mushrooms, and potatoes, as well as bread and toasts with a vegetarian section. The lounge has a nice view over the tarmac. I took a few interesting pictures. There is also free wifi.

The lounge attendant was very insistent on asking us to stay till they called us. With the airline using the first door only, it is important to sit the Y passengers before J pax. So we don’t need to wait long at the jetway. So I was among the last few folks arriving in the plane. Sri Lankan features a rather small J section with only two rows of seats. The seats are all the same with the older generation of Emirates seat. I think they are okay comfortable for a three to four hours flight. I was in the window and had no problem using the bathroom without bother my neighbor too much. In our seat, a fresh pillow and blanket are already placed at each seat. A pre-takeoff tray of beverages was offered. It has OJ, apple juice, a yogurt energizer drink and tomato juice, as well as menus, newspapers, headsets, as well as hot towel. There were three F/As serving a small section. J was 100% full on this segment to KUL.

Door was closed only slightly late, but we did not push back till 7:45am because of late bag and connection passengers. We took off from R/W32 at 7:55am, and flying time was three hours and eighteen minutes. We climbed up to 39,000feet for this flight.

The service itself was very good and a full breakfast was offered. Service seemed to be a bit rush, but then due to a smaller J cabin and early nature of the flight, I don’t mind going to sleep sooner. For this main meal, no tray was not used, and the table was set up individually with a fresh linen on the table, and then eating utensils, salt and pepper shakers, water glasses, and then the yogurt, and fruit plate. That is really nice.

Colombo to Kuala Lumpur
Breakfast
Fruit Juices
Fresh Fruit
Cereals
Yogurt

Main Dishes
Spanish Omelette served with Broiled chicken sausage, grilled mushrooms, tomato and rissole potatoes
Or
Scrambled egg filled in a herbed pancake, served with sautéed mushroom with onion, grilled tomato and hash brown potatoes
Or
“Kiribath” & Fish Ambulthial
Rice cooked in coconut milk, served with fish in a gambage & pepper marination and “Seeni Sambal” a tempered onion relish
Or
Vermicelli Upma
A savory vermicelli crumble, accompanied with black eye bean masala and paneer achari; a mildly spiced cottage cheese, perfected with aromatic spices

A selection of bread & preserves
Freshly Brewed Ceylon Tea and Coffee

Fresh fruit offered is melon, pineapple, papaya, grape, and kiwi, as well as a fruit yogurt. Then the fresh bread basket was passed out with croissants, brioche, and white and wheat toasts. Then the tea/coffee trolley rolled out, and then entrée was passed out. I had a Western dish – the Spanish Omelet, which was fine. Then everything was clear out. I think one more tea/coffee run will be good. Anyway, bottled waters were passed out in the middle of the flight. Descent started at 10:51am, and then a round of hot towel, as well as OJ and water were passed out. We landed at KUL at 1:43pm (KUL is two hours and half ahead of CMB), and parked at gate C15 shortly.

UL 312 KUL-SIN Lv1355 Arr1455 Airbus A330-200 4R-ALB
We were asked to remain onboard if we continued onto SIN, due to our late arrivals. I was the only one in J continuing to KUL and then the cleaners came on board to prepare the cabin. It is interesting to see the F/As telling the cleaners that there are fresh blankets for the onward flight. I took the chance to take lots of cabin pictures, and soon boarding began at 2:18pm. Door was closed at 2:35pm, and we wasted no time in heading towards the runway. We took off from R/W14R at 2:46pm. Flying time is thirty-five minutes with a cruising attitude of 21,000feet.

Due to the short duration of the flight, snack is passed out immediately with no fancy setup. What can you expect on this short flight? Here is the transcript:

Kuala Lumpur – Singapore
Refreshment
Filled Croissants
With smoked salmon onion
With Sliced Cheddar Cheese and Tomato
Or
Devilled Potato and Green Pea in Focaccia
Chargrilled Vegetables with Ricotta Cheese in Finger Roll

Freshly Brewed Ceylon Tea and Coffee

I had the croissants, which were what they were described. It was a nice snack and I was really hungry as of that point. The snack was prepared in CMB, as no catering happened at KUL. The TV system was not turned on for this short flight, except the sky map. Almost forgot – there are the nose and front camera installed on this plane. With the PTV located in front, it is cool to turn on to the nose camera for takeoff and landing. We landed on R/W20R at 3:21pm and parked at gate D41. I really think Sri Lankan Airlines is not a bad airline at all – better than many of my AA and UA flights of similar flight lengths. I don’t mind flying it again.

SMART51

^ Thank you for the info.
BTW enjoying your report. ^

Darren

Great report and great photos!

francophile

Another great report. Thanks, Carfield.

I was wondering which hotel did you stay at in CMB? Thanks.

Carfield

June 13, 2006
NW 6 SIN-NRT Lv0600 Arr1425 Airbus A330-200 N853NW/3353
Photo link:
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/w...=8QbNHDNy5bsww

About flying Northwest, my attitude is that I paid $1500RT for this ticket, so I need to adjust my attitude accordingly. I think NW actually offers a decent World Business Class product and the seat is fine with me. The AVOD is cool, but I still think that it can used more programs. Foodwise – it is okay, except the brand new decision to serve a continental breakfast, instead of a full hot breakfast on NRT to SEA/PDX/SFO flight. Other than that, NW service is okay. Nothing out of the world, but also a very consistent and decent product!

After a restful evening at the brand new Le Meridien Changi Village, I took the 4am shuttle bus back to the airport, and to no surprise, most folks were heading to NW and/or UA counters. Before entering check-in, you have to be interviewed by security agency, including those heading to NRT. There were Japanese-speaking security agents available. Since I had a paper ticket, I headed back to WBC check-in counters, and an agent made sure that I was checked in quickly. With bags tagged to SFO, I was given two boarding passes, as long as a lounge invitation to Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge, which was okay. I tried to access the wifi, but to no avail. Food included warmed breakfast bread, sandwiches, and cookies (Chinese and Sinagporean). The airport was relatively quiet at these ungodly early morning hours, but the airport was getting busy as the first wave of morning arrivals landed.

We used gate D44, and boarding really began at 5am, as advertised, but due to the long line at check-in, door did not close till 5:50am. Well once I was seated, a pre-takeoff beverage was immediately offered, and real water glasses were used. I had a glass of water with a lemon slice. The crews on this flight were almost all Asian, and the service is definitely very different from the next leg. They were more attentive but service was similar. However, they are definitely quieter during the rest time and no loud chatters during any stage of the flight. I think the NRT-SFO crew was okay but I think their loud chats in the galley were a bit inappropriate. The difference is quite remarkable, especially there is no longer curtain divider. Menus, amenity kits (which was a surprise), slipper or socks, and headsets were passed out as well. Newspapers include mostly local Singaporean and Japanese newspapers. Menus also feature a new design – no longer a booklet but a basic white folded cardboard menu with a white covering featured a spoon with cherry, and the menus are larger in size but much lighter.

We took off from R/W20C after a few SQ Boeing 777s landed at 6:07am. The routing was mostly overwater until hitting Okinawa/Naha, and then along the coast towards Tokyo. We cruised along 38,000, 39,000, and 41,000feet. Two meals were served during these six hours and forty-six minutes only.

In order to maximize rest time, the crews are very efficient when it came to serving the meal. They were both typical one-tray service featured on most NW flight. Trolleys were used at all beverage and meal flights. Hot towels were passed out before each flight, and Evian water bottles were passed out mid-flight, which was definitely a class above AA’s Danon and UA’s Aquafina. Here is the wine list and menu transcript:

Wine List
Champagne
Perrier Jouet Brut NV Champagne

Red Wines
2002 Chateau Peymouton Saint-Emilion Grand Cru
2000 Chateau St. Jean Cabernet Sauvignon Cinq Cepages
2002 Stags Leap Syrah Napa Valley
2000 Rodney Strong Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon Sonoma
2001 Sebastiani Merlot Sonoma Valley
2002 Rutherford Ranch Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

White Wines
2004 Sacred Hill, Whitecliff, Sauvignon Blanc, New Zealand
2003 Beringer Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
2004 Sileni Semillion Sauvignon Blanc
2002 Mer Soleil Central Coast Chardonnay
2003 Wente Riva Ranch Reserve Chardonnay
2002 Murphy-Goode Sonoma County Chardonnay

SIN-NRT_WBC_EB_3(1)
Breakfast
Assorted juices
Fresh Fruit
Yogurt
Warm Breads

Choice of:
Mushroom Omelet with pan-fried chicken sausage
Roast duck in oyster sauce with braised rice vermicelli
Cold Cereal

Coffee or tea

On Arrival
Seafood Tom Yam Soup
Open-faced petit sandwiches
Sweets

For breakfast, fruit plate featured watermelon, melon, cantaloupe, and strawberry, and there is a tub of peach yogurt. The breadbasket has croissants, cinnamon rolls and regular soft rolls. For entrée, I has the roast duck/Asian entrée, which is excellent. The breakfast was completed within an hour, and I went to read and rest for the rest of the flight. Around Noon (Tokyo) time, lights were turned on again, and the light meal began with the beverage trolley, and then trays of meal passed out. The sandwiches were turkey & tomato on walnut bread, and smoked salmon & red onion on rye bread, and the soup was nice. The dessert today was a Pistachio flavored panna cotta, and diced strawberries on the side. Descent began around 1:18pm, and then we landed on R/W16R at 1:53pm and parked at Bay 204, which was a bus gate.

NW 28 NRT-SFO Lv1615 Arr0955 Airbus A330-200 N851NW/3351
During transit, I walked around a bit and headed towards the new Star Alliance wing, and I enjoyed the brand new food court, which featured some famous street stalls. I had a nice bowl of Chinese noodles with an interesting interpretation of shrimp dumpling. The new wing was nice and the shops were more interesting. The NWA lounge was crowded as expected, but still lots of open seats. The snacks had improved a bit with some sandwiches and more food, and some noodle cups and fresh fruits.

Boarding began at 3:21pm at gate 21, and I was among the first few passengers entering the plane. I sort of wanted to get in the plane and took a few cabin pictures, but of course, I was being stopped for secondary screening, which took a long, long time. Once I came on board, I headed towards my seat, and the F/As immediately asked me what I want to drink, and then after all the J passengers seated, amenity kits, socks/slippers, headsets and menus were passed out. Trolley was used. The crews were in good mood, but a bit loud during the chat sessions in takeoff and landing. Anyway, due to turbulence, the crews had to be seated longer before the first service could commence. Entrée orders were taken prior to departure, and for some reasons, the F/A skipped me and of course, I did not get the Japanese meal. I was disappointed, despite the F/A was apologetic. I just think that NW needs to load more Japanese meals, but for the return in July, I am going to pre-order it.

Warmed nuts were served with first round of beverage, and then the dinner cart rolled out with salad, appetizer, and bread. The appetizer features a skewer of Chicken Yakitori, shrimp and fish roe sushi, ginger, and cauliflower. Salad features Mesclun, lettuce, shredded carrots, and yellow cherry tomato, and I have the Shiso vinaigrette dressing. Bread rolls are garlic bread or brown rolls. I had the chicken entrée, which was average. Then the new cheese/dessert trolley rolled out, which featured pre-packaged cheese, Carr’s crackers, grapes, and a choice of Chocolate Mousse cake or lemon tart. No more ice cream and fresh fruit skewer! The cakes were nice, but I miss the ice cream and Godiva cookies. Evian water bottles were passed out next and then I went to sleep.

NRT-SEA,SFO,PDX_WBC_EB_3(1)
Dinner
Salad of mixed greens
Assorted Breads

Choice of:
Beef BBQ in Honey Sauce with steamed rice and vegetables
Or
Braised Chicken Breast in Madeira Wine Sauce with cabbage sprouts and potatoes
Or
Rigatoni gratin and mushroom medley

Japanese Dinner
Sashimi of tuna, salmon rolled fish cake, crabmeat and sea urchin
Simmered Vegetables
Chasoba
Miso Soup
Steamed Rice
Simmered Pork (Kakuni), shrimp, squid and shiitake mushroom

Dessert
Fresh Fruit
Red Cheddar and camembert cheese
Gourmet Cake and cookies
Port Wine
Liqueurs
Coffee or Tea

Mid-Flight Snack
Ramen Noodles
Light snacks also available from Skybreak Basket in the galley. Please help yourself!

Breakfast
Fresh Fruit and warm breads
Coffee or Tea

Flying time was a quick eight hours and twenty-seven minutes, and the routing was over-water. We climbed from 35,000feet, to 36,000feet, and then onto 39,000feet and 41,000feet. Skybasket featured the regular junk food, as well as some apples and bananas and cup noodles, and another enhancement was the cancellation of full breakfast to continental breakfast. At 7:21am SFO time, time was turned back on and hot towels and juices were passed out. Then the trolley was rolled out. The tray featured fruit plate (pineapple, kiwi, melon, grapes, 2 grapefruit segments, and strawberry), a tub of Strawberry yogurt, and a choice of Apple Danish or croissants. After breakfast, there was tea/coffee, and then descent began at 8:20am. We landed on R/W28R at 8:50am, and parked at gate A9 seven minutes later.

There was no line at immigration, as we were the first flight on the Concourse A (non-UA/Star Alliance part), and the bags came out very quickly with priority bags coming out first. NO problem with custom and off I go!

In general, I am very satisfied with NW, and the thing that bugs me the most is the continental breakfast prior to arrival. A hot breakfast should be offered, on these above seven hours flight. But you know what, I am glad that amenity kits were passed out even on the SIN-NRT flights, and the black colors were pretty classy.

I hope you enjoy this series of report, and the next one won’t be till July on my return trip, which includes my first Emirates First flight from DXB to KIX.

Carfield

PS. I stayed at Hilton Colombo.

aw

It is always a pleasure to read your reports and thanks again for taking the time to share them.

ACfly

I love your reports, so rich in details..

LX does still hand out amenity kit with the array of La Prarie products and slippers. I just flew LX from JNB-ZRH and received the kit. I guess they did not hand it out on such a short flight.

Also it looks like the Keiseki dinner on CX has gone down a bit versus what I had a year ago...

aSiAnRiCk

Thanks for the detailed trip report!

and nice photos too ^