The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2 around the world! 57 days, 34 flights, and a few trains…
Nov 21, 2006, 2:15 am
#33
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Originally Posted by jacob_m
Thanks all for all the very nice comments so far! 
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it certainly also keeps me motivated to continue writing as it really takes a good amount of time to type everything and upload all the pics.
That's the second request I think!
I can fully understand your curiosity, but it would be a pity (and a bit boring) to reveal the entire itinerary already now of a trip I had been planning for six months when also only 6 out of 34 flights have been posted so far.
Well the photo on top of the first page gives a few hints of the itinerary.
There are two ANA boarding passes there for example, which could mean Japan is included at some point.
It is not too hard to see there are several Air NZ boarding passes there as well, and I have already told I have booked a *A Pacific award, thus it is not impossible New Zealand and some Pacific islands are included as well.
As a final comment I can tell that the number of visited countries during the trip equals 16, I could actually stretch that to 17, and possibly make it 18 depending on if one place could be regarded as a country.
Let's leave it there!
I can well assure you you will not get disappointed with neither the destinations nor the flights during the remainder of the trip.
The most interesting flights are actually during the second part.
I'm glad you're enjoying it! And it certainly also keeps me motivated to continue writing as it really takes a good amount of time to type everything and upload all the pics.
That's the second request I think!
I can fully understand your curiosity, but it would be a pity (and a bit boring) to reveal the entire itinerary already now of a trip I had been planning for six months when also only 6 out of 34 flights have been posted so far.
Well the photo on top of the first page gives a few hints of the itinerary.
There are two ANA boarding passes there for example, which could mean Japan is included at some point.
It is not too hard to see there are several Air NZ boarding passes there as well, and I have already told I have booked a *A Pacific award, thus it is not impossible New Zealand and some Pacific islands are included as well.
As a final comment I can tell that the number of visited countries during the trip equals 16, I could actually stretch that to 17, and possibly make it 18 depending on if one place could be regarded as a country.
Let's leave it there!
I can well assure you you will not get disappointed with neither the destinations nor the flights during the remainder of the trip.
The most interesting flights are actually during the second part.
Your reports are also quite detailed to be done well after the fact and without, as you say, a laptop at your disposal during your trip. Did you take copious notes or do have a really good memory?
On my trip I was taking notes on those little hotel pads during the flights and then transcribing them in lounges, or hotel rooms before I forgot the details.
I know there is a heck of a lot of time and effort that goes into one of these reports and I really appreciate your doing so. This is indeed a great read and I can't wait for the next instalment. ^
Nov 21, 2006, 5:06 am
#34
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Originally Posted by Moomba
One missing bit of information I would like to know.
Originally Posted by Moomba
I take it you have finished this trip; given the picture at the top; how long did the whole thing take?
The title of the report should give a hint of how long it took.
Total flight time is something like 110-115 hours.
Originally Posted by Moomba
Your reports are also quite detailed to be done well after the fact and without, as you say, a laptop at your disposal during your trip. Did you take copious notes or do have a really good memory?
But other than that, no my memory unfortunately isn't that good. As you have noticed I like to write detailed reports, or rather I prefer not just to post the flight details and the menu but to add my own comments and reflections and describe my flights rather than any flight on a particular route.
Those are the kind of reports I enjoy reading myself.
I brought a little notebook on the trip and after each flight I wrote down the flight details and some personal comments about the flight.
I actually tried to do this with the whole trip, a few comments every evening before going to bed about what had happened during the day, so I could have a look later on.
Looking at my own pics obviously also brings back memories of what happened during the flights.
Last edited by jacob_m; Nov 21, 2006 at 6:00 am
Nov 21, 2006, 5:28 am
#35
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: London, UK
Programs: BA Gold, BD Gold, PC Ambassador, SPG Gold
Posts: 4,001
Originally Posted by Moomba
One missing bit of information I would like to know. I take it you have finished this trip; given the picture at the top; how long did the whole thing take?
The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2 around the world! 57 days, 34 flights, and a few trains…
Nov 21, 2006, 5:40 am
#36
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Originally Posted by PhilH
I think the clue is in the thread header!
Doh! To tell you the truth I don't even think I saw that.
I saw "The trip of trips!! FRWSTAR2" and didn't need anymore encouragement to open the thread and start reading!
Last edited by Moomba; Nov 21, 2006 at 5:56 am
Nov 21, 2006, 10:36 am
#37
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: East Ester, Alaska
Programs: Alaska Million Miler, United Million Miler, Wyndham Rewards Diamond, Choice Hotels Diamond
Posts: 12,148
Originally Posted by jacob_m
I brought a little notebook on the trip and after each flight I wrote down the flight details and some personal comments about the flight.
Nov 21, 2006, 3:17 pm
#38
Moderator, Hilton Honors
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
jacob_m - sounds like what I do (jot a few notes when I can - either same day or several days later), except that I try to write some up while waiting in airport lounges along the way. If I waited until I finished the trip to start the writing it would probably never happen (the writing that is, not the trip ).
Seat 2A - I think any reader of your reports would be floored if you said that was all written from memory
).Seat 2A - I think any reader of your reports would be floored if you said that was all written from memory
Nov 21, 2006, 7:05 pm
#39
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
United Airlines Premium Service (p.s) JFK-LAX in F
As I stayed quite close to Times Square it was very convenient to take the airport bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal to JFK airport.
I expected the ride to JFK to take a good amount of time due to the usual heavy traffic on Manhattan and the highways around New York, but it was actually surprisingly quick to get there this Saturday morning and I arrived at JFK a good three hours before departure (perhaps a Saturday morning isn't the busiest time of the week after all).
United Airlines uses terminal 7 at JFK and I found the premium check-in to the very right of the departure hall. There were quite a few people in line for the C/*G check-in but only two people in line for the single first class check-in desk.
I wasn’t quite sure if I was allowed to check in at the first class counter as a UA p.s first class passenger, but I decided to give it a try to see what would happen.
The line moved very quickly and two minutes later it was my turn, the friendly check-in agent had no objections about my presence there so I guess I was entitled to use it.
My suitcases were also tagged with the United Airlines first class tag and I was told I was welcome to use the United Airlines International first class lounge, score!!
The elite security line was not open this morning but there were very few people at the regular security check anyway, I was inside the transit hall less than five minutes later.
Pics
United Airlines First class check-in at JFK terminal 7
United Airlines First class lounge, New York JFK airport
I found the UA lounges on the second floor of the terminal, right next to the British Airways lounge, it was the same entrance for both the UA RCC and F-lounge.
I presented my first class boarding pass at the reception and was indeed invited inside the first class lounge rather than the usual Red Carpet Club.
The first class lounge was OK but looked a bit old-fashioned, it will certainly not win any design awards. However the drinks and snacks selection was quite a bit better with breakfast available when I arrived: bagles, preserves, yoghurt, fruits and pastries. That was later replaced with some proper sandwiches.
The drinks selection was quite good as well, plenty of soft drinks, wine and spirits (free of charge in contrast to the RCC), but it was even nicer to find a bottle of Moet et Chandon completely unattended on the counter!!
I certainly didn’t have to think twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
I indulged in a good three glasses in the lounge while thinking there are moments when life is pretty great after all!! A walkman with nice music certainly also enhanced the experience!
There was one woman only in charge of the first class lounge, and she tried to make an effort to memorise who in the lounge was travelling on which flight, so rather than making the standard boarding announcements she came into the lounge and personally told each passenger when it was time for boarding. ^
I also had a few minor problems and she was very happy to assist.
Pics
The entrance to the UA Red Carpet Club and First class lounge at JFK
Inside the UA First class lounge
The snacks selection in the lounge
They have free drinks in the lounge as well
Look, a bottle of Moet et Chandon!!!
New York/JFK-Los Angeles, flight UA 027 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 14:00
Arrival: 17:24
Aircraft: Boeing 757 (p.s configuration)
Class: First Class
Seat: 02A
I left the lounge before boarding had been announced and wandered around the terminal a bit before going to the gate. Boarding started shortly afterwards with priority boarding for first class passengers.
Once onboard I settled in my seat 02A, my jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink. They have a tendency to call sparkling wine champagne onboard, which was also the case this afternoon. The sparkling wine was allright though but obviously nowhere near as good as the lovely Moet in the lounge, it was also served in a plastic glass which felt a bit cheap.
Onboard the p.s planes they have proper premium seats in first class, they actually use the same seats as Singapore Airlines in business/Raffles class (SQ calls it a Spacebed).
The seat is very comfortable and also lie-flat, so you should be able to get some proper sleep onboard, which is definitely not irrelevant on longer flights like New York-Los Angeles with a flight time of six hours.
Pics
The UA B757 at the gate in New York
The first class cabin to LAX, same seat as SQ
Sparkling wine before departure
After take-off the menus were handed out followed by eyeshades, socks and earplugs.
In first class they also offer personal DVD-players to all passengers with a selection of 10 movies, in economy class the only entertainment option is a movie on the main screen (which you can actually watch in first class as well if none of the 10 movies suit your taste).
More drinks were offered accompanied by warm nuts, then it was time to make the decision of what to eat onboard, here is the menu for the flight to Los Angeles this afternoon:
Pics
The first class menu to Los Angeles
To begin
Spiced scallops and shrimp on a bed of tropical fruit relish
Salad
Fresh seasonal greens
Parmesan pepper or Asian sesame ginger dressing
Main course
Mustard and herb-crusted lamb rack with caramelized fennel confit
Braised Tuscan white beans with thyme and sautéed zucchini and carrot bâtonnets
Seared mirin glazed sea bass with sake broth
Noodles with diced red peppers and Chinese broccoli
Rotisserie-style chicken with natural roasting jus
Stewed French green lentils and oven-roasted root vegetables
Dessert
Ice cream with sundae toppings
Cheese selection: Manchego, Rosenborg Noble Blue, Montrachet
Fresh strawberries with brown sugar sour cream dip
Prior to arrival
A selection of extraordinary truffles from Gayety’s chocolates
Sparkling wine
Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noir NV California
White wines
Bouchard Beaune du Château Premier Cru 2003 Burgundy
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel
Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2002 Columbia Valley
Red wines
Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva 2001 Sangiovese
Clos St. Anne 2003 Pomerol
Sticks Shiraz 2003 Yarra Valley
Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot 2000 Howell Mountain
(All of these wines were not available onboard though)
Port
Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto
Featured cocktails
Bellini
Kir Royale
I was very positively surprised to see such a large selection of wines, 4 whites and 4 reds is certainly not bad for a domestic flight.
I had a nice read of the characterstics of each of the four red wines before deciding which one to drink. However I was utterly disappointed to learn that only one of the reds had been loaded onboard! One out of four!! Seriously?? I don't understand why they even bothered printing a drink list when none of the wines were available anyway.
I had hoped to try the Italian Chianti wine, which is usually quite good, but that was obviously not going to happen on this flight as I had the full choice of one red wine to accompany my meal.
It was soon time for the meal service to start and the tray tables were prepared with white tableclothes and cutlery (but just plastic knives).
A trolley with the appetizer (quite good) first passed through the cabin followed by the salad with a choice of two dressings, I think there was some bread as well.
As main course I chose the lamb, which wasn’t really an excellent choice. I would have prefered a much lighter version of it served on a much larger plate.
The lamb was served with vegetables, and the plate was so small that when I tried to cut the lamb the vegetables kept falling off the plate onto the table leaving large nasty stains on the white tablecloth. I was not amused!
As dessert I chose the ice cream which was good if yet a bit too heavy for my taste with both whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Pics
After departure: Drinks, warm nuts, and a personal DVD-player
Appetizer
Salad
Main course
Dessert and coffee
The personal DVD-player and a selection of 10 movies
The service onboard was fine during the meal service and in the beginning of the flight, but afterwards the FAs were rarely to be seen in the first class cabin. I think during the remainder of the flight (4 hours) I was only asked once if I wanted anything more to drink, and this was a daytime flight. At one point I went into the galley myself to ask for some more water.
The menu also indicated they would be serving chocolates prior to arrival, I was never offered any!! They actually offered them, but I was in the lavatory at that time, and it’s not like they bothered passing a second time with the chocolates or bothered keeping track of who was not in their seat out of all the entire seven passengers in F when they passed.
On the whole I have to say I was not very impressed. Taking into account the length of the flight and the price they charge for a ticket in F I had expected a bit more.
Maybe I’m picky, but I was really surprised to find only one red wine onboard!! Come on, even Air Canada offered two reds on the 50 mins flight between Montreal and New York.
The service could certainly also have been more attentive, after all this was supposed to be an upgraded first class on a three class aircraft.
The seat was very nice though, as was the personal DVD-player, but they insisted on collecting it already 45 minutes before landing, another thing that annoyed me quite a bit and I never really understood why so early.
As already mentioned I very much enjoyed the ground services at JFK though, nice lounge and very friendly staff at both check-in and in the lounge, to give UA some credit after quite a bit of criticism.
Anyway, we landed very early in Los Angeles, as a matter of fact we landed an impressive 40 minutes before scheduled arrival time. Well done!! ^
The priority baggage delivery also worked well, so when my plane was orginally supposed to have landed I was already off the airport!!
I expected the ride to JFK to take a good amount of time due to the usual heavy traffic on Manhattan and the highways around New York, but it was actually surprisingly quick to get there this Saturday morning and I arrived at JFK a good three hours before departure (perhaps a Saturday morning isn't the busiest time of the week after all).
United Airlines uses terminal 7 at JFK and I found the premium check-in to the very right of the departure hall. There were quite a few people in line for the C/*G check-in but only two people in line for the single first class check-in desk.
I wasn’t quite sure if I was allowed to check in at the first class counter as a UA p.s first class passenger, but I decided to give it a try to see what would happen.
The line moved very quickly and two minutes later it was my turn, the friendly check-in agent had no objections about my presence there so I guess I was entitled to use it.
My suitcases were also tagged with the United Airlines first class tag and I was told I was welcome to use the United Airlines International first class lounge, score!!
The elite security line was not open this morning but there were very few people at the regular security check anyway, I was inside the transit hall less than five minutes later.
Pics
United Airlines First class check-in at JFK terminal 7
United Airlines First class lounge, New York JFK airport
I found the UA lounges on the second floor of the terminal, right next to the British Airways lounge, it was the same entrance for both the UA RCC and F-lounge.
I presented my first class boarding pass at the reception and was indeed invited inside the first class lounge rather than the usual Red Carpet Club.
The first class lounge was OK but looked a bit old-fashioned, it will certainly not win any design awards. However the drinks and snacks selection was quite a bit better with breakfast available when I arrived: bagles, preserves, yoghurt, fruits and pastries. That was later replaced with some proper sandwiches.
The drinks selection was quite good as well, plenty of soft drinks, wine and spirits (free of charge in contrast to the RCC), but it was even nicer to find a bottle of Moet et Chandon completely unattended on the counter!!
I certainly didn’t have to think twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
I indulged in a good three glasses in the lounge while thinking there are moments when life is pretty great after all!! A walkman with nice music certainly also enhanced the experience!
There was one woman only in charge of the first class lounge, and she tried to make an effort to memorise who in the lounge was travelling on which flight, so rather than making the standard boarding announcements she came into the lounge and personally told each passenger when it was time for boarding. ^
I also had a few minor problems and she was very happy to assist.
Pics
The entrance to the UA Red Carpet Club and First class lounge at JFK
Inside the UA First class lounge
The snacks selection in the lounge
They have free drinks in the lounge as well
Look, a bottle of Moet et Chandon!!!
New York/JFK-Los Angeles, flight UA 027 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 14:00
Arrival: 17:24
Aircraft: Boeing 757 (p.s configuration)
Class: First Class
Seat: 02A
I left the lounge before boarding had been announced and wandered around the terminal a bit before going to the gate. Boarding started shortly afterwards with priority boarding for first class passengers.
Once onboard I settled in my seat 02A, my jacket was taken and I was offered a pre-departure drink. They have a tendency to call sparkling wine champagne onboard, which was also the case this afternoon. The sparkling wine was allright though but obviously nowhere near as good as the lovely Moet in the lounge, it was also served in a plastic glass which felt a bit cheap.
Onboard the p.s planes they have proper premium seats in first class, they actually use the same seats as Singapore Airlines in business/Raffles class (SQ calls it a Spacebed).
The seat is very comfortable and also lie-flat, so you should be able to get some proper sleep onboard, which is definitely not irrelevant on longer flights like New York-Los Angeles with a flight time of six hours.
Pics
The UA B757 at the gate in New York
The first class cabin to LAX, same seat as SQ
Sparkling wine before departure
After take-off the menus were handed out followed by eyeshades, socks and earplugs.
In first class they also offer personal DVD-players to all passengers with a selection of 10 movies, in economy class the only entertainment option is a movie on the main screen (which you can actually watch in first class as well if none of the 10 movies suit your taste).
More drinks were offered accompanied by warm nuts, then it was time to make the decision of what to eat onboard, here is the menu for the flight to Los Angeles this afternoon:
Pics
The first class menu to Los Angeles
Originally Posted by Menu New York-Los Angeles
To begin
Spiced scallops and shrimp on a bed of tropical fruit relish
Salad
Fresh seasonal greens
Parmesan pepper or Asian sesame ginger dressing
Main course
Mustard and herb-crusted lamb rack with caramelized fennel confit
Braised Tuscan white beans with thyme and sautéed zucchini and carrot bâtonnets
Seared mirin glazed sea bass with sake broth
Noodles with diced red peppers and Chinese broccoli
Rotisserie-style chicken with natural roasting jus
Stewed French green lentils and oven-roasted root vegetables
Dessert
Ice cream with sundae toppings
Cheese selection: Manchego, Rosenborg Noble Blue, Montrachet
Fresh strawberries with brown sugar sour cream dip
Prior to arrival
A selection of extraordinary truffles from Gayety’s chocolates
Sparkling wine
Domaine Chandon Blanc de Noir NV California
White wines
Bouchard Beaune du Château Premier Cru 2003 Burgundy
Selbach-Oster Riesling Kabinett 2004 Wehlener Sonnenuhr Mosel
Grove Mill Sauvignon Blanc 2003 Marlborough
Chateau Ste. Michelle Chardonnay 2002 Columbia Valley
Red wines
Castello Vicchiomaggio Chianti Classico Riserva 2001 Sangiovese
Clos St. Anne 2003 Pomerol
Sticks Shiraz 2003 Yarra Valley
Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot 2000 Howell Mountain
(All of these wines were not available onboard though)
Port
Sandeman Founders Reserve Porto
Featured cocktails
Bellini
Kir Royale
I had a nice read of the characterstics of each of the four red wines before deciding which one to drink. However I was utterly disappointed to learn that only one of the reds had been loaded onboard! One out of four!! Seriously?? I don't understand why they even bothered printing a drink list when none of the wines were available anyway.
I had hoped to try the Italian Chianti wine, which is usually quite good, but that was obviously not going to happen on this flight as I had the full choice of one red wine to accompany my meal.
It was soon time for the meal service to start and the tray tables were prepared with white tableclothes and cutlery (but just plastic knives).
A trolley with the appetizer (quite good) first passed through the cabin followed by the salad with a choice of two dressings, I think there was some bread as well.
As main course I chose the lamb, which wasn’t really an excellent choice. I would have prefered a much lighter version of it served on a much larger plate.
The lamb was served with vegetables, and the plate was so small that when I tried to cut the lamb the vegetables kept falling off the plate onto the table leaving large nasty stains on the white tablecloth. I was not amused!
As dessert I chose the ice cream which was good if yet a bit too heavy for my taste with both whipped cream and chocolate sauce.
Pics
After departure: Drinks, warm nuts, and a personal DVD-player
Appetizer
Salad
Main course
Dessert and coffee
The personal DVD-player and a selection of 10 movies
The service onboard was fine during the meal service and in the beginning of the flight, but afterwards the FAs were rarely to be seen in the first class cabin. I think during the remainder of the flight (4 hours) I was only asked once if I wanted anything more to drink, and this was a daytime flight. At one point I went into the galley myself to ask for some more water.
The menu also indicated they would be serving chocolates prior to arrival, I was never offered any!! They actually offered them, but I was in the lavatory at that time, and it’s not like they bothered passing a second time with the chocolates or bothered keeping track of who was not in their seat out of all the entire seven passengers in F when they passed.
On the whole I have to say I was not very impressed. Taking into account the length of the flight and the price they charge for a ticket in F I had expected a bit more.
Maybe I’m picky, but I was really surprised to find only one red wine onboard!! Come on, even Air Canada offered two reds on the 50 mins flight between Montreal and New York.
The service could certainly also have been more attentive, after all this was supposed to be an upgraded first class on a three class aircraft.
The seat was very nice though, as was the personal DVD-player, but they insisted on collecting it already 45 minutes before landing, another thing that annoyed me quite a bit and I never really understood why so early.
As already mentioned I very much enjoyed the ground services at JFK though, nice lounge and very friendly staff at both check-in and in the lounge, to give UA some credit after quite a bit of criticism.
Anyway, we landed very early in Los Angeles, as a matter of fact we landed an impressive 40 minutes before scheduled arrival time. Well done!! ^
The priority baggage delivery also worked well, so when my plane was orginally supposed to have landed I was already off the airport!!
Last edited by jacob_m; Aug 30, 2008 at 1:06 pm
Nov 22, 2006, 2:25 am
#40
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: London, UK
Programs: AA 2MM - PLT, BA GGL, SPG Plat, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 6,221
Originally Posted by jacob_m
The drinks selection was quite good as well, plenty of soft drinks, wine and spirits (free of charge in contrast to the RCC), but it was even nicer to find a bottle of Moet et Chandon completely unattended on the counter!!
I certainly didn’t have to thing twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
I certainly didn’t have to thing twice about what to drink, nobody else (of the very few people) in the lounge seemed to bother about the Moet so I basically had the whole bottle to myself.
Originally Posted by jacob_m
On the whole I have to say I was not very impressed. Taking into account the length of the flight and the price they charge for a ticket in F I had expected a bit more.
More please. Keep those fingers flying.
Last edited by Moomba; Nov 22, 2006 at 6:38 am
Nov 22, 2006, 6:38 am
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Los Angeles-San Francisco-Seattle with UA
It’s time to put my RTW ticket on the shelf for a little while.
A friend of mine I got to know in London a few years ago heard I was coming to her side of the Pond and I was instantly given an invitation to come and visit her in Texas.
On top of that I had another three spare days in the US. Without elaborating too much I had to be inflexible with both a date in the beginning of the trip and a few dates later on, so I ended up getting a few spare days in the US I had not initially planned for.
One of the cities on my list of desired destinations was Seattle, and in particular to make a visit to the Boeing factory, so that’s where I decided to spend my three remaining days.
I really didn’t want to waste any segments of my RTW ticket on US domestic legs (other than the p.s flight, which ended up being quite a disappointment anyway) so it would all have to be booked as a separate ticket.
I thought for a while about booking at least one or two of the upcoming legs in F, but I figured it would probably not be worth it with only a drink service on most flights in F anyway, and as *G I would automatically get access to Economy Plus (E+).
I ended up booking the cheapest possible economy class ticket to save some money (I get enough points from this trip anyway). It was all booked on the Austrian Airlines webpage through the excellent Air Manager, the reason was I wanted all the segments on one ticket to reduce the risk of getting the dreadful SSSS on my boarding pass (I have had a previous bad experience, and they are more likely to give it to people with one-way tickets).
Check-in at Los Angeles Intl Airport
At LAX United Airlines uses terminal 7 and there is a premium check-in area to the very right of the departure hall.
A young woman was standing at the entrance to the premium area acting as a bouncer. She looked at me and asked “Premier?”. I suppose that “Premier” refers to the various elite levels UA offers of which I have none, but to avoid any further stupid discussions I answered yes and was allowed inside.
I had Economy Plus seats assigned for both today’s flights, in both cases the second row of Economy/Economy plus. However at this point UA had withdrawn the E+ benefit for non-UA*G and I was not sure whether the check-in agent would let me keep my assigned seats in E+, but not a comment!
My luggage was tagged to SEA, but the agent forgot to attach a priority tag which I pointed out. “Oh, I didn’t notice you were gold" was her answer after having had my gold card in front of her for at least three minutes and even double-checked my number was properly entered in the reservation.
Never mind, my luggage was properly tagged and I had two gold E+ boarding passes in my hand, I was happy!
There was a fast track security right next to the check-in area which certainly saved me a good amount of time, but my bag was selected for secondary screening as they could not really identify everything inside.
Pics
Approaching the massive Los Angeles Intl Airport by bus
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Los Angeles
I made my way to the UA Red Carpet Club right in the middle of the T7 pier.
The lounge was quite crowded this morning and they were very busy at the reception, so flashing my E+ boarding pass and SAS gold card for two seconds was all that was needed to get in.
The lounge was pretty nice, very modern and with a few widescreen TVs inside. This morning there had been yet another school massacre which obviously drew some attention to the TVs in the lounge.
Not quite as much to drink though. The very extensive drinks selection included coffee, water, and hot water. That’s it! Not even orange juice was available free of charge, there was quite a bit to be had at the bar though, if you're happy to pay for it.
Not much to eat either, basically just cocktail snacks (unhealthy), Twix chocolate bars (unhealthy), and packaged pastries (also unhealthy).
I managed to find some yoghurt though that I guess was a leftover from early morning, at least better than just snacks.
Pics
The entrance to the United Airlines Red Carpet Club in LAX
Inside the LAX Red Carpet Club
The bar inside the lounge
The apron at terminal 7, plenty of UA metal
Los Angeles-San Francisco, flight UA 1152 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 12:29
Arrival: 13:46
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07F
The flight departed from terminal 6 which can be accessed airside through a long corridor, so quite a walk to get there.
Priority boarding was offered for seating area 1 which includes *G passengers irrespective of cabin.
Very light load onboard the plane, I don’t think there were more than 50 passengers onboard the large A320. F was completely full, so I was quite happy being in E+ with a whole row to myself.
Uneventful flight with soft drinks offered free of charge in economy, as we were so few passengers onboard they served the drinks individually to each passenger rather than from a trolley. Friendly crew onboard!
Short but pleasant flight with excellent views of the Californian coastline after departure from LAX. Landing 10 mins early in San Francisco.
Pics
The economy class cabin onboard
You get a bit more legroom in Economy Plus
The nice view seconds after take-off from LAX
Fantastic view of the beautiful Californian coastline
United Airlines Domestic Red Carpet Club, San Francisco
I had not had any lunch yet and was starting to feel hungry, but I found a takeaway place right next to the arrival gate with nice salads. I had planned to eat my takeaway lunch inside the RCC, but at the entrance there was a large sign saying “outside food not permitted in the club”.
I’m not sure to what extent they care about this rule, but with a large caesar salad in my bag that would not be all too easy to eat secretly inside the lounge I decided not to try and had lunch in one of the gate areas instead before going into the lounge.
The San Francisco RCC was quite pleasant, comfy chairs and a great view of the apron, it had a much more old-fashioned design than the RCC in LAX.
Both the drinks and snacks selection was also a lot better than in LAX, plenty of fruit juices and plenty of fresh fruit as well, but of course still nothing to write home about.
As always you had to pay for any alcohol at the bar.
Pics
The entrance to the San Francisco domestic Red Carpet Club
The reception desk
Inside the pretty nice lounge
The bar in the lounge
The buffet area
Nice view from the lounge
San Francisco-Seattle, flight UA 556 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 15:49
Arrival: 17:50
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07A
Priority boarding again for seating area 1 which included me as Star Alliance Gold.
The flight ended up being completely full so I was very happy to be in economy plus with at least a little bit more space.
Interestingly I ended up next to a Norwegian guy…on a domestic flight on the US westcoast! Well SAS is one of the few international airlines in SEA operating a daily flight to Copenhagen, and I saw on his boarding pass he was continuing to Oslo, so perhaps not that strange after all.
He was very nervous though and seemed very uncomfortable being on an airplane. He constantly kept moving trying to find a better seat position, he opened and closed his bag a few times and he checked his onward boarding passes what felt like a zillion times, this obviously got a little bit annoying after a while...
Otherwise it was another uneventful flight, great views of downtown San Francisco after take-off and free soft drinks, tea and coffee later during the flight.
In Seattle UA uses the north satellite and all passengers are taken to the main terminal by an automatic train.
Baggage delivery started fairly quickly with the majority of the first bags on the belt tagged as priority.
Pics
Inside the domestic terminal 3 in SFO
Great view of downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge minutes after take-off from SFO
A friend of mine I got to know in London a few years ago heard I was coming to her side of the Pond and I was instantly given an invitation to come and visit her in Texas.
On top of that I had another three spare days in the US. Without elaborating too much I had to be inflexible with both a date in the beginning of the trip and a few dates later on, so I ended up getting a few spare days in the US I had not initially planned for.
One of the cities on my list of desired destinations was Seattle, and in particular to make a visit to the Boeing factory, so that’s where I decided to spend my three remaining days.
I really didn’t want to waste any segments of my RTW ticket on US domestic legs (other than the p.s flight, which ended up being quite a disappointment anyway) so it would all have to be booked as a separate ticket.
I thought for a while about booking at least one or two of the upcoming legs in F, but I figured it would probably not be worth it with only a drink service on most flights in F anyway, and as *G I would automatically get access to Economy Plus (E+).
I ended up booking the cheapest possible economy class ticket to save some money (I get enough points from this trip anyway). It was all booked on the Austrian Airlines webpage through the excellent Air Manager, the reason was I wanted all the segments on one ticket to reduce the risk of getting the dreadful SSSS on my boarding pass (I have had a previous bad experience, and they are more likely to give it to people with one-way tickets).
Check-in at Los Angeles Intl Airport
At LAX United Airlines uses terminal 7 and there is a premium check-in area to the very right of the departure hall.
A young woman was standing at the entrance to the premium area acting as a bouncer. She looked at me and asked “Premier?”. I suppose that “Premier” refers to the various elite levels UA offers of which I have none, but to avoid any further stupid discussions I answered yes and was allowed inside.
I had Economy Plus seats assigned for both today’s flights, in both cases the second row of Economy/Economy plus. However at this point UA had withdrawn the E+ benefit for non-UA*G and I was not sure whether the check-in agent would let me keep my assigned seats in E+, but not a comment!
My luggage was tagged to SEA, but the agent forgot to attach a priority tag which I pointed out. “Oh, I didn’t notice you were gold" was her answer after having had my gold card in front of her for at least three minutes and even double-checked my number was properly entered in the reservation.
Never mind, my luggage was properly tagged and I had two gold E+ boarding passes in my hand, I was happy!
There was a fast track security right next to the check-in area which certainly saved me a good amount of time, but my bag was selected for secondary screening as they could not really identify everything inside.
Pics
Approaching the massive Los Angeles Intl Airport by bus
United Airlines Red Carpet Club, Los Angeles
I made my way to the UA Red Carpet Club right in the middle of the T7 pier.
The lounge was quite crowded this morning and they were very busy at the reception, so flashing my E+ boarding pass and SAS gold card for two seconds was all that was needed to get in.
The lounge was pretty nice, very modern and with a few widescreen TVs inside. This morning there had been yet another school massacre which obviously drew some attention to the TVs in the lounge.
Not quite as much to drink though. The very extensive drinks selection included coffee, water, and hot water. That’s it! Not even orange juice was available free of charge, there was quite a bit to be had at the bar though, if you're happy to pay for it.
Not much to eat either, basically just cocktail snacks (unhealthy), Twix chocolate bars (unhealthy), and packaged pastries (also unhealthy).
I managed to find some yoghurt though that I guess was a leftover from early morning, at least better than just snacks.
Pics
The entrance to the United Airlines Red Carpet Club in LAX
Inside the LAX Red Carpet Club
The bar inside the lounge
The apron at terminal 7, plenty of UA metal
Los Angeles-San Francisco, flight UA 1152 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 12:29
Arrival: 13:46
Aircraft: Airbus A320
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07F
The flight departed from terminal 6 which can be accessed airside through a long corridor, so quite a walk to get there.
Priority boarding was offered for seating area 1 which includes *G passengers irrespective of cabin.
Very light load onboard the plane, I don’t think there were more than 50 passengers onboard the large A320. F was completely full, so I was quite happy being in E+ with a whole row to myself.
Uneventful flight with soft drinks offered free of charge in economy, as we were so few passengers onboard they served the drinks individually to each passenger rather than from a trolley. Friendly crew onboard!
Short but pleasant flight with excellent views of the Californian coastline after departure from LAX. Landing 10 mins early in San Francisco.
Pics
The economy class cabin onboard
You get a bit more legroom in Economy Plus
The nice view seconds after take-off from LAX
Fantastic view of the beautiful Californian coastline
United Airlines Domestic Red Carpet Club, San Francisco
I had not had any lunch yet and was starting to feel hungry, but I found a takeaway place right next to the arrival gate with nice salads. I had planned to eat my takeaway lunch inside the RCC, but at the entrance there was a large sign saying “outside food not permitted in the club”.
I’m not sure to what extent they care about this rule, but with a large caesar salad in my bag that would not be all too easy to eat secretly inside the lounge I decided not to try and had lunch in one of the gate areas instead before going into the lounge.
The San Francisco RCC was quite pleasant, comfy chairs and a great view of the apron, it had a much more old-fashioned design than the RCC in LAX.
Both the drinks and snacks selection was also a lot better than in LAX, plenty of fruit juices and plenty of fresh fruit as well, but of course still nothing to write home about.
As always you had to pay for any alcohol at the bar.
Pics
The entrance to the San Francisco domestic Red Carpet Club
The reception desk
Inside the pretty nice lounge
The bar in the lounge
The buffet area
Nice view from the lounge
San Francisco-Seattle, flight UA 556 operated by United Airlines
Departure: 15:49
Arrival: 17:50
Aircraft: Airbus A319
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 07A
Priority boarding again for seating area 1 which included me as Star Alliance Gold.
The flight ended up being completely full so I was very happy to be in economy plus with at least a little bit more space.
Interestingly I ended up next to a Norwegian guy…on a domestic flight on the US westcoast! Well SAS is one of the few international airlines in SEA operating a daily flight to Copenhagen, and I saw on his boarding pass he was continuing to Oslo, so perhaps not that strange after all.
He was very nervous though and seemed very uncomfortable being on an airplane. He constantly kept moving trying to find a better seat position, he opened and closed his bag a few times and he checked his onward boarding passes what felt like a zillion times, this obviously got a little bit annoying after a while...
Otherwise it was another uneventful flight, great views of downtown San Francisco after take-off and free soft drinks, tea and coffee later during the flight.
In Seattle UA uses the north satellite and all passengers are taken to the main terminal by an automatic train.
Baggage delivery started fairly quickly with the majority of the first bags on the belt tagged as priority.
Pics
Inside the domestic terminal 3 in SFO
Great view of downtown San Francisco, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge minutes after take-off from SFO
Last edited by jacob_m; Sep 15, 2007 at 12:22 pm
Nov 22, 2006, 11:32 am
#43
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
A visit to the Boeing factory in Everett, WA
One of my main reasons for going to Seattle was to make a visit the Boeing factory.
The Boeing factory is located in a place called Everett about one hour north of Seattle. It's located at the Paine Field airfield and not at the Boeing Field between SEA airport and downtown Seattle as somebody thought for quite some time. (well it certainly sounded a lot more logical)
I had pre-booked a ticket over the internet to make sure I had a secured place on one of the guided tours of the factory. It would have been a pity to go all the way to Seattle and Everett and find all the tours fully booked.
It was quite a sight to arrive at the Boeing visitors centre (called Future of flights) in what felt like the middle of nowhere. All of a sudden you see four B777 from Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Emirates parked on the other side of the runway, right in the woods of Washington state in northwestern USA.
I even think I saw an Air New Zealand B777 parked a bit further away.
Inside the visitors center there was a large and interesting exhibition about the history and the future of Boeing. There was quite a lot of information about the new B787 Dreamliner for example (not all surprising) including a cool mock-up cabin you could enter.
They also had a full-sized engine to look at and a Boeing 727 cockpit you could enter, amongst other things.
At noon it was time for my tour. They made a big deal about how we were not allowed to bring anything on the tour, and that restriction extended to virtually anything loose.
This also meant no cameras on the tour, which was a real shame!!
There were mainly two reasons for this. First of all they were afraid people could drop things inside the factory that could damage expensive and fragile aircraft components, and secondly it was a matter of security (terrorism maybe, or that people could take detailed photos that could end up with the wrong people).
Apparently a few years ago someone accidently dropped a camera from the balcony, and it hit an aircraft component worth one million dollar!! Not really something you want to be liable to pay…
The factory was really cool though, the largest building in the world in terms of volume, it’s included in the Guinness book of records.
We got to visit the B777 manufacturing hall which was enormous, what a sight! They brought us up on a balcony which gave a very good overview of the huge hall.
Two Thai Airways B777s were constructed on that particular day, one of them almost ready to be delivered to the customer.
They had four different halls in the factory, one for each aircraft type (B737, B747, B777 and very soon the B787).
After the tour we were taken back to the visitors centre on the other side of the runway.
There was a Boeing shop there and a Future of flights shop with plenty of nice aviation stuff.
I have a good amount of Boeing merchandise at home now including a Dreamliner t-shirt and Boeing mouse pad.
Anyway, I thought some pics and a brief report from Everett could be of interest to the Flyertalk community, so look and enjoy!!
Pics
Approaching the Future of flights visitors centre in Everett
The Boeing Factory! It’s the building to the left with the blue doors
Several aircrafts outside the factory including TG and SQ B777s
Inside the visitors center with the Boeing shop to the left
The large exhibition hall about the history and future of Boeing
A cool mock-up cabin of the new B787 Dreamliner
The new B787 will be a lot less noisy than previous aircrafts, in Singapore for example!
The Boeing factory is located in a place called Everett about one hour north of Seattle. It's located at the Paine Field airfield and not at the Boeing Field between SEA airport and downtown Seattle as somebody thought for quite some time.
(well it certainly sounded a lot more logical)I had pre-booked a ticket over the internet to make sure I had a secured place on one of the guided tours of the factory. It would have been a pity to go all the way to Seattle and Everett and find all the tours fully booked.
It was quite a sight to arrive at the Boeing visitors centre (called Future of flights) in what felt like the middle of nowhere. All of a sudden you see four B777 from Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Emirates parked on the other side of the runway, right in the woods of Washington state in northwestern USA.
I even think I saw an Air New Zealand B777 parked a bit further away.
Inside the visitors center there was a large and interesting exhibition about the history and the future of Boeing. There was quite a lot of information about the new B787 Dreamliner for example (not all surprising) including a cool mock-up cabin you could enter.
They also had a full-sized engine to look at and a Boeing 727 cockpit you could enter, amongst other things.
At noon it was time for my tour. They made a big deal about how we were not allowed to bring anything on the tour, and that restriction extended to virtually anything loose.
This also meant no cameras on the tour, which was a real shame!!
There were mainly two reasons for this. First of all they were afraid people could drop things inside the factory that could damage expensive and fragile aircraft components, and secondly it was a matter of security (terrorism maybe, or that people could take detailed photos that could end up with the wrong people).
Apparently a few years ago someone accidently dropped a camera from the balcony, and it hit an aircraft component worth one million dollar!! Not really something you want to be liable to pay…
The factory was really cool though, the largest building in the world in terms of volume, it’s included in the Guinness book of records.
We got to visit the B777 manufacturing hall which was enormous, what a sight! They brought us up on a balcony which gave a very good overview of the huge hall.
Two Thai Airways B777s were constructed on that particular day, one of them almost ready to be delivered to the customer.
They had four different halls in the factory, one for each aircraft type (B737, B747, B777 and very soon the B787).
After the tour we were taken back to the visitors centre on the other side of the runway.
There was a Boeing shop there and a Future of flights shop with plenty of nice aviation stuff.
I have a good amount of Boeing merchandise at home now including a Dreamliner t-shirt and Boeing mouse pad.
Anyway, I thought some pics and a brief report from Everett could be of interest to the Flyertalk community, so look and enjoy!!
Pics
Approaching the Future of flights visitors centre in Everett
The Boeing Factory! It’s the building to the left with the blue doors
Several aircrafts outside the factory including TG and SQ B777s
Inside the visitors center with the Boeing shop to the left
The large exhibition hall about the history and future of Boeing
A cool mock-up cabin of the new B787 Dreamliner
The new B787 will be a lot less noisy than previous aircrafts, in Singapore for example!
Last edited by jacob_m; Sep 15, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Nov 22, 2006, 3:45 pm
#45
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2004
Location: In the skies of the world
Programs: SAS Gold, FB Gold, BA Gold, EY Silver
Posts: 3,167
Originally Posted by Moomba
The worst flight on my whole RTW was the F in a 3 class transcon on AA. Very similar experience, daytime flight, no offer of drinks after the lunch service was over. No second food offering at all which is pretty poor on a 6 hour flight.
It's not that the flight was absolutely horrible, sure I got a proper meal and free booze, my criticism is more related to the length of the flight and the price of the ticket and what a big deal they make about their fantastic p.s service.
Of course you raise your expectations, and then finding no champagne onboard, only one red wine, a plate to small to eat on, an invisible crew, and nothing else to eat or drink during the remaining four hours of the flight, well obviously not the best!
Fortunately I have some pretty amazing flights on this trip that well make up for the bad transcon experience.
Originally Posted by wideman
re the 787 mock-up:
That is supposed to be the economy cabin, right??
That is supposed to be the economy cabin, right??