sftrvlr

Every time I’ve flown in or out of Charles de Gaulle it’s always been to or from Aerogare 1, so this was my first time in Aerogare 2, and it appears to be just as much of a pit as the original terminal. Since I was connecting from one international flight to another, I looked and looked for transit signs to Aerogare 1, but gave up and went through passport control where a bored young man took a quick look at the photo page and handed my passport right back to me. I thought I should probably have some sort of stamp to prove I had entered France, but didn’t see anyone else getting one, so just walked into the country. Funnily enough when I was leaving the country a couple of hours later, the officer asked when I had entered the country because he couldn’t find the stamp in my passport . CDG is almost as badly signposted as FRA but I somehow managed to figure out that the bus to Aerogare 1 left from stop number 12 on the arrivals level, despite an arrow that appeared to point downstairs. After a very chilly wait of about 5 minutes the bus appeared and I climbed aboard for the 15 minute journey to my destination via a couple of hotels and a car park.

Aerogare 1 hasn’t changed in the twenty plus years I’ve been using it. What must have seemed so futuristic when it opened, now simply looks dirty and dated, although a major renovation is under way. For those who haven’t had the “pleasure,” the terminal is designed like a giant cylinder. Large glass walls look into the hollow center of the cylinder and futuristic looking people movers crisscross the inside allowing passengers to change levels. The lower level of the terminal contains a few overflow check-in desks as well as some shops and restaurants. It was now 1900 but the Flybe counter didn’t open until 1910 and there was already a line of about 30 passengers. There were three agents sitting behind the desks but they were chatting amongst themselves or on cell phones until precisely 1910. At that point two of them started checking people in while the third read a magazine. It took 40 minutes for me to reach the front of the queue where I was asked to shell out 9 Euros to check by rollerboard since it was too large for the cabin. Since I wasn’t planning to stay in continental Europe, I didn’t have any Euros and asked about using US Dollars or a credit card, all the while telling the agent that I felt I was being “nickel and dimed” by Flybe. She finally pursed her lips, rolled her eyes and let out that little huff that only the French can do properly, then checked my bag, handed me a boarding pass and told me to be on my way .

To move from landside to airside requires riding the people mover through the glass tube to the next level and passport control, which was fast despite the officer not finding the stamp he was looking for. So I have a stamp leaving France but not a corresponding entry stamp in my passport. I stopped briefly to pick up a couple of bottles of Bordeaux and some pate, and then headed out to the gate area in Satellite Five. Gates at Aerogare 1 are grouped into satellites that surround the main terminal. These satellites are reached via lengthy moving walkways that snake under the taxiways and disgorge their occupants in the center of the satellite area containing security screening and the gates. The journey reminds me of the Eero Saarinen designed TWA terminal at JFK although it’s much longer from the main terminal to the satellite at De Gaulle than it ever was a Kennedy. The Flybe flight was the only one operating from Satellite Five that evening and judging by the gate area it was going to be full. Our brand new Dash 8 Q400 pulled up at 2015, so I was pretty sure we weren’t going to make our 2040 scheduled departure, but sure enough they turned it in 25 minutes and we departed right on time.

BE 1506 / CDG-EXT
De Havilland Dash 8 Q400 / Seat 19A / Economy Class
Scheduled 2040-2110 / Actual 2040-2134

Not knowing what to expect from Flybe, I must say I was pleasantly surprised. The seats, while tight, were blue leather and about as comfortable as you will ever get on a commuter aircraft. The airplane appeared to be brand new. Two friendly flight attendants greeted passengers and assisted with finding seats and stowing cabin baggage. There were multitudes of families with children, and judging by the amount of Mickey Mouse ears, many had come directly from Le Kingdom Magique. I watched in amusement as a little boy kept staring out the window, then turning to his mother and repeating, “OH NO! OH NO! OH NO!” It had just started snowing and he wasn’t at all sure about the suitability of our turboprop careening down a runway at full speed and leaping into the white stuff. There were three empty seats on the aircraft and I was blessed to have one of them next to me, which made for a most enjoyable flight.

We departed at 2040, but then waited in line for almost an hour to be de-iced. According to the captain, there was only one de-icing station open for our departure runway when normally there would be two or even three. Don’t they have weather forecasters in France? Didn’t they know it was going to snow? Or maybe it was some bizarre French union rule that says only one de-icing station can be open on a Tuesday night for non-French carriers unless it’s the second Tuesday of a month that begins with the letter J and the moon is full. Of course that's a joke, but I've had my fair share of travel disruptions caused by France's militant trade unions, so it wouldn't surprise me if this was some sort of "work to rule" or other deliberate slowdown. With de-icing finally complete, we taxied to the active runway and immediately took off for the short hop across the La Manche to the land of Les Rosbeefs. And not a minute too soon as far as I was concerned. This type of delay is just plain irritating and clearly avoidable with proper planning .

Once airborne the flight attendants were out of their seats almost immediately and starting a full service on this short one hour sector; once again amazing me with the difference between what’s offered (or not) on short flights here in the US. One FA started at the front and one at the back, each with a cart containing all sorts of snacks and beverages. Everything is for sale on Flybe, but the prices weren’t bad with sandwiches and cocktails selling for about 5 Euros, and smaller items like cups of soup, candy bars, potato chips and so forth for about 2 Euros. Soft drinks, juices, coffee, tea and bottled water were about a Euro. Service was cheery and fast, and once the meal was done, they came back through with duty free goods, and finally trash collection. I wasn’t hungry or thirsty, but most people seemed to partake of something or other, so Flybe must be making some money here. The most popular selection seemed to be the “meal deal” with a sandwich, potato chips, a soft drink and candy bar for about 8 Euros. The flight attendants were equipped with small handheld devices into which they entered the meal (or duty free) selection, swiped the credit card, and printed the receipt. All very efficient.

We blocked in at Exeter at 2134, about 30 minutes behind schedule with apologies from the captain and crew, and were bussed to the shack that serves as the arrival terminal. It literally looks like a trailer and has two Immigration officers scanning passports and/or ID cards, and one baggage claim belt. Being the only Yank onboard I was asked to stop and fill out the arrivals form and have my passport stamped by the chatty officer. The first stamp I’ve ever had that says Devon & Cornwall, and one that was commented on by the officer as I left the UK with words to the effect that, “Not many Americans come in that way.” Baby brother was waiting in Arrivals, and it was a short drive down to Cornwall with a brief but necessary stop at the local pub in their village for a Boxing Day pint, then on to their warm and cozy farmhouse on a hill, and a welcome bed for a good night’s sleep.

The weather cooperated for the first two days of my stay, making two out of four days pleasant, weather-wise. Not a bad average for the UK in winter. The first day was spent walking on the beach with a nice pub lunch, followed by homemade sushi for dinner with some of the fabulously fresh fish available in the area. The second day was the annual Gentlemen’s Walk whereby all the gentlemen of the family (and me ) get together at the grandparents house for a hearty lunch of Cornish Pasties and some local ale. This is followed by a walk along the coastal cliffs into the village of St. Agnes (about three miles) and a pub crawl back up through the village, stopping for 2 pints at each of the six pubs. Six pubs in a village with a few thousand people … pretty impressive! The youngest member of the party (4 years old) and the dogs were picked up by the womenfolk after the first pub, and the gents continued well into the night, pushing through to all six pubs, conversation getting more interesting by the pint . All was accomplished without major incident, which was a relief after last year’s infamous tumble into hedge/dislocate shoulder stunt that one gentleman managed to pull . I don’t remember exactly arriving back home at my brother’s house, but apparently it involved a bus and a long walk up a steep hill through cow manure. And since we didn’t wake the baby, even with bacon sandwiches at midnight, we were allowed to sleep in until noon the next day.

The weather went steadily downhill the last two days, but fun was had by all with rainy walks on the beach and warm cozy pubs afterward, and all too soon it was time to head back across the pond to the chilly 75 and sunshine we call winter in San Diego . The weather forecast my last day was for gale force winds gusting up to 80 miles an hour, and expected flight delays for all UK airports. A call to Air Southwest to check the status of my departure that evening was greeted (skeptically) with the news that my flight was showing on time, and to be at the airport at least 60 minutes prior to departure. Of course when I arrived at Newquay airport to check in the flight was already posted as an hour late, and this later turned into over two hours. Air Southwest doesn’t appear to have a computer for check in. They have a printed list, cross your name off, and handwrite your seat number on a boarding pass. I was given the choice of a rear facing window in the first row, or an aisle in the last row, which I thought rather bizarre because there were only about twenty passengers in the departure area, and no other flights scheduled that evening. Oh well, I took 1D. I wasn’t all that impressed with the service at the airport, but the service onboard was good. At around 2000 we were called to go through security and into the departure gate. The aircraft finally arrived at 2021, and we began boarding at 2030, walking across a windy, chilly ramp to board another Dash 8, this time a 300 series.

WOW 110 / NQY-LGW
De Havilland Dash 8 300 / Seat 2A / Economy Class
Scheduled 1815-1925 / Actual 2041-2137

I deliberately waited until everyone had boarded because I still wasn’t convinced that I had been offered a choice of a decent seat. I counted 31 passengers in the departure gate, and I knew that a Dash 8 300 holds more than that, unless this was some sort of combi configuration or there were some through passengers. It turned out to be the latter, with a few through customers from Plymouth to Gatwick via Newquay. However, 2 A&B were empty, so I asked the flight attendant if I could move there. Not a problem. The captain came on and apologized for the delay, attributing it to “one of those days” with an earlier mechanical issue with this particular aircraft, compounded by the weather. He said he would like to buy everyone a drink to make up, which I thought was an appropriate gesture (and one we haven’t seen here in the USA for about 10 years.) He also advised that the takeoff and climb out from Newquay would be extremely bumpy due to the winds, as would the approach and landing at Gatwick. The good news was the expected flight time of 44 minutes. As promised, we made an amazing takeoff with a strong crosswind forcing the pilot to turn the airplane almost perpendicular to the runway immediately after leaving the ground, and one of the bumpiest rides I’ve had in a long time. The occupants of 2 C&D decided it was appropriate to vomit, but managed to do so into the sick bag that was provided for days just like this. By the time the FAs were released, they had about 15 minutes for a service, but accomplished it with lightning speed, one working front to back, the other vice-versa. Things were made less complicated by the fact that they didn’t have to collect money for the drinks. Air Southwest, like Flybe, charges for absolutely everything onboard.

Once again as forewarned by the captain, descent and landing at Gatwick was a bumpy affair, but our vomit comet made it quickly to the gate upon landing, and after a lengthy walk to baggage claim, my bag was already on the carousel. Again like Flybe, Air Southwest made me check my rollerboard, only they didn’t try to charge me for it. As luck would have it, a National Express bus was leaving for Heathrow just as I approached the counter, and the agent issued not only that ticket, but my onward tickets for the Heathrow Hoppa bus that would take me to and from the Sheraton Skyline. My luck continued upon arrival at Heathrow with the correct Hoppa bus waiting for me, and I found myself checked into a newly refurbished room at the Sheraton Skyline just after 2300. And with a room upgrade to boot … to an Executive room for my 30 Pound travel agent rate. Excellent! A good night’s sleep in the Sheraton Sweet Sleeper bed, and I was refreshed and ready for action at 8AM the next morning. As luck would have it, a Hoppa bus was waiting for me when I reached the lobby, but that luck ran out when the hotel computer went down as the front desk was trying to check me out. After fifteen minutes, and with the next bus now outside, I decided I didn’t have any more time to waste and told the agent to email me the bill.

I figured that New Year’s Eve day would be pretty quiet, as evidenced by my 10 Pound ticket to Frankfurt that morning, and sure enough there was hardly a soul at the Lufthansa check-in area at Terminal 2. I used the Etix check-in machine to select my seat and print my boarding pass, noting that it gave me the option to enter a Miles & More number, but not my Mileage Plus number for credit. When I made the booking online I entered my Mileage Plus number, but it didn’t seem to be appended. There was no line at security and I thought I’d made it past the hand baggage enforcer when she called me back and told me to combine my carryons into a single unit or go back to the check-in counter. I stuffed my computer bag in my rollerboard and passed on through security, then proceeded to the Lufthansa Business Class Lounge that my Star Alliance Gold status entitled me to use, even though I was seated in economy. The lounge attendant entered my Mileage Plus number for me and invited me to make myself comfortable in the near empty facility. A couple of cappuccinos and some cereal later, it was time to head to the gate.

LH 4725 / LHR-FRA
Airbus A321 / Seat 27D / Economy Class
Scheduled 0950-1220 / Actual 1012-1220

As I walked slowly along the corridor towards gate 8, a dark and handsome stranger approached and commented on my FlyerTalk bag tags. It turned out to be our very own TravelManKen, who happened to be on the same flight with me to Frankfurt, and even continuing on to San Francisco on United with me! He was doing a year end mileage run to retain his 1K status with Mileage Plus. The gate agent was kind enough to re-seat us in aisles across, although we told him we would simply move once the door was closed since there were only going to be about 20-30 passengers on the A321 this morning. Departure time came and went, although I hardly noticed whilst engrossed in conversation with TravelManKen. No announcement was made about the delay (or I could have missed it) and we finally began boarding at 1000, but with so few people joining us this morning, we were buttoned up and ready to go at 1005. The captain announced a minor delay due to flow control into Frankfurt, but with a short 52 minute projected flight time, anticipated an on time or slightly early arrival. Lufthansa managed a drinks and sandwich service on the short flight, coming through with a second round since the load was so light. The sandwiches were ham or cheese, and all beverages were complimentary. The engaging conversation made the time pass quickly and soon enough we were on the ground at FRA and pulling up to a real gate, ending my streak of remote stands the last few times I’ve been through the German mega-hub. We had to transfer from the A gates to the C gates, and I had to stop at the United connections counter at the B gates to check in and obtain my onward boarding passes. We planned to meet up in the Red Carpet Club where I would bring TravelManKen into the first class section as my guest.

Boarding passes now in hand, I passed through the additional security screening for flights to the USA, found TravelManKen in the Red Carpet Club, cleared it with the front desk agent that he was my guest, and entered the inner sanctum. Peace and quiet prevailed with only two other guests in the lounge. I actually like the Red Carpet Club at Frankfurt anyway, and the first class section is nicely furnished with plush chairs, sofas and coffee tables, and has large picture windows overlooking the always active ramp. The self service bar contained mid-range liquors and wines, as well as some bubbly (Italian, I believe, although I didn’t partake.) The hot food offering was some rather dismal looking mini pizzas, but there was a fine selection of cured meats and cheeses, with bread and crackers, as well as pastries and cookies, and some bar snacks consisting of olives and pretzels. TravelManKen fixed himself a Bloody Mary, and I a gin and tonic, and we settled in to chat for the last few minutes before he would be relegated to the upper deck for the onward journey, whilst I would luxuriate in the nosecone of our waiting 747-400. All too soon the flight was called and we joined the very long queue to get into the boarding gate. TravelManKen had to approach the podium to have his boarding pass reissued since apparently his Lufthansa/London issued pass was not acceptable. So much for seamlessness. The boarding area setup is odd for these particular gates at Frankfurt. You descend a level into the gate area where they check your documents and boarding passes, then climb two flights of stairs to the jet bridge. Boarding was by the second door only, and we wished one another a pleasant flight as TravelManKen ascended the stairs to the upper deck United Business cabin, and I made the fabled left turn towards United First.

The final installment is coming soon. Stay tuned folks!

Steady-EDI

I've only just discovered this TR and am thoroughly enjoying it so far. There seem to have been quite a few good reports about Swiss recently ^

RTWSTARALLIANCE

Nice report. SanDiego1k put me onto it. I've Swiss BOS to ZRH in F three cabin. I've been trying for a few years and happy to finally get this off the list. Looking forward to the trip. Regards

brendamc

Sounds like the F service hasn't changed from Swissair's at all - great news! I'll never forget my then 9 year old daughter putting her red jello cup on the gooseneck lamp for atmosphere in her A seat, last row of F - kindof looked like a bordello, but the FA's were very amused!

azj

2 pints in each of the 6 pubs? I'm glad you're still alive to write the TR! I don't think I would have made it past the 2nd pub drinking high content good stuff! Looking forward to the return.


AZJ

Moomba

Wonderful report sftrvlr.

The more I hear about the pointy end of some of these *A carriers the more I think a RTW with *A is somewhere on the horizon.

zrs70

How are the SWISS amenity kits these days?

dsimon

I have recently flown LX41 (LAX-ZRH) and LX16 (ZRH-JFK). Both kits are provided by Bally and are black canvas and have the same contents.

On LX41, I received a toiletry bag that unfolds and can be hung. It has one mesh, zippered compartment and two additional zippered compartments. When this kit is folded, the dimensions are ~ 7.5” x 2” x 7.5” (LxDxH). When unfolded, the kit is ~ 18” from top to bottom.

On LX16, I received a kit that is more of a pouch. It has a dual-zipper that opens across the top, and a handle on the zippers’ end for carrying. The dimensions are ~ 8”x 2.75” x 4”.

Contents of the Kit

All products by la prairie

• Cellular Hand Cream (0.24oz)
• Moisturizing Lip Balm (0.17oz)
• Cellular Time Release Moisturizer * Intensive (0.17oz)
• Cellular Eye Contour Cream (0.09oz)
• One (1) black, foldable brush/comb
• One (1) full length tooth brush with an individual use tube of Colgate (with toothbrush case)
• One (1) black shoe horn
• One (1) pair of black eyeshades
• One (1) pair of 3M Foam Ear Plugs

As previously discussed on these fourms, pajamas are not provided.

Overall, the kits are unremarkable and are certainly not in the league of SQ or TG’s kits.

IflyFirst

Thanks SFTRVLR for the beautifully written review!! It is always a treat to read your commentaries!^

sftrvlr

As promised, the final installment of my Indulgent Atlantic Adventure is at hand.

UA 901 / FRA-SFO
Boeing 747-400 / Seat 2A / First Class
Scheduled 1400-1635 / Actual 1400-1551

I was the last passenger to board in a completely full first class cabin. The seat map I looked at the day before showed only 6 out of 12 seats occupied, so I assume the rest were upgrades or employees. The overhead bin above seat 2A was still empty, so I force-fed the rollerboard into it, then immediately sat down and pressed the button to turn the seat into a lie-flat bed. The United First Suite product, whilst comfortable, is so old and worn these days that it’s always advisable to make sure the seat is operating properly before settling in, avoiding the not so thrilling experience of finding out once airborne that your lie-flat seat is stuck in the upright position for the next 12 hours. The flight attendant stood by holding a tray with pre-departure beverages, smiling down at me as I performed the functionality test, saying she completely understood, but probably thinking I was somewhat deranged . Back in the upright position, I accepted my plastic cup of bubbly and perused the lunch menu that had been placed at the seat before I arrived, along with noise reduction headphones and an amenity kit:

to begin

Join us in a sampling of appetizers:

Hot pan-seared butterfly prawn tart with arugula tomato sauce
Veal pate with Waldorf salad, red currants and cranberry sauce
Potato cream soup with bacon

salad

Fresh seasonal greens
Creamy garlic or Asian sesame ginger dressing

main course

Pan-seared filet mignon with roasted garlic demi-glace

Herb marinated filet of salmon with beurre blanc sauce

The above entrees include your choice of:
Oven-roasted three potato hash or a white and wild rice medley
Sautéed spinach with garlic or mixed vegetables with shiitake mushrooms

Chanterelle mushroom stuffed suckling pig loin with port wine sauce
Potato pancakes and red cabbage

Ricotta cheese and herb stuffed pasta with boletus mushrooms
Three cheese sauce

Please advise the flight attendant if you prefer to have sauce served on the side

dessert

To complete your dining experience:

Haagen-Dazs ice cream with sundae toppings
Cheese selection: Smoked Chili, Sbrinz, Bergader Bleu
Fresh seasonal fruit and strawberry coulis with yogurt

mid-flight snack

Sandwiches and assorted treats will be available between the two main meals

prior to arrival

Spinach and smoked chicken bruschetta
Lyonnaise potatoes, parmesan and arugula crème fraiche sauce

or

Chilled deli plate with tomato chili relish
Gravlax salmon, salami and pastrami with Tilsiter cheese
A low carbohydrate alternative

Today’s menu features beef from South America

We are proud to operate this flight in cooperation with our partner Lufthansa

White wines included De Vonage 1996 Champagne, Vincent Pouilly Fuisse Marie Antoinette 2003 (Chardonnay, France) and Dry Creek Fume Blanc (2005, Sonoma.) Reds on offer included Chateau Camensac 2002 Haut Medoc (Bordeaux), Yalumba Barossa Shiraz/Viognier 2004 (Australia) and Brancott Classic Pinot Noir 2004 Marlborough (New Zealand.) The port was Sandeman Founders Reserve (and not particularly memorable.) United really needs to do something about their wine list. These fall far, far short of the offerings in a true international first class cabin. And the whole serving Champagne in plastic cups before departure is just plain tacky. But then again, the selection on United is pretty dismal anyway, so why bother? Are you listening WHQ? Why can foreign carriers use proper stemware, but US carriers can’t? I’ve been told it’s an FAA regulation, but wouldn’t that apply to all carriers serving the US? Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Lufthansa all use real glassware for pre-departure beverages.

We pushed exactly on time, and the captain welcomed everyone aboard, announcing favorable winds would mean an early arrival into San Francisco, barring any air traffic delays. The live safety demonstration was conducted, and then the Purser made the usual announcement about switching off all electronic equipment until ten minutes after takeoff. She pointedly said (three times, no less) that all noise reduction headsets must be turned off as well. I was using mine and she came up to my seat and asked me to remove it, telling me I could use the United provided noise reduction headset if I wanted to. Not only does that make no sense whatsoever, swapping one noise reduction headset for another, but it is not an FAA regulation to switch off noise reduction headsets anyway. I asked a United captain about it after I was told not to use my headset on a domestic flight last year. Rather than arguing with the Purser and being thrown in jail for interfering with a crew member, I complied.

A short taxi to the active runway meant we were airborne and heading ever westward at 1421. The captain asked the flight attendants to remain seated after takeoff due to some bumps that were expected during climb out. Once released, service began with cocktails and warm nuts, followed by a second, and then a third round. Yikes! The reason for the third round actually turned out to be that the ovens were unusually slow on this aircraft. The Purser came around to each customer individually and welcomed them onboard, thanking those with status for their continued business, and taking main course orders. I’m not sure if she was really trying to be pleasant, but the whole encounter seemed forced, especially the half smile on her face and the lack of eye contact. I think this one’s ready to be put out to pasture. On the other hand, the German flight attendant who did most of the service in the cabin was fabulous! Classy, put together and genuinely personable. She really seemed to take an interest in each customer, chatting about how much they flew, the fact that she lived in Colorado but worked almost exclusively on flights to Germany, and other small talk. ^

Lunch was a long drawn out affair, as it should be in the international first class cabin. Three rounds of cocktails certainly put everyone in the mood. Tables were laid individually from a trolley and included a carnation nestled into the napkin containing the silverware and tacky plastic knives. Come on United. Other airlines can do it. Bring back metal knives please. Wines and bottled water were offered as the tables were laid. Soon after, another trolley rolled through the aisle with the appetizer selection. Unlike my last flight from Honolulu to Narita (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=632616), there was no problem with sampling both offerings. The veal pate was particularly tasty, as was the potato soup that followed. Salad came next, followed by main course. Bread was offered continuously as well as beverage refills. The suckling pig was one of United’s better efforts, and a distinctly German meal. Moist meat and a very good port wine sauce and excellent cabbage. The potato pancake was rather soggy, but overall this was one of the best meals I’ve had in a while. As usual, the cheese course was a let down on United. It always is. And this time they couldn’t even manage to serve them at anywhere near the appropriate temperature. All three selections were cold and tasteless. How hard can it be to spend a little extra money and make this simple course a memorable one? I was too full for ice cream.

Stuffed to the gills with food and drink, I managed to squeeze in a Scotch on the rocks , and settled in to watch some movies, then napped soundly for about five hours, awakening as we passed some of the fly over states in middle America. I noticed that after I finished my individual water bottle, a glass of water had been placed at my suite, and continually refilled. I traded in my movie for another and checked out the snack cart that had been placed adjacent to the galley, but nothing took my fancy. Not that I was really hungry anyway. The cabin was dark as most passengers rested, but the light from the galley streamed in because United won’t (or can’t) install curtains. So plastic stemware for pre-departure, plastic knives with the meal and no curtains. Is this really international first class? I think I’d call it International First Class Light, which would be a good play on words, reflecting the lack of proper utensils as well as the annoying light from the galley. Unfortunately for United (and American) these things would make most paying customers look to those foreign carriers that offer true international first class cabin. That said, the service on my flight was superb, which made up for some of the shortcomings of the physical product and meal service.

By the time we were bumping gently over the Rocky Mountains, most of the cabin had come back to life, and the flight attendants began the second meal service. Beverages were offered, followed by refreshing hot towels. Table linens were laid and the meal was served on a single tray. Bread and wine were offered. I had the deli plate, which was fine, but reminded me of the deli plates they served on domestic routes in first class after the cutbacks following 9/11. I nibbled on the smoked salmon and the cheese with a glass of champagne, but the salami and pastrami were dry and tasteless. Coffee and tea were offered after the meal. The Purser came around to each individual seat to thank us for flying United, and didn’t seem quite so fake this time. Then she made the announcement about turning off all electronic equipment, again mentioning noise reduction headsets twice. This woman must have an obsession. A smooth touchdown at SFO put us at the gate 45 minutes early. It was a perfect time to arrive since we were the only international flight so I zipped through immigration and customs, hoping to catch an earlier flight to San Diego.

Unfortunately I had just missed the 1536 departure, and mine was the next flight at 1918. With that much time to kill, I wandered back over to the international arrivals area hoping to catch TravelManKen as he exited, but he was probably well on his way to the Bubble Lounge in San Francisco. So I took the long way back to the United domestic terminal, walking outside to get some fresh air. The airport was nearly deserted this New Year’s Eve, and I was through security and headed for the Red Carpet Club in no time, briefly stopping to see if Fung Lum was open for a dim sum pick-me-up that I would surely crave later. Dim Sum is one of the things I miss most about San Francisco, and Fung Lum fills the void each time I pass through SFO. Unfortunately they had decided that the Western New Year was to be celebrated, rather than the lunar one, and they were closed for the day. Baked pork buns were not to be.

Entering the Red Carpet Club, I presented my ongoing San Diego boarding pass to the agent, who immediately, and not so pleasantly, said I was not welcome since I was only traveling domestically.

“I just came in from Frankfurt on 901 and this is my continuation to San Diego.”

“Sir, the rules state that I must see proof of your international boarding pass before I can admit you into a domestic Red Carpet Club.”

“Wouldn’t the fact that the boarding pass you’re holding was issued by Frankfurt Customer Service be proof enough?”

“I’m sorry sir, but those are the rules.”

“Okay. Hang on.”

I fumble around in my bag and find the boarding pass from Frankfurt to San Francisco, laying it on the counter as she finished her chat with a colleague.

“Thank you, Mr. sftrvlr.”

“Oh, could I have a couple of drinks coupons for the bar please?”

Dragon Lady looks at me like I have two heads.

“This is a domestic Red Carpet Club. We don’t have drinks coupons here.”

“Really? Since when? I was in this very club last year and they gave me some.”

“We haven’t offered them since we got busted.”

“I’m sorry. Come again? Busted? Busted in what way?”

“Well the president of United Airlines was using the club one day and saw us giving out drinks coupons and got all mad because we’re a domestic Red Carpet Club and that’s not allowed. So we got busted and can’t do it no more.”

Me looking skeptical, but wanting to push it further because Dragon Lady was simply annoying me at this point, and I had plenty of time to kill.

“Could you pull up S*RCC/ADMIT in your computer?”

This is the profile in Apollo that contains the guidelines for admittance to the Red Carpet Club.

Dragon Lady looks somewhat taken aback that I know about this, but does as I ask.

“Doesn’t it say that I’m entitled to drinks coupons if I’m traveling internationally in United Business or United First?”

“I’m aware of that sir, but you are only entitled at the transoceanic gateway, and we’re a domestic Red Carpet Club.”

“It has nothing to do with whether you’re a domestic or international club. The profile says the transoceanic gateway, and seeing as I just landed here from Frankfurt, Germany, the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, that would make this the transoceanic gateway, wouldn’t it?”

“Sir. As I said, we’re a domestic Red Carpet Club and we don’t do drinks coupons. Is there anything else I can help you with?”

I was bored with the conversation by this point, and I obviously wasn’t going to get a free drink out of United, so I thanked Dragon Lady and retired to a window seat in the near empty club. I counted a total of eleven passengers and the bartender was sitting on a bar stool watching TV. Since the bartender also looked bored, and it wasn’t her fault that Dragon Lady was a Dragon Lady, I ordered a Bombay Sapphire martini, extra olives, grabbed some cheese and crackers, vegetables and dip from the snack bar, and settled in with a book for a couple of hours. A few more passengers trickled into the lounge as the time passed, who mostly looked to be connecting to San Diego from the United London flight and the Lufthansa Frankfurt flight. The San Francisco Red Carpet Club is among the nicest in the system, and probably the best domestic club. I would imagine the capacity is a couple of hundred people. It’s furnished with plush armchairs, sofas and coffee tables, with a sit down bar area with tended bar, as well as a self service bar with juices, sodas, coffee and tea, as well as snacks consisting of cheese and crackers, crudités and some cookies. The view out over the apron and towards the long runway is wonderful. It was especially pleasant on New Year’s Eve with so few users. Needing to stretch my legs I left the lounge about an hour before departure, and wandered slowly back through the art display, through some of the shops, and finally to the gate.

UA 901 / SFO-SAN
Boeing 757-200 / Seat 2A / First Class
Scheduled 1918-2044 / Actual 1912-2027

The load was light with United Economy being about half full, and United First three quarters full. 5B was empty. We pushed early, made a short taxi to the runway, and were airborne for the less than an hour final leg. Two rounds of drinks were served in first class, but by this point it was sparkling water for me to ensure I stayed awake for the drive home. A short, pleasant flight to cap off a whirlwind Indulgent Atlantic Adventure to end another year in one of my favorite places … 35,000 feet above the Earth. Perhaps I've been a little too critical of United in this section, but the physical product and meal offerings simply do not compete with the top international carriers. With the fabulous flight a few days earlier on Swiss, the differences were particularly glaring that day. It is what it is though. I'm still thankful to have had the opportunity to experience Swiss in one direction, and United First is still better than United Business, which is better than United Economy.

I know you have a choice of FlyerTalk trip reports, and would like to thank you for choosing mine today. I look forward to welcoming you back again soon.

Until next time …

aw

Unbelieveable treatment at the SFO RCC. All she needed to do was pull up your reservation and see that you have flown in F from FRA either by your PNR number on your boarding pass or by flight/date/last name. Well, it that's the way they treat a F passenger then I don't have much encouragement for the poor masses from Y.

Seat 2A

The pleasure is all ours. You're one of my favorite Trip Report writers and I'm sure I speak for many when I say we all look forward to your next adventures aloft. Thanks for another fine trip report!