RTW4

Well... I have to tell my colleagues here on FT that I have now, after many years of flying premium longhauls, had the absolute worst experience of my flying years.

On a paid F ticket ( company paid ) I flew last week from LAX-SYD . Many of us have commented on the worn down status of the first class suites on the 747 but the "soft" product is so horrific that abominable is the only word that I can use.. Here are the specifics...

1. Upons boarding I had a sweatshirt type coat. The FA came by and suggested that I will be very cold inflight and told be to "stuff my jacket" on the side of my seat between the window and the storage container.

2. When asked if I would like a boarding beverage I was given a glass of champange.. To be honest it was the worst glass of bubbly that I have ever encountered.. The gentleman behind me felt the same way. We were told... and I quote " just hold your horses.. I will get the real champagne for the two of you after we take off."

3. When the menus were handed out we were told by the purser that this is a night flight and that "many people do not want to eat...Do you want to really eat at this late hour? " I kid you not.. this was the conversation

4. The IFE entertainment was a joke and my screen actually flopped around so that it was inoperable...

5. The food was so terrible ( I had a tiny bowl of potato chowder with a salad composed of wilted lettuce and rubber chicken, followed by cold cannelloni) that I really felt mad. I have NEVER felt this angry in all my years of flying..

6. The breakfast was a choice of small omellete or fruit plate.. Actually they ran out of omelette. Fruit plate was small and just a joke...

7. Crew disappeared for the majority of the flight...

I was absolutely so disgusted that upon arrival in SYD I called my company and talked them into sending me back to LAX on QF.. Suffice to say it was a much different and well appreciated experience.. I really want to give our USA carriers the revenue but after this debacle NEVER AGAIN.... so sorry for the rant but I am still angry with UNITED for this flight....

Starman

I think we're all in general agreement that paid international F on UA is a horrendous waste of money, whether your personal funds or the company's. You get basically the same food as C, and the luck of the draw -- again identical to C -- on the level of cabin service. I've even taken to considering saving my SWUs for Y to C only in the rare case that I get a paid C ticket and could consider C to F with a SWU -- it just doesn't seem worth it. Certainly it is a far, far smaller step for C to F int'l on UA than Y to C, contrary to 10 or even 5 years ago.

cielodome

How sad.

I have only flown once in Internation F (FCO-IAD) and that was only on a 763. Even though the service was better than in C (at least on the same route) I too find it hard to compare the difference bwtween C and F.

theoflyalot

If the experience was so bad, why do you continue to fly first? I mean, why pay first class prices to be treated like coach?

lucky9876coins

Based on the OP's post, it seems like he doesn't usually fly UA paid F. Paid F on other airlines can be worth every penny, at least when a company is paying for it.

OP, that experience sounds truly embarrassing for UA. Some FA's in international F on UA are incredible, while others could use a lesson or thirteen on the art of premium service. There's good ways and bad ways to say things, and treating F passengers with a cattle car, "I'm here for your safety" mentality is unacceptable.

blueman2

I really feel the OP's pain on this one. I fly mostly C and D class, and upgrade to F about 1/2 of the time with SWUs. For me, it is all about the seat. Soft product is terrible. Food in terrible. IFE is terrible. FAs disappear for most of the flight. They are typically not very helpful. But, to be honest, the F suite is really not too bad! So I just get up and get my own drinks, try to eat before I get on the plane, and do my best to get 8 hours sleep.

On the other hand, I just returned from a trip SFO-NGO and back, and had the best darn FA staff working F I have ever had. And they were SFO based! Lynn, who appeared to be in charge in F, was fantastic!

drummingcraig

I sincerely hope you have (or plan to) communicate this very point to UA corporate in the form of a certified letter. The few px such as yourself who are in the position to pay for International F are ones that UA cannot possibly afford to disappoint (but unfortunately they seem do it daily). Hit them where it hurts and show them proof of where your money (or company's money) ended up going. @:-)

flyinbob

Agree 100% here, but I have to say the LAX/SFO to SYD seems to be especially bad. Maybe their excuse is that the flight leaves so late at night and arrives pre-dawn, so most passengers sleep all the time. I'm usually in C, and I'm one who doesn't sleep but a couple of hours on that flight, so I walk around and see the lack of attention. The last flight the F and C FAs (not on break) were all hovering around the C snack cart talking for hours. No one ever made a walk-thru of F, and it was full. I think the FAs see it as an easy gig.

dhammer53

RTW,

I've read many of your reports over the years. I know you travel upfront. My question is how come you decided to fly UA? I appreciate the buy American sentiment, but you know what UA offers upfront on international.

dh

john93711

Be sure to sign up for a status challenge if you decide to post your QF miles to AAdvantage!

chicagorich

Unless there was a substantial fare differential, I can't imagine flying paid F on UA instead of paid F on QF.

.

SFO_FT

F on US-based carriers is an "upgrade class" -- it's the reason so many of these carriers have decided to eliminate it on int'l routes.

UA_SYD

Did you try out the new QF First Lounge at SYD? Simply amazing...!!
Truly, a world class experience.

The sort of experience you had is commonplace and has been talked about a lot here for years. I hope you have an opportunity to write to them with some facts, outlining the cancelling and re-booking on QF.

Nothing will change of course. UA is trying to be all things to all people (i.e. a Premium Carrier with high fares but with a LCC service) and it’s just not going to work.

The US population are very forgiving of these facts and many people will continue to fly them just because they are US flagged. The same happens here with QF. People just can't see them doing any wrong.

It’s all a personal choice, of course.

Roger Lococco

Sadly ... a thread about above average service on UA F would have been more surprising.

ExCrew

How very true.