American Airlines, ORD-PEK, Flagship First Class, lots of photos
Apr 23, 2014, 1:14 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 57
American Airlines, ORD-PEK, Flagship First Class, lots of photos
AAL 187
Boeing 777-200ER
ORD-PEK
Seat: 2J (Flagship First Class)
Departure: 19:15
Arrival: 21:45 +1
Duration: 13.5 hours
--------
AAL 186
Boeing 777-200ER
PEK-ORD
Seat: 2J (Flagship First Class)
Departure: 10:10
Arrival: 10:05
Duration: 13 hours
Chapter one: From lounge to takeoff (just scroll down)
Chapter two: The reminder of the outbound flight
Chapter three: Guanxi province, China
Chapter four: Departing Beijing
Chapter five: Two more meals, and the conclusion
Sorry about the false start on the other thread with a similar title. That one ended up being all about my frustrations with getting a Flickr account to embed successfully in FlyerTalk.
That problem is now solved, so let's get on with the trip.
This is the story of a quick week-long trip to Guilin, China, in Guangxi Province, via Beijing. The trip from Chicago to Beijing was non-stop, after which I stayed with a friend overnight before we continued on to Guilin together.
This trip report might be interesting for aficionados of American Airlines, since the 777-200ER fleet is due for an upgrade soon. If the 777-200 fleet switches to a two-class configuration, it will be a win for all former Business Class travelers, but a loss for those who flew and loved the Flagship First Class experience on that aircraft. I hope you can see from this trip report that Flagship First Class really is something nice, even if the seats are a bit well-traveled. I understand that American will keep a three-class configuration for their new 777-300's.
Like everyone else, I've seen the pictures of the new 777-300 Business Class product, and I assume that's what's coming to the -200 fleet with the upgrade. It's amazing and I have no trouble believing all the rave reviews. But when the -200's lose First Class entirely, they'll lose something quite nice, as I hope you'll appreciate with this review.
By the way, almost all the photos for this trip report, including all pictures on board and all the food pictures, were taken with my iPhone in ambient light (no flash used, so as to not disturb my fellow travelers). So please pardon the lack of resolution and the occasional noise and blurriness. :-) And for what it's worth, the pictures get better as we get deeper into the report, mostly because I was shooting in near-darkness on the outbound trip, while I had much better light on the inbound trip home.
Here's what the 777-200 looks like from the outside. Nothing new to frequent flyers in this picture, except of course that we're riding in a new paint job today. As we'll see, it was a rainy day for our departure in Chicago.
I go to China frequently, but until now I've always bought a coach ticket and used miles up upgrade to Business Class. This time, I had enough miles in my account to just book an award flight ORD-PEK round trip in Flagship First for $59. And I can say with confidence that you are about to see the best $59 I ever spent in my entire life.
It was a busy day at O'hare, but I walked straight into the Flagship Class check-in room. Yes, that's correct; it's not a counter, or a line, but a room. A concierge standing in front of a red velvet rope checks your name against a list of travelers departing that day in Flagship First on three-class transoceanic flights, and if you're on the list, she will unclip the velvet rope so you can walk into the brilliant white, immaculate room with almost nobody in it. I had two attendants all to myself. They checked me in with no difficulty and then escorted me out another door in the back of the check-in room, which led directly to the very front of the line for TSA screening. Even though the lines at security were dozens, if not hundreds, of people long, I was escorted by an American Airlines representative through that magic door to the head of the line. Some people stared... but I just smiled to myself and went about my business. I was finished with flight check-in and through TSA screening in less than 10 minutes, an absolute record for me on a busy travel day.
When I got to the gate, I surveyed the scene and beheld the usual throng of people. Normally I enjoy watching the people and soaking in the energy of that travel vibe, but today I was headed to the Flagship Lounge.
I've been to the Admiral's Club in Chicago before and honestly it's nothing special. The crowds there can be as heavy as at the gate. The Flagship Lounge, on the other hand, was quite different. There was a pleasant check-in staff who were very friendly; they told me to make myself at home and they'd come get me when my flight was ready to board.
The lounge offered a nice light supper of smoked salmon with traditional accompaniments, including breads, spreads, and assorted hot bites.
There were also fresh fruits and dessert pastries.
While the collection of edibles wasn't overwhelming in it's plenitude, what was offered was fresh and well-presented. I had some of the salmon with capers, onions, and lemon and it was delicious.
The liquor supply was much more comprehensive. I knew I'd be having champagne on the plane, so I mixed myself a drink with Absolut which, I probably don't need to say, goes stunningly with smoked salmon. They also had a good selection of chilled soft drinks and and high-quality beers in the refrigerators.
I don't have a picture of the furnishings, but the Flagship Lounge was quiet, comfortable, understated, and cozy. It was much smaller than the Admiral's Club, and correspondingly more intimate, which was more suitable to a relaxing experience. There was a workroom with computers which I didn't try.
This was the view out the window:
The rain made me happy because it meant we might have a delay and thus I'd get more time on board the aircraft, and it also meant that there might be some bumps on the way out. I like the turbulence; it reminds you that you're actually flying. So this weather was indeed perfect.
The Flagship First Lounge is directly across from the departure gate for Beijing. When the attendant approached me to let me know the flight was ready to board, I exited the lounge and then walked about thirty feet right to the front of the line. There was no delay. I was the first person on the plane. From lounge to walking down the jetway was less than five minutes.
The flight attendants at the door were friendly. I don't know if they would have showed me to my seat, but I knew where I was headed and I made my way there on my own. If I'd looked confused they probably would have shown me the way. But I didn't wait for them to lead, after all, how hard is it to turn left?
This was to be my home away from home for the next 13.5 hours, the Flagship First Class cabin of the 777. You can see that it feels spacious and private. The configuration is 1:2:1, and is only four rows deep. It feels like an intimate room with plenty of privacy, but also plenty of space to stand up and stretch without bothering anyone else. There's nothing better than having a window and an aisle to yourself:
And this was my seat, 2J, which I think has aged quite well. It was totally comfortable, more than spacious, and in my opinion still satisfactorily stylish. Note that the seat swivels about 15 degrees outboard to alight with the ottoman, and then can swing again further outboard all the way to 90 degrees, so that it faces directly towards the window. There's a pull-out desk that you can use in this configuration which creates a gigantic workspace with an amazing view. As this flight was going to be mostly in the dark, I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to face the window. (The seats in the middle can rotate inboard to face each other, making a cozy dining arrangement for two friendly travelers.)
The spacious and comfortable seat:
American Airlines started taking delivery of their 777-200's in the late 1990's, a time when Japan was still the second-largest economy in the world. Here and there you can see evidence of this, as some of the signs are still in both English and Japanese, for example on the metal cover on the waste bins in the lavatories. I'm guessing that American expected a lifetime of USA-Japan runs out of these planes. But then Japan slowed down while China sped up, and we're left with bilingual signage that isn't so much helpful as a reminder of times past.
There is some commonality though, between written Chinese and Japanese, so the Chinese people on board would have no trouble reading the characters for the "Exit" signs. However, they'd have to rely on their English skills for things like "Life vests are located under your seat." To that point, the flight was almost full of Chinese people. There were only few westerners on board, as is usually the case when I fly AAL 187.
When I sat down, my ottoman (across from my seat) already had a collection of goodies waiting on it for me:
These items came wrapped in plastic, but I got rid of the plastic and the Flight Attendants came and removed it right away. Inside the bundle was a light-weight black throw, a more substantial gray duvet, a medium sized pillow, and a full sized pillow. I thought the red paper banner ("relax, rest, and sleep...") was actually quite nice, as that's exactly what I was about to do. Also, I'm sure they don't know this, but the red color is auspicious in Chinese culture and means celebration. We're headed to Beijing, after all!
Here you can see the slippers they brought, along with the socks from the ample amenity kit, and of course the pre-departure champagne. You can see the amenity kit in the picture of my seat (above). It's the light gray rectangular thing on the armrest, about the size and shape of an iPad case. In fact, it's exactly the size and shape of an iPad case, so you can use it for that purpose after the flight.
You can see that the rain was continuing to fall outside the window:
Next came the Flight Attendant with pajamas...
And a Bose noise-canceling headset...
And three menus for the flight...
... and a personal tutorial for operating the seat controls. It was during the tutorial that the Flight Attendant introduced the turn-down service. She was a bit casual about it ("...don't worry, we'll make your bed for you when you're ready, just let us know when you want to sleep"), but perfectly friendly and attentive and, I thought, an excellent representative for the brand.
In case you can't see it in the photo, that's a food menu, a beverage menu, and a dessert menu. Business Class, of course, has all of these menus combined in one booklet; first Class has more choices, so it's nice that they break them down into separate menus. Having a dessert menu feels very decadent.
In the back of the picture you can see my iPhone charger, which needs AC power. American's 777-200 fleet still has DC power (think: car cigarette lighters), but the cabin crew has converters that they can lend out. I asked for one and they gave it to me for the duration of the flight.
All of this unfolded in a timely fashion before pushback. I had the pillows, the headsets, my pajamas, the comforters, my personal seat tutorial, and of course plenty of champagne before the plane even finished boarding.
The service was excellent. The lead Flight Attendant for our cabin was a woman, let's call her "Arlene", who said her hobby was "wine" (she grew up in Monterrey, California) and she was able to make excellent suggestions for parings for the meal service. She looked as if she had a fair amount of seniority, but nevertheless seemed downright enthusiastic about the trip, saying she'd be more than happy to make sure our flight was a comfortable experience. You hear about grim, mechanical, or even grizzled flight attendants on high-seniority routes; Arlene was was exactly the opposite. Friendly (always calling me by name), attentive, and just happy to be there. Quite nice indeed. And did I mention that my champagne kept getting topped off without my ever even noticing it?
Departure and dinner came next, but let's leave that for the next chapter.
Boeing 777-200ER
ORD-PEK
Seat: 2J (Flagship First Class)
Departure: 19:15
Arrival: 21:45 +1
Duration: 13.5 hours
--------
AAL 186
Boeing 777-200ER
PEK-ORD
Seat: 2J (Flagship First Class)
Departure: 10:10
Arrival: 10:05
Duration: 13 hours
Chapter one: From lounge to takeoff (just scroll down)
Chapter two: The reminder of the outbound flight
Chapter three: Guanxi province, China
Chapter four: Departing Beijing
Chapter five: Two more meals, and the conclusion
Sorry about the false start on the other thread with a similar title. That one ended up being all about my frustrations with getting a Flickr account to embed successfully in FlyerTalk.
That problem is now solved, so let's get on with the trip.
This is the story of a quick week-long trip to Guilin, China, in Guangxi Province, via Beijing. The trip from Chicago to Beijing was non-stop, after which I stayed with a friend overnight before we continued on to Guilin together.
This trip report might be interesting for aficionados of American Airlines, since the 777-200ER fleet is due for an upgrade soon. If the 777-200 fleet switches to a two-class configuration, it will be a win for all former Business Class travelers, but a loss for those who flew and loved the Flagship First Class experience on that aircraft. I hope you can see from this trip report that Flagship First Class really is something nice, even if the seats are a bit well-traveled. I understand that American will keep a three-class configuration for their new 777-300's.
Like everyone else, I've seen the pictures of the new 777-300 Business Class product, and I assume that's what's coming to the -200 fleet with the upgrade. It's amazing and I have no trouble believing all the rave reviews. But when the -200's lose First Class entirely, they'll lose something quite nice, as I hope you'll appreciate with this review.
By the way, almost all the photos for this trip report, including all pictures on board and all the food pictures, were taken with my iPhone in ambient light (no flash used, so as to not disturb my fellow travelers). So please pardon the lack of resolution and the occasional noise and blurriness. :-) And for what it's worth, the pictures get better as we get deeper into the report, mostly because I was shooting in near-darkness on the outbound trip, while I had much better light on the inbound trip home.
Here's what the 777-200 looks like from the outside. Nothing new to frequent flyers in this picture, except of course that we're riding in a new paint job today. As we'll see, it was a rainy day for our departure in Chicago.
I go to China frequently, but until now I've always bought a coach ticket and used miles up upgrade to Business Class. This time, I had enough miles in my account to just book an award flight ORD-PEK round trip in Flagship First for $59. And I can say with confidence that you are about to see the best $59 I ever spent in my entire life.
It was a busy day at O'hare, but I walked straight into the Flagship Class check-in room. Yes, that's correct; it's not a counter, or a line, but a room. A concierge standing in front of a red velvet rope checks your name against a list of travelers departing that day in Flagship First on three-class transoceanic flights, and if you're on the list, she will unclip the velvet rope so you can walk into the brilliant white, immaculate room with almost nobody in it. I had two attendants all to myself. They checked me in with no difficulty and then escorted me out another door in the back of the check-in room, which led directly to the very front of the line for TSA screening. Even though the lines at security were dozens, if not hundreds, of people long, I was escorted by an American Airlines representative through that magic door to the head of the line. Some people stared... but I just smiled to myself and went about my business. I was finished with flight check-in and through TSA screening in less than 10 minutes, an absolute record for me on a busy travel day.
When I got to the gate, I surveyed the scene and beheld the usual throng of people. Normally I enjoy watching the people and soaking in the energy of that travel vibe, but today I was headed to the Flagship Lounge.
I've been to the Admiral's Club in Chicago before and honestly it's nothing special. The crowds there can be as heavy as at the gate. The Flagship Lounge, on the other hand, was quite different. There was a pleasant check-in staff who were very friendly; they told me to make myself at home and they'd come get me when my flight was ready to board.
The lounge offered a nice light supper of smoked salmon with traditional accompaniments, including breads, spreads, and assorted hot bites.
There were also fresh fruits and dessert pastries.
While the collection of edibles wasn't overwhelming in it's plenitude, what was offered was fresh and well-presented. I had some of the salmon with capers, onions, and lemon and it was delicious.
The liquor supply was much more comprehensive. I knew I'd be having champagne on the plane, so I mixed myself a drink with Absolut which, I probably don't need to say, goes stunningly with smoked salmon. They also had a good selection of chilled soft drinks and and high-quality beers in the refrigerators.
I don't have a picture of the furnishings, but the Flagship Lounge was quiet, comfortable, understated, and cozy. It was much smaller than the Admiral's Club, and correspondingly more intimate, which was more suitable to a relaxing experience. There was a workroom with computers which I didn't try.
This was the view out the window:
The rain made me happy because it meant we might have a delay and thus I'd get more time on board the aircraft, and it also meant that there might be some bumps on the way out. I like the turbulence; it reminds you that you're actually flying. So this weather was indeed perfect.
The Flagship First Lounge is directly across from the departure gate for Beijing. When the attendant approached me to let me know the flight was ready to board, I exited the lounge and then walked about thirty feet right to the front of the line. There was no delay. I was the first person on the plane. From lounge to walking down the jetway was less than five minutes.
The flight attendants at the door were friendly. I don't know if they would have showed me to my seat, but I knew where I was headed and I made my way there on my own. If I'd looked confused they probably would have shown me the way. But I didn't wait for them to lead, after all, how hard is it to turn left?
This was to be my home away from home for the next 13.5 hours, the Flagship First Class cabin of the 777. You can see that it feels spacious and private. The configuration is 1:2:1, and is only four rows deep. It feels like an intimate room with plenty of privacy, but also plenty of space to stand up and stretch without bothering anyone else. There's nothing better than having a window and an aisle to yourself:
And this was my seat, 2J, which I think has aged quite well. It was totally comfortable, more than spacious, and in my opinion still satisfactorily stylish. Note that the seat swivels about 15 degrees outboard to alight with the ottoman, and then can swing again further outboard all the way to 90 degrees, so that it faces directly towards the window. There's a pull-out desk that you can use in this configuration which creates a gigantic workspace with an amazing view. As this flight was going to be mostly in the dark, I didn't take advantage of the opportunity to face the window. (The seats in the middle can rotate inboard to face each other, making a cozy dining arrangement for two friendly travelers.)
The spacious and comfortable seat:
American Airlines started taking delivery of their 777-200's in the late 1990's, a time when Japan was still the second-largest economy in the world. Here and there you can see evidence of this, as some of the signs are still in both English and Japanese, for example on the metal cover on the waste bins in the lavatories. I'm guessing that American expected a lifetime of USA-Japan runs out of these planes. But then Japan slowed down while China sped up, and we're left with bilingual signage that isn't so much helpful as a reminder of times past.
There is some commonality though, between written Chinese and Japanese, so the Chinese people on board would have no trouble reading the characters for the "Exit" signs. However, they'd have to rely on their English skills for things like "Life vests are located under your seat." To that point, the flight was almost full of Chinese people. There were only few westerners on board, as is usually the case when I fly AAL 187.
When I sat down, my ottoman (across from my seat) already had a collection of goodies waiting on it for me:
These items came wrapped in plastic, but I got rid of the plastic and the Flight Attendants came and removed it right away. Inside the bundle was a light-weight black throw, a more substantial gray duvet, a medium sized pillow, and a full sized pillow. I thought the red paper banner ("relax, rest, and sleep...") was actually quite nice, as that's exactly what I was about to do. Also, I'm sure they don't know this, but the red color is auspicious in Chinese culture and means celebration. We're headed to Beijing, after all!
Here you can see the slippers they brought, along with the socks from the ample amenity kit, and of course the pre-departure champagne. You can see the amenity kit in the picture of my seat (above). It's the light gray rectangular thing on the armrest, about the size and shape of an iPad case. In fact, it's exactly the size and shape of an iPad case, so you can use it for that purpose after the flight.
You can see that the rain was continuing to fall outside the window:
Next came the Flight Attendant with pajamas...
And a Bose noise-canceling headset...
And three menus for the flight...
... and a personal tutorial for operating the seat controls. It was during the tutorial that the Flight Attendant introduced the turn-down service. She was a bit casual about it ("...don't worry, we'll make your bed for you when you're ready, just let us know when you want to sleep"), but perfectly friendly and attentive and, I thought, an excellent representative for the brand.
In case you can't see it in the photo, that's a food menu, a beverage menu, and a dessert menu. Business Class, of course, has all of these menus combined in one booklet; first Class has more choices, so it's nice that they break them down into separate menus. Having a dessert menu feels very decadent.
In the back of the picture you can see my iPhone charger, which needs AC power. American's 777-200 fleet still has DC power (think: car cigarette lighters), but the cabin crew has converters that they can lend out. I asked for one and they gave it to me for the duration of the flight.
All of this unfolded in a timely fashion before pushback. I had the pillows, the headsets, my pajamas, the comforters, my personal seat tutorial, and of course plenty of champagne before the plane even finished boarding.
The service was excellent. The lead Flight Attendant for our cabin was a woman, let's call her "Arlene", who said her hobby was "wine" (she grew up in Monterrey, California) and she was able to make excellent suggestions for parings for the meal service. She looked as if she had a fair amount of seniority, but nevertheless seemed downright enthusiastic about the trip, saying she'd be more than happy to make sure our flight was a comfortable experience. You hear about grim, mechanical, or even grizzled flight attendants on high-seniority routes; Arlene was was exactly the opposite. Friendly (always calling me by name), attentive, and just happy to be there. Quite nice indeed. And did I mention that my champagne kept getting topped off without my ever even noticing it?
Departure and dinner came next, but let's leave that for the next chapter.
Last edited by prolixindec; Aug 19, 2014 at 9:22 pm
Apr 23, 2014, 10:38 am
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 57
American Airlines, ORD-PEK, Flagship First Class, continued...
We pushed back about 15 minutes late due to weather, and then had a leisurely taxi to the runway. I had settled down into the seat and was reading my book when I wasn't busy watching the traffic outside. Before long we were airborne.
Drinks came about 10 minutes after takeoff, accompanied by a glass of water and a dish of warm nuts. American still uses those crazy-shaped water glasses in First.
Drinks and the snack were followed shortly by the main meal service.
The amuse-bouche was clever and tasty.
I had white wine with the first courses, which was served in a full-size glass. I chose the smoked salmon appetizer...
...which looked like this up close:
The appetizer really delivered. Everything was tasty without being overpowering, and the portions were generous. That was followed by a soup course, which was piping hot and a real hit.
I switched to red wine with the salad. I suppose there isn't much to say about a salad, except that the greens were crispy, which is good.
By the time the main course came out, I was five courses into a six-course meal and getting pretty full.
But as you can see, they did a pretty good job with the steak so I was going to try and eat as much of it as I could. It was as good a steak as I've ever had on an airplane, which meant it was a little overcooked for my taste but still flavorful. It wasn't bad, but looking back on the menu choices, I probably should have tried the ravioli.
These were the wines.
Remember Arlene, the flight attendant who said her hobby was wine? She made the rounds of the First Class, talking to the passengers about the wine list and helping them with their choices. Anyone who was curious of course got a small sampler of each to taste, served on a silver tray, before having the main choice presented in a full-sized glass. Arlene was conversational but not intrusive, and I was happy to hear what she had to say about the wines on board.
After that big meal I was too full for dessert, so it was time to change into pajamas and read my book until getting sleepy enough for a nap. I will now admit that I didn't use the First Class pajamas. Maybe that's sacrilegious, but I have some flannel pants and a comfy shirt that are certainly more comfortable than airline clothing, so I just retrieved those from my carryon and changed into them.
The lavatory was up front by the galley, and was not very spacious. So far, that's my only real complaint for the flight; it just wasn't possible to change into PJ's without bumping up against the walls. And I already mentioned the bilingual English/Japanese signage that's permanently built in to the hard product... but that's not really a complaint. Just an observation that this aircraft entered service in a different era.
Since AAL 187 takes off at night, it's easy to get sleepy about three hours into the flight, once the excitement of takeoff has worn off and the food and wine have started to work their effects. Even in those "angled lie-flat" seats back in Business Class, I've never had any trouble sleeping for six or eight hours. And now with these generous First Class seats, it was even better. After reading my book for an hour I started to get pleasantly drowsy, so I went to brush my teeth while taking advantage of the turndown service. When I came back, Arlene had converted the seat into a perfectly flat bed, amply long and wide. She had installed a mattress pad over the whole seat, and then the duvet over that. It ended up being the best airline sleep I ever had... but not much to take pictures of.
Guangxi and more food, in the next chapter.
Drinks came about 10 minutes after takeoff, accompanied by a glass of water and a dish of warm nuts. American still uses those crazy-shaped water glasses in First.
Drinks and the snack were followed shortly by the main meal service.
The amuse-bouche was clever and tasty.
I had white wine with the first courses, which was served in a full-size glass. I chose the smoked salmon appetizer...
...which looked like this up close:
The appetizer really delivered. Everything was tasty without being overpowering, and the portions were generous. That was followed by a soup course, which was piping hot and a real hit.
I switched to red wine with the salad. I suppose there isn't much to say about a salad, except that the greens were crispy, which is good.
By the time the main course came out, I was five courses into a six-course meal and getting pretty full.
But as you can see, they did a pretty good job with the steak so I was going to try and eat as much of it as I could. It was as good a steak as I've ever had on an airplane, which meant it was a little overcooked for my taste but still flavorful. It wasn't bad, but looking back on the menu choices, I probably should have tried the ravioli.
These were the wines.
Remember Arlene, the flight attendant who said her hobby was wine? She made the rounds of the First Class, talking to the passengers about the wine list and helping them with their choices. Anyone who was curious of course got a small sampler of each to taste, served on a silver tray, before having the main choice presented in a full-sized glass. Arlene was conversational but not intrusive, and I was happy to hear what she had to say about the wines on board.
After that big meal I was too full for dessert, so it was time to change into pajamas and read my book until getting sleepy enough for a nap. I will now admit that I didn't use the First Class pajamas. Maybe that's sacrilegious, but I have some flannel pants and a comfy shirt that are certainly more comfortable than airline clothing, so I just retrieved those from my carryon and changed into them.
The lavatory was up front by the galley, and was not very spacious. So far, that's my only real complaint for the flight; it just wasn't possible to change into PJ's without bumping up against the walls. And I already mentioned the bilingual English/Japanese signage that's permanently built in to the hard product... but that's not really a complaint. Just an observation that this aircraft entered service in a different era.
Since AAL 187 takes off at night, it's easy to get sleepy about three hours into the flight, once the excitement of takeoff has worn off and the food and wine have started to work their effects. Even in those "angled lie-flat" seats back in Business Class, I've never had any trouble sleeping for six or eight hours. And now with these generous First Class seats, it was even better. After reading my book for an hour I started to get pleasantly drowsy, so I went to brush my teeth while taking advantage of the turndown service. When I came back, Arlene had converted the seat into a perfectly flat bed, amply long and wide. She had installed a mattress pad over the whole seat, and then the duvet over that. It ended up being the best airline sleep I ever had... but not much to take pictures of.
Guangxi and more food, in the next chapter.
Last edited by prolixindec; Apr 24, 2014 at 6:55 pm
Apr 23, 2014, 11:30 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: BTR/MSY
Programs: AA EXP, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott LTP, Hilton Gold
Posts: 1,258
Welcome to FT, prolixindec, and thank you for your report thus far! The enthusiasm you've conveyed in the text of the report makes it an even more enjoyable read!
Just FYI, the soup course is exclusive to Flagship First.
Just FYI, the soup course is exclusive to Flagship First.
Apr 23, 2014, 11:45 am
#6
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 57
Billiken, thanks for the compliment, and dat4life, thanks for the info about the soup. As I mentioned, I've flown this same flight in Business Class a number of times already, which I thought was a fine experience, and yet I'm impressed by how much things like going from a 4-course to a 6-course meal adds to the experience.
More to come! The pictures on the return trip are better FWIW, because there was light coming in from the windows. Also, you can expect some gratuitous shots from the Li river in Guangxi. :-)
More to come! The pictures on the return trip are better FWIW, because there was light coming in from the windows. Also, you can expect some gratuitous shots from the Li river in Guangxi. :-)
Apr 23, 2014, 1:10 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Home Airports: CAE/CLT
Programs: Hyatt Globalist, National Executive
Posts: 5,452
Thanks for a great TR! Can't wait to see more!
I have never flown longhaul first, though I do love the Flagship Lounge in ORD, from back in theday when I was an EXP.
I have never flown longhaul first, though I do love the Flagship Lounge in ORD, from back in theday when I was an EXP.
Apr 23, 2014, 2:40 pm
#9
formerly known as Tad's Broiled Steaks
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,412
American Airlines started taking delivery of their 777-200's in the late 1990's, a time when Japan was still the second-largest economy in the world. Here and there you can see evidence of this, as some of the signs are still in English and Japanese, for example on the metal cover on the waste bins in the lavatories. I'm guessing that American expected a lifetime of USA-Japan runs out of these planes. But then Japan slowed down while China sped up, and we're left with bilingual signage that doesn't make much sense anymore.
There is some commonality though, between written Chinese and Japanese, so the Chinese people on board would have no trouble reading the characters for the "Exit" signs. However, they'd have to rely on their English skills for things like "Life vests are located under your seat." To that point, the flight was almost full of Chinese people. There were only few westerners on board, as is usually the case when I fly AAL 187.
There is some commonality though, between written Chinese and Japanese, so the Chinese people on board would have no trouble reading the characters for the "Exit" signs. However, they'd have to rely on their English skills for things like "Life vests are located under your seat." To that point, the flight was almost full of Chinese people. There were only few westerners on board, as is usually the case when I fly AAL 187.
Apr 23, 2014, 3:26 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2010
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,659
Thanks for the trip report, it's nice to read a review of AA F from someone who enjoyed it and doesn't just complain. I've traveled in F on AA to Asia and Europe and always enjoyed it. I especially like the seat and the personal space it provides. I think the F in the new 773 is perfect as it basically the same seat but updated (especially IFE). My only observation is that in the new plane seat 1A gets a lot of noise and light from the galley. Looking forward to the rest...
Apr 23, 2014, 3:44 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,600
prolixindec, outstanding 1st report. Great pics and narrative. Glad you got the imbedded pics thing figured out.
Not sure if is the more competitive route or distance, but the wines look like an improvement over the swill that was served on our DFW-EZE flight a few month ago. Our Pablano Asiago was positively sensational. Enjoy China. Looking forward to the next installment.
Not sure if is the more competitive route or distance, but the wines look like an improvement over the swill that was served on our DFW-EZE flight a few month ago. Our Pablano Asiago was positively sensational. Enjoy China. Looking forward to the next installment.
Apr 23, 2014, 4:20 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 57
BuildingMyBento - 是的！
SFO777 - yes, the Pablano Asiago was wonderful, among the best dishes I've ever had on a plane. I'll have more to say about the soup(s) on the return trip.
FAA1996 - My overall conclusion will echo what you just said. Not to give it away here, but AA can put together a fantastic experience.
All - Thanks everyone for the comments so far. Working on the next installment now; check back soon.
SFO777 - yes, the Pablano Asiago was wonderful, among the best dishes I've ever had on a plane. I'll have more to say about the soup(s) on the return trip.
FAA1996 - My overall conclusion will echo what you just said. Not to give it away here, but AA can put together a fantastic experience.
All - Thanks everyone for the comments so far. Working on the next installment now; check back soon.
Apr 23, 2014, 7:43 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2014
Posts: 57
American Airlines, ORD-PEK, Flagship First Class, continued...
What?!? I thought we were on board AAL 187?
Yes, indeed, when we last left our intrepid narrator, he was sound asleep, seven miles above the surface of the earth and something like 800 miles away from the North Pole, floating in darkness and enjoying a peaceful sleep in First Class bliss. Now suddenly there's a picture of someone standing on the tarmac right in front of the snout of an A320. What gives?
Well, it turns out that the Flagship First bed was so comfy that I slept most of the rest of the way. When I woke up I took time to read more in my book. I wasn't hungry, so I didn't end up eating much at the end of the flight, and that means there wasn't much to take pictures of. Especially since it was dark outside and dark inside.
I got up and stretched, made the seat into a chair again, and sat down for some comfy time with my book until it was time to change out of my pajamas and back into street clothes for landing.
The landing was uneventful and the crew managed to make up some of our weather delay from Chicago. I was the third one off the plane and got through the airport relatively quickly, but that still took some time: American Airlines' gates in Beijing are a tram ride away from the airport exit, and there's plenty of hiking to do both before and after the tram.
I met my friend at Starbucks and we drove together to the Courtyard Marriott Northeast for a quick sleep before leaving the next day for Guilin in Guangxi Province.
Here's a cute sign in the parking garage at Beijing Capital Airport, urging people to use their smartphones to record where they parked their cars:
The trip to Guilin, on the Air China A320 pictured above, was also pretty uneventful. The only interesting parts were that we took a bus to the plane and then walked up an outdoor flight of stairs to board, and that I saw my first live 787, one from Hainan airlines. I think it's ironic that I live in the city where Boeing has it's headquarters and yet I have to go 7000 miles around the world to see a 787 up close. Oh well.
I didn't take any pictures on the flight to Guilin because it was a coach trip, on Air China, in an A320, which at first didn't seem that interesting... but looking back, I wish I had. Anyway...
The food was actually good. It was a breakfast flight so they served a "soy sauce egg", some congee, a packet of preserved mustard greens, a bun with red bean paste filling, and green tea. Looking back on it, I realize that a "soy sauce egg", some congee, a packet of preserved mustard greens, a bun with red bean paste filling, and green tea might actually be interesting to people who don't fly on Chinese domestic air carriers, so I regret that I didn't take photos. Maybe next time. ;-)
Anyway, we arrived safely and on time.
Here are a collection of pictures I took on the trip. As you might be able to see, my main interest is people, followed by landscapes, and then finally by food. Or maybe it's people, food, and then landscapes. I dunno. But I like taking pictures of people the best.
Guangxi looks like this:
And Guangxi also looks like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And like this:
And finally, like this:
In short, Guangxi is China in all its vibrance, energy, immediacy, and livelihood.
The food was of course delicious, and I took pictures of everything. And since I did promise more photos of food in this trip report…
Let me preface this next section by saying that if you are a fan of Chinese food, you should seriously consider going to China. They do it really well there. :-)
At home in Chicago, "Chinese" food typically means Chinese-American food, which is a cuisine entirely unto itself. So for the real deal, please head east to China where you can enjoy things such as bitter melon with yard-long beans:
And the exquisite Guilin "beer fish," which is a whole live fish, halved, flash fried in a wok, and then finished in a sauce that includes a bottle of local beer:
Yunnan-style potatoes is also a winner. This is a restaurant version of street food that I had in Kunming. The chef in Guangxi did get the flavors right, but the street cooks in Kunming are more likely to use rough chunks of potato instead of fancy ribbon-cut fries:
Then of course there's tofu with Chinese bacon and other cured meats:
And all 中国通 will affirm that you can't dine in China without having hot pot at least once. This is my friend, about to place a square of congealed duck blood into the broth for cooking, along with other vegetables and meats:
Finally, one of the best meals I had on this whole trip was also the simplest. On our trip up the Li river, the crew cooked a rustic lunch for the passengers in a huge wok outdoors on the stern of the boat. Note that this picture was of a boat that we passed along the way, but our guys on the back of our boat were up to the same thing with the same kind of set-up:
The lunch included peppers, onions, and fish cakes, along with rice noodles and stir-fried cabbage. And of course lukewarm Tsingtao beer straight from the can. Not quite the same as American Airlines' Flagship First menu, but when it's raining outside, and you're on a boat in the middle of a big river, deep in the fog, between giant misty mountains, in the middle of southeast China, it hits the spot like absolutely nothing else can.
Next up:more airplane travel and more food.
Last edited by prolixindec; Aug 19, 2014 at 9:36 pm
Apr 23, 2014, 9:24 pm
#15
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Denver • DEN-APA
Programs: AF Platinum, EK Gold, AA EXP, UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 21,600
Absolutely stunning photos. Like you, I enjoy taking pics of people and food on our travels. 
Really enjoying your tour of Guangxi. ^
Really enjoying your tour of Guangxi. ^