NEW United Int. Global First & BusinessFirst
May 1, 2012, 8:57 am
#16
Formerly known as CollegeFlyer
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: JRA
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA PLT, Hyatt Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hertz 5*
Posts: 6,716
IMO backward facing is better than forward facing in a flat seat because of the nose elevation issue. But middle seat is still worse than aisle/window.
May 1, 2012, 8:59 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Boone, NC
Programs: Marriott Platinum, UA Gold, DL Gold, BA Silver
Posts: 135
My prediction?
As always, the experience will depend entirely on the crew. I just had the great (ORD-MUC) and the worst (AMS-ORD) on a single trip in GF. I actually think they may have been trialing the new menu on the ORD-MUC leg as it including things like duck breast that I don't remember seeing in the past. In a touch of greatness, the FA on that leg actually disassembled the napkin/silverwear packages and brough the necessary pieces with each course, like in a restaurant. Brilliant!
As always, the experience will depend entirely on the crew. I just had the great (ORD-MUC) and the worst (AMS-ORD) on a single trip in GF. I actually think they may have been trialing the new menu on the ORD-MUC leg as it including things like duck breast that I don't remember seeing in the past. In a touch of greatness, the FA on that leg actually disassembled the napkin/silverwear packages and brough the necessary pieces with each course, like in a restaurant. Brilliant!
May 1, 2012, 10:23 am
#19
Used to be MBS PremExec
Join Date: Sep 2000
Location: Saginaw, MI (MBS)
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Marriott Titanium w/Lifetime Plat, Hilton LIfetime ♢, National Exec, Amex Plat
Posts: 5,722
I think it hit a day early, as I flew HKG-ORD yesterday (Apr 30)...Although I didn't think anything of this as I flew, otherwise, would have grabbed the menu or taken pics. Sorry!
New menu, full-color cover, thicker stock. The main meals were about the same, although the mid-flight 'hearty' options seemed a bit better--an actually very delicious hot wrap available en masse. Turkey, cheese and LOTS of bacon--never had that before and was much better than the hot sandwiches they used to offer. Although the 'not so hearty' options were scarce--when I woke up, there were only Lays chips left. The F/A did tell me to sneak upstairs and see if anything was left in their basket--and there was. Full-size Twix bars (I recall those from the past), Babybell cheese 'wheels' and a few other things that I passed on.
Breakfast, prior to landing, was on par with previous flights.
Service was amazing on this flight...EXCELLENT crew--both the HKG and ORD-based attendants. The best one was an ORD-based gal originally from Taiwan. Such a sweetheart--we talked for nearly an hour at one point, and always checked on me when I was awake to see if she could bring me anything else.
New menu, full-color cover, thicker stock. The main meals were about the same, although the mid-flight 'hearty' options seemed a bit better--an actually very delicious hot wrap available en masse. Turkey, cheese and LOTS of bacon--never had that before and was much better than the hot sandwiches they used to offer. Although the 'not so hearty' options were scarce--when I woke up, there were only Lays chips left. The F/A did tell me to sneak upstairs and see if anything was left in their basket--and there was. Full-size Twix bars (I recall those from the past), Babybell cheese 'wheels' and a few other things that I passed on.
Breakfast, prior to landing, was on par with previous flights.
Service was amazing on this flight...EXCELLENT crew--both the HKG and ORD-based attendants. The best one was an ORD-based gal originally from Taiwan. Such a sweetheart--we talked for nearly an hour at one point, and always checked on me when I was awake to see if she could bring me anything else.
May 1, 2012, 10:24 am
#20
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Gatwick, UK
Programs: UA *G, BA Silver
Posts: 1,673
New BF amenities bag - it now includes a pen!
Menus looked more attractively printed than last I flew business - the food was a little better, but not dramatically so. I did get given cheese and biscuits and ice cream.
Menus looked more attractively printed than last I flew business - the food was a little better, but not dramatically so. I did get given cheese and biscuits and ice cream.
May 1, 2012, 10:38 am
#21
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ATL
Programs: UA 3.6 MM, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 2,582
New Amenity Kits, But Catering still blows
ORD-LHR
New Amenity Kits are a big plus. Now almost on par with delta. The creams and lip balm are a little on the cheap side, but dramatically improved from PMUA and close to PMCO. So a thumbs up to Jeff and team for the first time from me.
The menus are nice and glossy, but the upgraded menu has been in place for months now.
The catering is still awful. Pan-seared Salmon was on the menu (unusual for PMUA) and it was salmon jerkey. The asian veggie wrap starter was supersized--almost a burrito. The arrival breakfast is the same old inedible fruit (same as PMUA). How do they get the oranges to taste so bad? Nothing like an orange.
A firm line from the FA's that they are no longer doing express meals and that they don't have the trays for it any longer. The menu hinted at express meals but wasn't explicit. Big thumbs down from someone who likes to get the painful kabuki dance of in-flight catering over and done with fast.
No noticeable difference in pillows and blankets from PMUA.
New Amenity Kits are a big plus. Now almost on par with delta. The creams and lip balm are a little on the cheap side, but dramatically improved from PMUA and close to PMCO. So a thumbs up to Jeff and team for the first time from me.
The menus are nice and glossy, but the upgraded menu has been in place for months now.
The catering is still awful. Pan-seared Salmon was on the menu (unusual for PMUA) and it was salmon jerkey. The asian veggie wrap starter was supersized--almost a burrito. The arrival breakfast is the same old inedible fruit (same as PMUA). How do they get the oranges to taste so bad? Nothing like an orange.
A firm line from the FA's that they are no longer doing express meals and that they don't have the trays for it any longer. The menu hinted at express meals but wasn't explicit. Big thumbs down from someone who likes to get the painful kabuki dance of in-flight catering over and done with fast.
No noticeable difference in pillows and blankets from PMUA.
May 1, 2012, 11:09 am
#22
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,138
May 1, 2012, 11:17 am
#24
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 449
Got those pens the last 2 TPACS I flew in early March. They're long and flat right?
Are these Amenity kits the ones that come in that wire-mesh bag?
I miss the actual slippers that other airlines still have and not those cheap tube socks they give you instead (really UA, was the cost of the tube socks so much less than the disposable slippers?). Why do I miss them? Because you can't go to the lavatory just wearing those tube socks!
Are these Amenity kits the ones that come in that wire-mesh bag?
I miss the actual slippers that other airlines still have and not those cheap tube socks they give you instead (really UA, was the cost of the tube socks so much less than the disposable slippers?). Why do I miss them? Because you can't go to the lavatory just wearing those tube socks!
May 1, 2012, 11:19 am
#25
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
I have LAX-LHR in F on the 17th and LHR-SFO in C on the way back, though WL for F, so if my upgrade doesn't clear I'll get to see both in a about 2 weeks. If this is a menu refresh, and said refresh is mostly limited to the paper and not the actual food and wine it further validates the email sent to AA last week.
May 1, 2012, 11:47 am
#26
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,138
I miss the actual slippers that other airlines still have and not those cheap tube socks they give you instead (really UA, was the cost of the tube socks so much less than the disposable slippers?). Why do I miss them? Because you can't go to the lavatory just wearing those tube socks!
You could just do what 80% of the C pax did on my recent LHR-IAD flight: go into the lav either in sock feet or barefoot.
(I was in 11H and watched a seemingly endless procession of this...)
May 1, 2012, 11:50 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: where lions are led by donkeys...
Programs: Lifetime Gold, Global Entry, Hertz PC, and my wallet
Posts: 20,344
Those are the ones I've gotten in the past (most recently mid-April) in the old amenity kits.
The US-Japan flights still had (albeit cheap) slippers when I traveled in December, but I've never had them on any other international flights.
You could just do what 80% of the C pax did on my recent LHR-IAD flight: go into the lav either in sock feet or barefoot. (I was in 11H and watched a seemingly endless procession of this...)
The US-Japan flights still had (albeit cheap) slippers when I traveled in December, but I've never had them on any other international flights.
You could just do what 80% of the C pax did on my recent LHR-IAD flight: go into the lav either in sock feet or barefoot.
(I was in 11H and watched a seemingly endless procession of this...)
May 1, 2012, 12:42 pm
#30
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: SEA
Programs: DL DM, HH diamond
Posts: 330
Flew SFO - FRA yesterday and saw some aspects of 'new service' and some of the same old service we've all come to know (and love?)
Agree. Finally a pen! And lip balm. I always travel with my own, but just in case one forgets, this is good.
The menus are nice and glossy, but the upgraded menu has been in place for months now.
No new menus on this flight and the food was the same old same old, at least as far as I can tell. One positive: the menu listed the dreaded spring roll as the app but instead we got 3 or 4 shrimp with some cocktail sauce alongside the salad. Nothing earth-shattering, but better than that plasticky inedible spring roll.
They did provide express meal service to another person sitting in my row. Who knows - maybe luck of the draw with the flight crew...
Agree. Finally a pen! And lip balm. I always travel with my own, but just in case one forgets, this is good.
The menus are nice and glossy, but the upgraded menu has been in place for months now.
A firm line from the FA's that they are no longer doing express meals and that they don't have the trays for it any longer. The menu hinted at express meals but wasn't explicit. Big thumbs down from someone who likes to get the painful kabuki dance of in-flight catering over and done with fast.