Part 2: Business Class Across The Pond
UA929 London Heathrow - Chicago O’Hare International
United Airlines, Boeing 767-300ER, Seat 6K, Business Class (Upgraded fro Y to NC)
3953 Miles flown, 3942 Miles Earned
Channel 9: Off 
The Pictures
I was welcomed aboard, and turned right to the first row of business class, where there was a surprise of a seat mate there already. No biggy – but this is what you get for relying on a seat map.
Drink offers were made – of course, this being about 7:15 in the morning, there’s only one drink to have – Champers of course (Pol Roger Blue Top amazingly).
Morning fizzypop.
Boarding was completed very quickly, and we pushed back early… and we were all greeted to Jeff Smisek's face.
Like a god smiling down to his followers...
Just the sort of thing you want to see first thing in the morning.
All the plastic was tided away, and we begun one of the shortest taxi’s I’ve done recently – push back, turn, and taxi over to the near runway, and off we went.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mT4YoRzWug8
Climbing out
Soon enough, we had climbed out, and the breakfast service commenced. I decided to risk my neck again with a UA Omelet.
Set table, Fruit Starter and Croissant
Again, it was hearty fair, with the fruit very nice and fresh. The Omelet, whilst a bit stringy was edible, the chicken sausage was completely inoffensive. God knows what Alpha Catering did to the Hash though – I’m still trying to work out what was in it....
Soon enough, the service was cleared away quickly, and popped the seat into recline and checked the IFE out. And now I can do a proper review of it as the headphones worked (as opposed to last year)
The content of the IFE as pretty reasonable – whilst not mostly to my taste, it wasn’t exactly bad. Which is a good thing. It has the important bit of IFE on it though – keeping up my traditions of being sad:
http://i4.photoblog.com/photos/6247-1287768051-5.jpg
Herb has the time of his life with Chris – Family Guy presents Blue Harvest
And to be honest, I kept to the comedy selections when I was awake. When I wasn’t, I popped the seat into full flat mode and snored by way from somewhere over the Atlantic to just over St Johns. Where I caught up with 30 Rock.
Somewhere....
About 1 and a half hours before landing the second service commenced – and boy this felt rushed since service commenced the best part of 1:15 before landing. At least they were quick getting to me..
To start with...
Mixed nuts!
Duck Starter with a salad (Asian Sesame Seed dressing)
I decided to risk the fillet mignon – and it wasn’t too bad. It wasn’t exactly tough but it required effort to get into it. But it was edible as were the potato wedges and beans.
Fillet Mignon
Of course by this point there was 35 minutes left on the flight – and desert was rushed. I went for the chocolate moose thing and whilst nice, it was a time pressure to finish it in 5 minutes before they started to clear down the cabin for the approch into O’Hare.
[img]http://i4.photoblog.com/photos/6247-1287768051-20.jpg[img]
Closing in to Chicago over Loyola
Soon enough, that was cleared away, and the cabin prepared for landing.
Youtube landing video
After a nice landing at ORD, the plane taxied it’s way to the International Terminal and parked up at one of the best gates in the place – M9 – which drops you off right at the Immigration hall. Which is important when Chicago immigration is getting worse by the trip...
Crossing the bridge over to the terminal
Overall: Compared to recent experiences (and even last year’s trip in Business), I’m sad to say this was distinctly average. United does have win’s in the hard product of the seat – but the soft product needs urgent attention in terms of speed of delivery. Catering, whilst OK, wasn’t stellar, and I feel there could be a little effort spent here that wouldn’t go a miss.
Oh and stick on Channel 9 please…
Immigration
Welcome to the USA. Again, queues galore as the Korean Air and JAL flights had made it in (and it’s easy to tell with the amount of Shilla/Lotte Duty Free bags lurking around). However, I was seen to in 10 minutes, and after very light questioning, I was let into the country. However I did look behind me as I went though to see the mass of people queuing, and this leads me to a nasty comment about US Immigration.
WHY CAN’T YOU HAVE MORE AGENTS DOING US IMMIGRATION FOR FOREIGN NATIONALS? There was about 2 planeloads of people there and all the switchbacks were jam packed solid.
Or if any DHS person is reading this: You’re charging $14 for per head for an ESTA into the United States of America. Kindly put that money to good use and GET MORE IMMIGRATION AGENTS!!!!
Or in simpler language -
SORT IT!
With that rant over, it was time to head to the luggage belt where my main rucksack was just completing it’s first or second trip on the belt, so it was picked up, and after a few minutes the buzzer sounded on belt 9A indicating that the ski bag was on the way.
After another grilling at Customs (as I dare to continue my education to the America’s about why chocolate doesn’t have to taste like wax), I was free to enter the United States.
20 minutes from door to door. For the USA – that’s nigh on amazing going by recent experiences. I was banking on a full hour or so.
Alas, I needed to get to the Hyatt Regency, and of course – I didn’t have a Taxi driver who didn’t know where he was going, so I had to guide him in. And pay for the privilege of course.