October 25th through November 4th, 2013

As originally planned, I was going to take a three day break in Fairbanks, do laundry, watch a couple of football games and then depart on October 28th for Los Angeles. The next day I’d once again board an Emirates 777 for the long flight to Dubai, followed by a daytime flight down to Johannesburg. I was really looking forward to that flight. At 8,320 miles, it is the longest flight in the Emirates system and it would also have been the longest flight I’d ever flown upon. The fact that I was booked in First Class just added to the excitement and anticipation.

With an almost two week stay planned in South Africa, I’d arranged a very affordable car rental out of Capetown and was looking forward to visiting the Stellenbosch region as well as driving up the western Cape to Upington and beyond into Namibia. Then I’d fly to Hong Kong and beyond on November 12th.

Unfortunately, a big problem started developing during the last week of my European adventure. My right arm was becoming progressively stiffer and my right hand was getting so numb I couldn’t even retrieve my wallet from my back pocket. It was important to find out what was going on and – if at all possible – address the problem with an eye toward some relief.

So – instead of flying down to LA and beyond, I cancelled those flights and instead arranged for a trip down to Colorado for some MRIs and a consultation with the neurologists who’ve been treating me over the past few years. Not only is the quality of care better and less expensive down in Colorado, but I can get MRIs done for about one third the cost – even after insurance – that I’d pay if I had them done up here in Alaska. In any event, a prescription for Prednisone helped alleviate the symptoms to the extent that I could once again do everyday things like write or turn the key to the ignition in my truck. We’re talking major relief here in every sense of the word.

As for my travel plans, I’d basically written off the remainder of this trip but the only portion that I’d actually cancelled were the flights from Fairbanks to Johannesburg and the rental car. My Cathay Pacific flight to Hong Kong as well as my United award flights were still in play. My doctors agreed that there was no real reason why I shouldn’t be able to travel anywhere if that’s what I wanted to do. Hmm… that’s always something that I want to do…

The problem was that it was now October 31st and given the Saver Award availability for First or Business Class seats, I wouldn’t be able to get to South Africa any earlier than the morning of November 9th. That would leave me all of three days there – kind of like going to the world’s finest steak house and only getting to eat an ounce of filet.

I got to thinking though about some of the trip reports that I’d seen published here at Flyertalk, trips where the writer basically used up a bunch of miles just to go out and enjoy some quality time in a Premium Class cabin. I’m talking about writers like Kiwi Flyer who would take fantastic journeys where the primary benefit was the pure enjoyment of superior inflight service and comfort. Many of us probably thought he was crazy but we all enjoyed reading about his flights and I suspect more than a few of us secretly thought it would be fun to do the same thing ourselves someday.

If you’re going to expend the time and miles and money to travel to a place as distant as Africa, it’s a hard thing to get past the idea of only staying for two or three days. Still, the idea of enjoying all that premium class seating and service is pretty alluring. I mean, think about it – how many of you have been jonesin’ for a nice flight in a good First or Business Class cabin but the idea of doing so just for the fun of it doesn’t quite jive with your sensibilities or those of your significant other? I suspect many of us have faced a similar conundrum in this regard. That said, I’m presently sitting on more miles than I’ve ever had in my life. I can afford to be a bit frivolous if I want to.

I think I do. I mean - what the heck, if it’s fun, just do it! Besides, if I don’t, this trip report will end right here. So let’s check out the possibilities…

Rather than drag you all through the various itineraries that I considered, let’s just cut right to the chase and I’ll tell you what I came up with.

The great thing about redeeming mileage within the Star Alliance is that you can use a number of airlines to get from point A to point B. Before I go any farther here, I’d like to credit fellow FlyerTalker flycal312 for his invaluable assistance in helping me get the most from my United miles. Thanks, man!

Ideally, I wanted a First Class seat aboard Lufthansa’s 747 or the new 747-800 through Frankfurt but alas, the space just wasn’t there on short notice and it never opened up. So, using 60000 United miles I finally came up with a great Business Class itinerary to Johannesburg using Athens as the primary connecting point. As booked, I’ll be flying United’s p.s. service between San Francisco and New York, followed by first time flights aboard Austrian and Tyrolean Airlines through Vienna to Athens. I’ll have a short two hour layover in Athens before continuing on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and then to Entebbe (via Kigali, Rwanda) where I’ll connect to South African Airways down to Johannesburg and on to Port Elizabeth.

While most everybody else flying between New York and Johannesburg would just hop on South African Airways’ daily nonstop flight (7970 miles) I get to travel along this exotic routing through Austria, Greece, Turkey, Rwanda and Uganda covering 10920 miles. Honestly, I get excited just looking at this itinerary! There are all these new airlines, and I get to fly them in Business Class! Plus, I’ll get to take my first ever flight aboard United’s enhanced p.s. service! Right on!

The only downside to this itinerary is that during the stops in Rwanda and Uganda, I’ll risk exposure to mosquitoes carrying Malaria and Yellow Fever. That means I’ll have to get vaccinated for Yellow Fever and pick up nine days’ worth of anti-malarial medication. The only place in Fairbanks that handles Travel Medicine is the Tanana Valley Clinic and they are not inexpensive. This routing through Entebbe ultimately cost me an extra $293.00.

Now then, what to do during my three days in South Africa?

I picked Port Elizabeth as a destination because Shosholoza Meyl, the railway company that operates passenger services in South Africa, has opened up a new route for its Premier Class train between Port Elizabeth and Johannesburg. Those of you who’ve read my trip reports over the past three years will be familiar with Premier Class trains, but for those of you who aren’t, they are an upgraded First Class only train offering much better accommodations along with plush lounges and inclusive of all meals. While the Premier Class service hardly compares to that of South Africa’s famous Blue Train, it is far more affordable. My twenty hour trip from Port Elizabeth to Johannesburg will cost me $200.00 USD. By comparison, the least expensive accommodations I could book aboard the Blue Train’s twenty-five hour journey between Capetown and Pretoria would cost me over $1600.00 USD.

So – I’m booked and ready to go. Let’s head on out to the airport!


November 5, 2013
Alaska Airlines Fairbanks – Seattle 515p – 953p 737-400 Coach Class

Unlike some, I actually enjoy winter in Alaska’s Interior. Heck, I just love living up here period. Winter’s been a bit slow in coming this year and as such we didn’t get our first real snowfall until Halloween day. We only received a couple of inches but today the snow started falling at about 10:00am and we’re projected to pick up another four or five inches. Sitting at my desk and looking out my window while printing out the various boarding passes, vouchers and printed confirmations that support a trip such as this, I can’t help but stifle a pang of regret at leaving on such a beautiful day. For one who lives in a cabin in the forest as opposed to a house in the city, days like this are just idyllic. I hate leaving Fairbanks on days like this.

But leave I must and excited I certainly am! Even though I’m not actually staying very long anywhere on this portion of my travels, this is still going to be a great travel adventure! At least for me it is. No doubt some of the more pragmatic amongst us – and believe me, when it comes to air travel FlyerTalk is unfortunately well populated with these types - are shaking their heads in dismay at what they consider to be a monumental waste of time and miles. To these people I make no apologies nor offer any rationale for what I do. I just love to fly and ride trains – so anyone having a problem coming to grips with that fact should ask themselves - why am I even reading this report any more? For those people I recommend returning to the Trip Reports Forum index and find themselves a land-based report more keeping with their practical no-nonsense sensibilities. G’wan now...

My flight to Seattle is booked in Economy so I won’t spend much time on it except to say that as a Gold 75K level flyer on Alaska, I can almost always book myself into an exit row aisle seat that offers way better legroom than First Class and – more and more – Buy On Board meals that are superior to what’s being served up front. In fact, tonight’s offering – a good 1/3rd pound cheeseburger served with a bag of potato chips – has become so popular that it is often the meal being offered complimentary in First Class. Back here behind the curtain we’re asked to pay $6.00 for it, quite a good deal considering the quality and quantity of the overall meal.



A Good Afternoon For Flying



A Good Evening For Flying



Alaska’s Excellent $6.00 Cheeseburger

Landing at SeaTac was ten minutes early and we parked out on the North Satellite which appears to be entirely dedicated to Alaska now. I’ve always liked the North Satellite and have fond memories of flying many a United DC-8-61 out of there back in the seventies. However, this facility needs a lounge in the worst way. The old United Club is located right downstairs but unfortunately Alaska is so cost conscious that they won’t open it as an interim facility while building their new lounge up on the roof.

I bee-lined it to my favorite airport nook, set up camp, read for a bit and was asleep by 11:00pm.

Tomorrow, the big Premium Class adventure begins!


November 6, 2013
United Airlines Seattle – San Francisco 714a – 935a 737-900 First Class
United Airlines San Francisco – New York 211p– 1030p 757-200 First Class

I like that the TSA Pre✓ emblem is printed right on my boarding pass. Last week when I tried to access the pre- lane at SeaTac with my Alaska boarding pass they wouldn’t let me enter.

This is my first time flying with United since they’ve relocated to the A Concourse. I have fond memories of good cold African Amber in the Africa Lounge when I used to fly Delta and American out of here and I was happy to see that the Africa Lounge is still looking as chic and inviting as ever. This morning however I was looking forward to a visit to the new United Club but since boarding was well underway for my San Francisco bound 737-900, I paused only to purchase this morning’s paper before strolling on down the jetway to my waiting seat at 2A.

Flight time was announced as an expeditious one hour and thirty-eight minutes with light chop as we climbed out of SeaTac. The 737 operating today’s flight was one of the newer ones so aside from the inflight magazine, it had nothing of any entertainment value onboard. No Wi-Fi, no music, no Direct TV, no drop down TV – Nothing. Oh well. The flight time was only 1:38 and those of us in First Class were momentarily distracted by hot towels and a small but quite tasty blueberry scone. The coffee flowed freely and even without the entertainment options, I’d have to chalk this up as a pleasant flight.



The Golden Gate Bridge from Above



A Nice View of San Francisco and The Bay

The United Club at SFO is one of my favorite airline lounges. I love the white stone floors, all the wood and the big floor to ceiling windows. The place is at once spacious, comfortable and inviting; much more so than either of the big lounges at Chicago or Denver. With a four hour layover I was tempted to hop a ride on the 7B bus over to nearby Burlingame but a check of the schedules combined with getting back to the airport in a timely fashion put the kibosh on that plan. Instead, I snagged a desk at the rear of the United Club and put in some more work on this report. I’m almost caught up!

Now I’ve been excited about this upcoming flight to New York ever since I scored a seat on it about five days ago. The reason for this is that the aircraft is configured for United’s p.s. service, featuring fully reclining though not quite 180° flat seats up in First Class. I’ve read about but never flown United’s p.s. transcons. Based upon promotional material both in print and on the internet, the service looks pretty good. But then doesn’t it always in that format… Let’s review:

Our p.s.® Premium Service flights offer an international product for an exceptional transcontinental travel experience between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO).

We’ve started the process of reconfiguring our p.s. fleet to bring an international level of premium cabin service to our p.s. transcontinental routes within the U.S. This transformation will bring the features and comfort of our p.s. travel experience to new heights. Customers who have enjoyed our current level of service on p.s. flights will find that they can expect the same attention to detail, along with some significantly enhanced amenities. Enhancements include:

• Completely reconfigured aircraft with fully refreshed interiors and all-new seating
• Full 180-degree flat-bed seats in United BusinessFirst®, replacing angled lie-flat and recliner seats in United First® and United Business®
• All-new United Economy® seats
• New United Economy Plus® seats featuring more legroom than before
• Complimentary in-seat personal on-demand entertainment and standard power ports in all seats

Onboard amenities
180-degree flat-bed seats
Up to 6 feet 4 inches of sleeping space, 21 inches wide
Complimentary amenities including eye shade, ear plugs and dental care kit
Complimentary duvet and pillow for use during your flight

Meals and beverages
Pre-departure beverage service
Hot towel service
Printed menus
Multi-course meals that include appetizer, salad, choice of entrée and ice cream sundae
A variety of premium cocktails, beer, wines and non-alcoholic beverages
Pre-arrival refreshment on select flights

Entertainment
Personal on-demand entertainment offering hundreds of movies, television shows, music and games on a 15.4-inch in-seat monitor
iPod Connect to watch your own movies or listen to your own music on the LCD screen
Gogo Wi-Fi Internet access available
In-seat power (accepts 110V and plugs from select countries) and USB port
Complimentary noise-reducing headsets

As is so often the case however, there is the inevitable caveat:

While we are bringing our current p.s. aircraft to the new international-style configuration, through a transition period scheduled to continue until the end of 2013, it is necessary for us to have multiple versions of our 757-200 aircraft serving these routes. As a result, you may find some differences in our aircraft and onboard amenities on p.s. flights.

You can find out which aircraft type is scheduled on an upcoming flight by viewing seat maps on united.com. Please note, however, that unforeseen circumstances on rare occasions may lead to a change in the aircraft serving a particular flight.


Sure enough, the aircraft assigned to my flight was N554UA, a twenty-one year old bird that first took to the skies back on February 27th, 1992. It was configured with the old p.s. seats (ex-Singapore Airlines Business Class seats according to one of the flight attendants) arranged in three rows of 2-2. According to Seat Guru, each seat was 21.5 inches wide with a generous 68” pitch. Two pillows – one large and one small – plus a nice looking blanket were placed atop each seat. I thought they looked very impressive compared to what I’ve seen in the normal everyday 757 First Class cabins.



United’s First Class p.s. Service Seats



United’s First Class p.s. Service Seats

Appearances can be deceptive, however – something I rudely discovered the moment I sat down. Now mind you, I’ve sat in a lot of First Class seats over the years – over 1800 flights worth if you must know – and for an average sized guy like myself, it’s not so much the width that impresses me as it is the comfort. As you initially sit down, the best seat cushions adjust to your contour while providing soft yet firm support, allowing you to sink back into the foam rubber ecstasy as it were. These seats certainly had the width but otherwise, their cushions were stiff and unyielding. Additionally I found my armrests to be surprisingly low and when I checked to see if they were adjustable I discovered they were also a bit wobbly. Clearly these seats were well past their prime as I suspect they probably were even back when Singapore sold them to United.

On the plus side, only nine of the twelve seats up front were occupied and I was fortunate enough to score an empty next to me.

There was one flight attendant assigned primarily to the First Class cabin though occasionally she got a bit of help from another FA working the Business Class cabin. This was a good thing because judging by the lackadaisical approach to her work, she needed all the help she could get. The woman was a grade A slacker who tried to cover up her service related shortcomings by laughing a lot. Call me a hard case but these folks have a job to do and friendly and cheerful loses a lot of its luster after repeated lapses in providing a proper service because she was busy chatting it up in the back with her co-workers.

Pre-departure drink orders were taken and I requested a Bloody Mary. It arrived in a plastic cup and tasted like a simple mix of tomato juice and vodka. The Business Class Flight Attendant (hereafter referred to as the BC FA) came through with a basket of eye shades and ear plugs, after which our FC FA came through and asked if I’d received a menu. I responded that I hadn’t, after which she disappeared into the forward galley and wasn’t seen again in the cabin until after we’d leveled off.

What a great day for flying! It was a beautiful sunny afternoon as we climbed out of SFO and immediately made a hard bank to the east. The San Francisco Bay Area is a beautiful place to fly into or out of and on days such as this I usually find myself glued to the window watching it all pass by below. Of interest today was how long would it take us to cross San Francisco Bay? I set my watch at take-off and as we crossed the shoreline just south of the old Alameda Naval Air Station I noted the time. Two minutes and thirty-four seconds. I once flew from San Francisco to Oakland aboard an Alaska Airlines MD-80 and I remember that flight taking just under nine minutes, what with having to get into the landing pattern for OAK.

Shortly after we’d leveled off, the BC FA came through with a cart load of Personal Entertainment Players. These were very similar in size and function to Alaska’s Digi-Players – the ones that Alaska was using six or seven years ago! A nice set of what appeared to be noise cancelling headphones was also provided.

We were a little over a half hour into the flight when the FC FA stopped by to take meal requests. She was holding a small stack of menus under her clipboard but rather than pass them out she simply read the entrée choices off her master menu and noted passenger selections. When she got to me, I explained that I collect menus and asked for a copy of one.

Now let’s refer back for a moment to United’s opening line regarding its p.s. service:

Our p.s.® Premium Service flights offer an international product for an exceptional transcontinental travel experience between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) or San Francisco (SFO).

Hmm... “An international product for an exceptional transcontinental travel experience”. Well now, with that in mind, let’s see what’s on offer for dinner on this flight:


TO BEGIN

Chilled Appetizer
Prosciutto with cantaloupe, roasted tomato and mozzarella

Fresh Seasonal Greens
Tomatoes, Kalamata olives, bell pepper, baby mozzarella and croutons
With balsamic vinaigrette

Assorted dinner rolls and garlic bread

MAIN COURSE

Tenderloin of Beef
Asiago broth, brown butter gnocchi and green asparagus

Spice-Rubbed Breast of Chicken
Mustard barbecue sauce, steamed rice, mixed vegetables and pickled cabbage

Tri-Color Ravioli
Cherry tomato sauce and herbed butternut squash with Parmesan cheese

TO FINISH

Dessert
Ice cream with your choice of toppings

Light snacks are available at any time following the meal service.
Please help yourself or ask a flight attendant for today’s selection


As an “international product” contributing to an “exceptional travel experience” this menu might meet the standard for a two hour, 1100 mile flight between say, Amsterdam and Bucharest. I was expecting just a bit more on this five hour, 2580 mile flight. For example, where are the wine or spirit listings? There’s a whole empty side of that menu where they could have been listed.

I’m well aware that First Class inflight catering has been in serious decline here in the United States for over ten years now. I don’t like it but I understand and accept it. However when, as a marketing ploy an airline puts out statements such as those that I’ve referenced above, it strongly suggests that passengers can expect a higher standard of service than what they’ve grown accustomed to in traditional domestic transcon First Class. It doesn’t say anywhere that those standards will be limited essentially to the seating and IFE. But still, obviously I consider catering an integral part of the First Class product more so than most others including many of you, so – sorry for the soliloquy but please, answer me this:

Are my expectations unreasonable? Are they out of touch with the times – at least here in America? Or is it United’s p.s. product that doesn’t live up to the expectations generated by such impressive sounding marketing prose? You tell me.

The only real choice on this menu was between the three main courses and since white meat chicken dries out more often than most other meats when subjected to reheating in an airline oven, I went with the Beef Tenderloin. Of course, any amongst us who’ve eaten airline meat know that that tenderloin is no sure bet either, but what the heck – let’s roll the dice!

Drink requests were taken and I asked for a glass of white wine. The “exceptional travel experience” charade continued as I was delivered a glass of room temperature Chardonnay. It was accompanied by a small ramekin of mixed nuts and shortly thereafter the appetizer. There wasn’t a lot of prosciutto but what of it there was tasted pretty good. The salad was similarly a bit small but otherwise okay.



United’s First Class p.s. Appetizer and Salad Tray



The Prosciutto Appetizer

Now I know what some of you are thinking… Glutton! This guy just wants more of everything! Well think about it - if you were served a salad such as the one pictured in a restaurant, how would you feel? Really! How much does a salad cost? And you can keep the olive. Aside from money, can anyone think of any reason why an airline can’t provide a decently sized salad? Especially when we’re taking about a transcontinental flight in First Class that’s being marketed with claims that it offers “an international product for an exceptional transcontinental travel experience.”

When our FA later noticed that I’d not drunk much of the wine, I mentioned the temperature to which she responded “Well that’s strange. I put it on ice!” Yeah, for like, five minutes maybe. That’s alright – I’ll switch to the red anyway since I’m having the tenderloin.

No doubt by now any kind, tender hearted readers who go out of their way to see the good in everything and excuse the bad must have me pegged as an irredeemable jerk. Dude – why are you so angry? Just shut up and eat your steak! What?!!! I’m not angry. I’m just being pointedly direct rather than diplomatically circumspect. Should I just blindly keel over and accept yet another classic example of style over substance? I should just sigh and quietly accept pyrite when gold is being advertised? I should look for a way to excuse or justify anther case of mediocrity fueled by a desire for greater profits or less loss? Sorry gang – it just ain’t gonna happen.

Now the weird thing is – if United hadn’t gone out of its way to advertise these beat up old seats and mediocre catering as an “exceptional travel experience”, I would have accepted this flight as par for the course these days and reported just the facts as there would have been no need for further commentary.

On a positive note the steak was actually pretty good. It was served medium and the gnocchi and asparagus made for tasty accompaniments. When the ice cream sundae cart made the rounds, the BC FA put together a real masterpiece though we both had to restrain the FC FA from throwing a maraschino cherry on the ice cream before the sauce, whipped cream and nuts had been added first.



Tenderloin of Beef



Ice Cream Sundae

We landed at JFK fifteen minutes early and, after locating a rampie with a tractor to tow us in, parked next to a big, beautiful British Airways 777-300. As we deplaned, I thanked the FC FA and gave her a good swat on the butt (No No! Just kidding! I would never – well, at least not under those circumstances!) Actually I just said thank you and headed on up the jetway. I followed the signs to the AirTrain and thence to Federal Circle where a van quickly delivered me to the Day’s Inn Jamaica. My room was small but otherwise nice and quiet with a great mattress. I slept as well as I have in a good long while and awoke the next morning refreshed and ready for the international part of this trip.