EWR first impressions
Driving into EWR is very easy compared to JFK (coming from Eastern PA, thank heavens.) CX is located in level 3 of Terminal B, arrived very early so not many cars.
Went in, since it's only a J-Y+-Y configuration there are only 2 Business counters, PE counter, and 6 Y counters, and hence the first problem. There are only two lines (I'm not counting the self-checked baggage line), 1 line for all J/Y+/MPC members and another for Y. Luckily when I arrived there are only two people ahead of me, but I asked the counter agent if the line gets long and he said: "yeah, sometimes it's longer than Y, isn't that crazy?" .....
There were only two people ahead of me, but it seems all the counters have problems that I can overheard: "Help! Won't print out boarding pass", "Help! Something's wrong with this, I can't check-in", "Help! The seat isn't freed and I don't know how to free one up for him", etc. Each pax that I can observe literally spent at least an extended amount of time that one is used to check-in for CX flight. The poor supervisor of the counters is running from one counter to another helping each help request. I waited at least 15 minutes till my turn.
One security problem I have observed and I told the supervisor about it: a group had an issue because one of their companion reserved the ticket with a different first name (western name) but his passport shows the chinese-transliterated name. He took out his license and "proved" that he is the same person on the passport, his license is the Americanized name. The CX agent said: "Ok, I'll let you go, I don't know if TSA will, just do what you did to me and if they don't let you in come back to me, and I'll go talk to them." I know CX aims to please but isn't this the basic thing that they should be trained to NEVER allowed to do? Especially with what happened lately.... The supervisor upon hearing my side simply told me "thanks for letting me know" without even asking me who it was, and just rushed away to help another HELP call from one of the counter agents....
Went in, used the BA Galleries Lounge which the sign says "First Class, OW Emerald" so I take it this is their special lounge for First Class and Emeralds only? Anyway, the lounge is big (compared to JFK BA F) and more selections. Sandwiches, fruits, variety of snacks and candies, a very good lounge. The only tease is their dinning room is for BA pax only, CX pax need not apply.
Ok, that's it. Hope everyone else have a much better experience than I did.