Wednesday April 10, 2024
Taipei to San Francisco – 6470 miles
China Airlines Business Class
A350-900 ~ 1035p – 700p

It was almost 10:00pm when our wheelchair drivers arrived to take us down to D2. As it turned out, the gate was only about one hundred and fifty yards down the concourse, so it was a pretty short ride. Indeed, even I could’ve hobbled on down that distance.

China Airlines actually operates two nightly flights between Taipei and San Francisco. The other one leaves an hour after mine and operates with a 777-300. I chose my flight specifically because it was operated with an Airbus A350-900. I haven’t flown aboard many A350s – just a couple -1000s from Qatar and a quintet of -900ULRs from Singapore. So, as ever, I was excited to check out China Airlines’ version of this most successful entrant into the long distance twin jet market.



China Airlines A350-900


The gate agents were ready and waiting for us when we arrived at the gate. The door to the jetway was opened and this time we were both wheeled all the way down the jetway, right up to the door of our seven year old A350-900. A reception committee of nicely attired Flight Attendants was waiting for us, and once it was established that I was capable of walking to my suite, one of them took my rollabord and assisted in getting me squared away.

Insofar as pre-departure beverages go, plum cocktails appear to be all the rage on China Airlines. However, when I asked if any Champagne might be available, the Flight Attendant immediately acknowledged so and hurried off to the forward galley to fetch a bottle.



Welcome Aboard China Airlines Business Class TPE-SFO


Given my overall indifference towards Champagne, I sometimes wonder why I even bother to ask for any. Part of it, I suppose, is to see if China Airlines is meeting the standards of so many of the world’s other top rated airlines insofar as service standards go. But then, when it comes to taste, I'm hardly the best judge. The other reason I take advantage of pre-departure Champagne is that I suppose I’m hoping – against all odds – that perhaps someday I might come across a quaff that just might open my taste buds to the same level of sensory orgasm that Champagne appears to elicit from so many other trip reporters here. So far, I haven’t come across it – even from the glass of assumedly Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015 served tonight, but as searches go, it’s better than most, and I honestly hope that I’ll be rewarded someday…

This reminds me of an incident that happened back in 1996. I was traveling to Scotland for the very first time and found myself in Edinburgh, where I was ensconced in a local hostel. While exploring the old town one day, I wandered into a store from a local liquor store chain called Odd Bins. I had gone in ostensibly to check out local beers, but upon chatting with the proprietor for a bit discovered that this branch of Odd Bins offered free sampling of local scotches. Might I be interested in a wee dram?

Well, no actually. I don’t particularly care for scotch. Indeed, it’d be fair to say that based upon my limited experiences with past tastings, it is one of the worst beverages I’ve ever had the misfortune to allow past my lips. The store’s proprietor expressed appropriate condolences, but suggested that so long as I’d made the journey all the way from Alaska to Scotland, what could be the harm of trying a couple of local products right here in the home of scotch.

It was a compelling argument and ultimately one that I could not counter, So, we proceeded with the tasting. Samples were poured into thimbles – as in sewing thimbles – and I took my first sip. Ee-gads! It was just as horrible and rancid as I remember any of my previous tastings with scotch having been. So, too, were the next three or four samples. I felt bad for the proprietor. I really wanted to please him and find just one scotch that would stand out positively for me, but alas, it was not to be – thus far.

Finally, after about four or five failures, he brought out a bottle and said “Now this is a cask conditioned scotch. Normally, one would add a bit of water to it, but of course the thimbles won’t allow for that”. He then poured me a thimble and I dutifully took a sip.

Oh. My. God! Imagine liquid, intensely flavorful fireworks going off in your mouth. Wow! This was different. This was good. This was beyond good.

“Now this is awesome!” I said. “How much would a bottle of this cost?”

“About $75.00 USD” he replied.

Well back in 1996, I never bought anything much more expensive than a case of beer, and so $75 was so far from my realm of day to day spending that I rejected any notion of purchasing it as too expensive. How times have changed. These days, there are certain bourbons that I wouldn’t hesitate to pay over $100 a bottle for. So in retrospect, how I wish I’d purchased a bottle or three of that scotch back then…

Anyway, my point here is that it pays to keep an open mind – and palate – especially when the proffered beverage is being offered for free. Unfortunately, tonight’s Champagne tasted about as fizzy and – well, too fizzy by my tastes – as most any other Champagne I’ve tasted. Maybe I have a problem with effervescence.

As to the Business Class cabin on China Airlines’ A350, I’d seen the pictures and reviews on the internet, and I though they looked quite nice. I especially liked the ambient light put off by the lamps mounted beside each suite. Here is a China Airlines publicity shot that presents a much nicer and uncluttered view of the Business Class cabin than I ever could have taken during the boarding process.



China Airlines A350 Business Class Cabin


By comparison, here is a shot I took from my suite shortly after boarding…



China Airlines A350 Business Class Cabin


Already at my seat was an amenity kit, housed in an attractive pale blue zippered suitcase about 7” x 5”, maybe 1.5” deep. Inside was a satin eye mask, ear plugs, a tooth brush, a hair brush, a leather luggage tag and a trio of Moroccanoil© branded cosmeticss that included lip balm, body lotion and a small bottle of actual Moroccan Oil, which the small print on the bottle describes as some type of hair treatment..

Very nice. I’ve seen better, and I’ve seen worse. At the end of the day though, I’m a poor choice to comment on the quality or lack thereof of an amenity kit such as this, mainly because I generally never use products like these. In my advancing years, I’m fine with how I look and I’m not particularly concerned with the ravages of a ten hour flight upon my skin. Not that I ever pay that much attention, but after a long flight, my skin feels the same as it always does and on those rare occasions that I might have cause to look in a mirror after a long flight, I’ve always looked – from my perspective at least – no worse for the wear. As such, I really have no need for all these fancy creams and lotions, but I think it’s nice that most decent airlines make them available to those who do feel they’d derive benefit from them.



China Airlines Amenity Kit


China Airlines Amenity Kit Contents


Missing – and never offered – was a set of pajamas. This was hardly an imposition on me, a guy whose sleep suit is a pair of boxers and a t-shirt. I only mention their absence because they are such a standard accoutrement of most long overnight flights in Business or First Class.

On a positive note, the menu and wine list – housed in separate booklets – had already been placed on the shelf beneath the seat side lamp in advance of my arrival. We’ll discuss their contents in a little bit. First, I want to take off my shoes, test my seat recline functions (If there’s a problem, it’s better to discover and address it on the ground than later in the air when repair resources are limited) and generally settle in to my home for the next few hours.

I like this seat. It’s nicely cushioned, quite comfortable really, and the side walls of the suite don’t seem like they’re crowding me. I also like the ambient light cast off by the seat side lamp. Overall, I’d have to say that from my experience, this is one of the nicer Business Class suites that I’ve ever sat in.

Next, I stood up to have a look around the cabin.I love half full flights. They remind me of the good old days of flying during the 1960s and 1970s, when the average load factor was about 58%. I don’t know what it looked like back in Economy – I generally try not to go back there too often, especially after a a trip report I once read here that described it as a “bad neighborhood” .

The Flight Attendant working my side of the cabin was an older lady – at least by Asian airline standards – but I thought she was great! Polite, attentive, efficient – what more could one really ask for? I wish I’d gotten her name, but suffice it to say that in terms of overall service, she was as good as they come and a true credit to the profession.

There was nothing special about pushback and taxi that really warrant any commentary, but it was noteworthy that we had to pause at the head of the runway and wait for not one, not two, but three inbound flights to land. Based upon what I could discern of the distant landing lights, all of the inbound aircraft appeared to be quite a ways out there. As such, it seemed like we had more than enough time to execute a 35-45 second take off before any of them would have crossed over the threshold.

Then again, I’ve also heard that the take off thrusts generated by some larger jets can leave residual vortexes on the runway that may have a deleterious effect on smaller jets, so I was thinking perhaps we were waiting on a narrow body or two, but no. I watched as a Starlux A350, an EVA 787 and a Starlux A321 glided by to land. Oh well. What do I know about things like residual vortexes, anyway? I’m just a trip reporter who reads the occasional issue of Airways magazine now and again.

Shortly after leveling off, the crew were up and about the cabin commencing with the initial stages of the inflight service. Taking a quick look at the Wine and Beverage List, I was thrilled to see the inclusion of Johnny Walker Blue. It really stood out because all of the other spirits were fairly pedestrian. I’m not enough of an oenophile to offer any erudite commentary on the quality of the wines offered, but perhaps some of you are, so let’s have a look at the wine offerings, shall we?


WINE LIST

Champagne
Laurent-Perrier Brut Millésimé 2015, France

Red Wines
Chateau de Fieuzal Grand Cru Classe de Graves 2014, France
Wolf Blass Grey Label Shiraz 2017, Australia

White Wines
Santa Julia Torrontés 2018, Argentina
Famille Hugel Gewurztraminer Grossi Laǘe 2013, France

Dessert Wine
Taylor’s 10 Year Old Tawny Port, Portugal


I had quite enjoyed a glass of the Argentinean Santa Julia Torrontés on the inbound flight from Denpasar, and so decided to enjoy some more with the appetizer course of tonight’s meal. It was a good call. Mmmm! What a delicious wine!

Speaking of appetizer courses, let’s have a look at the dinner menu for tonight’s flight. The aromas wafting back from the galley suggested that it could well be quite a tasty diner.


DINNER
Taipei to San Francisco

Appetizer
Fresh Abalone and Seasonal Vegetable Jelly
Served with fruity vinaigrette dressing

Salad
Seasonal Salad with Italian Vinaigrette Dressing

Soup
Hearts of Palm Chicken Soup with Scallops

MAIN COURSE

Filet Mignon with Garlic Béarnaise Sauce
Baked Potatoes with Cheese – Seasonal Vegetables

Grilled Halibut with Salted Egg Yolk and Taro
Served with Baked Eggplant topped with Mashed Potatoes and Vegetables

*** + ***

Bread
Sweet Potato Cheese Bread
Fig and Walnut Bread
Garlic Bread

Cheese and Fruit Platter
Brie and Asiago Cheese
Seasonal Fresh Fruit

Dessert
Premium Ice Cream
Strawberry Peach Mousse Cake


In addition to the regular menu shown above, China Airlines also offered a special menu that – if I read it correctly – was worthy of not one or two, but THREE Michelin stars. Well if true, that would be an industry first for airline food. Based upon the good but not outstanding meal I was served on the inbound flight from Denpasar, I was somewhat skeptical of the claim to be Michelin Star worthy. Be that as it may, here is the Michelin starred menu, which I might add I could have ordered in advance of the flight.


SKYWARD MICHELIN THREE STARS EXCLUSIVE CUISINE

Appetizer
Sichuan Spicy Chicken
Sugar Taro
Lemon Bitter Gourd
Smoked Egg with Cucumber and Mustard Sauce

Main Course
Red Braised East Asia Abalone (4 Head) Lo Mein

Dim Sum
Sesame Mung Bean Cake

Dessert
Stewed Asian Pear with Rock Sugar

Cheese and Fruit Platter
Brie and Asiago Cheese
Seasonal Fresh Fruit


Hmm…. Well now, were I an Asian traveler, brought up on assumedly more traditional Asian fare such as Sugar Taro, Sesame Mung Bean Cake or Four Headed Red Braised East Asia Abalone, my mouth might have been watering. As it is however, I’m a continental kid, raised at 8000’ in the mountains of Colorado. Since the late 1980s, I’ve been a resident of Alaska. Of all the Chinese restaurants I recall visiting in either Colorado or Alaska, I don’t recall ever seeing any of the above mentioned foodstuffs on the menus.

Mind you, I like most Chinese foods. At the same time, I’ve never been overly fond of exotic shellfish like abalone. I like clams and oysters, but scallops don’t really rock my boat. Who knows – maybe I might like abalone – particularly if it’s prepared in a style worthy of a Michelin star – or three. But then – what if I don’t? Would they allow me to later trade out for a different meal? And what the heck is a Lemon Bitter Gourd?

Ultimately, there were just too many unknowns, and so I ordered something more in keeping with my long standing tastes – the Filet Mignon with Garlic Béarnaise Sauce.

Given our late departure time and the desire of many passengers to get as much sleep as they could, the cabin crew wasted little time in serving drinks, setting tables and getting dinner served. No mention was made of a “Dine on Demand” option.

One thing’s for certain – although I was very impressed with the overall friendliness and attentiveness of the China Airlines Flight Attendants, there would be no mistaking – much less comparing – China Airlines’ Business Class meal service with that of fellow Asian carriers such as Asiana or Singapore on their long distance services. Asiana in particular – which I flew with from Seoul to Sydney in 2017 – was spectacular, serving each course separately on a nicely set table. By comparison, CAL laid a table linen, and then brought out a tray bearing a salad and appetizer mix, followed by a tiny cup of soup (I think the cup was only 6oz), and then the main course and finally dessert. And, just as with my previous flight, some good looking breads were listed on the menu (Sweet Potato Cheese Bread, Fig and Walnut Bread and Garlic Bread) but none were ever mentioned or offered during the meal.

The salad was served in a small, glass bowl and was okay as salads go. The appetizer was… different. The little rectangle of vegetable infused jelly certainly looked artistic – like something Japan Airlines’ chefs would have come up with. Though it’s an adjective I rarely employ, I’d say it was almost “cute” in its presentation. It also had some kind of injectible squeeze bottle inserted into it. The stuff in the little bottle looked like lemon sauce.



China Airlines Appetizer


China Airlines Appetizer – Gelatin? For real?


Accompanying the vegetable jelly was an abalone. It least that’s what the menu said it was. I tried a bite. It was okay. I tried another bite, this time dipping it in some leftover vinaigrette that I had. It was better. Much better.

When the soup was served, I was somewhat taken aback by the diminutive size of the cup it was served in. I’ve drank coffee from a lot of standard porcelain or even china coffee cups (Not mugs) over the years – you know the type – they’re typically 8 ounces. And even then, most airlines that offer a soup course typically offer – from my experience at least - at least 8-10 ounces of soup. This cup left me feeling like Oliver Twist asking for a bit more soup, and since it wasn’t even all that hot, I just treated it like a big shot glass and drank it down in a couple of gulps.



China Airlines ~ A Little Cup of Soup


Moving on to the main course… I should imagine that unless you’re vegetarian or vegan, most of you have enjoyed a juicy, pink filet mignon in a proper steak house or even at home. Some of our older readers may have even eaten a few in-flight, because back in the sixties and seventies, filet mignon was a staple on many First Class menus.

The Filet Mignon, by definition translates to a “delicate, fine or cute fillet" and is often the most tender and lean cut. Thus, it is also one of the more expensive cuts of beef, as noted on any proper restaurant menu. A typical Filet Mignon weighs in at about 8 oz. and has a wonderful flavor and texture that for most of us is worth paying a bit extra for now and then.

I’ve had a few Filet Mignons in my time – both inflight and on terra firma. Some of the in-flight versions have been surprisingly good while others have spent too much time in the galley oven, rendering them practically inedible. What China Airlines served on this flight was not Filet Mignon. In both flavor and texture, it was just meat. And the Béarnaise Sauce… sort of a cousin of Hollandaise Sauce, was more like a distant cousin, like some cheap melted cheese. This was paired with a rectangular portion of supposedly “baked” potatoes? Well, they were probably baked, but not in the same sense that most of us tend to associate with the term “Baked Potatoes”. Adding insult to injury, I doubt the portion size of the meat was any more than four ounces.



China Airlines Supposed Filet Mignon


This is part of what people pay over a thousand dollars more for? Well first and foremost, most people in the premium cabins are paying for the added space and comfort. Indeed, many people – including quite possibly a good number of you reading this right now – may totally dismiss airline food as essentially irrelevant to the overall enjoyment of the flight – regardless of class.

For what it’s worth, I do not share that viewpoint. Indeed, when traveling in First Class especially, but also in Business Class, the in-flight meal service is and always has been my favorite form of in-flight entertainment.

Veteran readers of my reports will already know this, but I grew up in an era when airlines served bountiful and tasty meals – in Coach! That’s right! Once upon a time, the airlines operated their own flight kitchens and made an honest effort to serve nice meals in both quality and quantity. When Stewardesses asked if you wanted steak or chicken, they meant real sirloin that actually tasted like steak. I remember delicious double baked potatoes – in Coach – on Eastern Airlines. I remember Eggs Benedict – with rich, not runny – Hollandaise Sauce on United’s morning DC-8 between Denver and New York. And an hour before arrival at Idylwild, the stewardesses would come around the Coach cabin in their red, white and blue uniforms with a tray of finger sandwiches! On longer flights, both TWA and United offered attractive menus with a choice of three entrees – in Coach! I could go on and on, but suffice it to say that once upon a time, airline food in Coach, no less, was for the most part quite tasty and truly a welcome respite to the ennui of flight. And if it was that good in Coach, imagine how good it used to be in domestic First Class?

TWA FIRST CLASS DEN-JFK 1972 ~ The Good Old Days

Sadly, as is so often the case it’s the negative stories that typically gain traction and have real staying power, regardless of the topic. With travel, it seems we tend to hear more stories of how awful this or that flight or train ride or bus trip was – as opposed to what a great flight or journey it otherwise was. Personally, I think we take the good times for granted, but that’s a topic better debated in Psychology Today

It’s really astonishing to think, though, that someone who is 50 years old today would have been only 16 or 17 years old back in 1990 (Which still seems like only yesterday, to me). And, if you’re like most people, you probably didn’t really begin to fly more regularly until you were in your mid to late twenties. For the average 50 year old, that would take us up to about the turn of the century. By then we were twenty years into deregulation here in the U.S. and the airlines were beginning to make serious adjustments to service and comfort relative to the lower cost per seat mile.

Coach lounges were the first to go. Then seat width and pitch began to shrink. By 2000 airlines began dropping hot meals in Coach altogether. First Class suffered dramatic cutbacks as well. Gone were the canapés and elaborate appetizers, as well as the trolleys with Chateaubriand carved to your liking at your seat. These days, many meals served in domestic First Class – including transcons - don’t even meet Coach (or Economy for the rest of youse) standards from forty or fifty years ago.

My point is, here in the U.S. at least, unless you’re about 55 or older, the odds are pretty good that you totally missed the best of times when most airline meals regardless of class were pretty darned good, when beautiful printed menu booklets were presented in both First Class and Coach on flights over three and a half hours, and it was not at all uncommon to be served a full hot dinner on flights of only an hour.

As for those of you from other parts of the world – particularly Europe and Asia – most of you still enjoyed comparatively good quality in-flight meal service well past 1990 and even into the early 2000s if only because deregulation and the cuts in service and comfort that it fostered didn’t begin to take hold in your countries until much later.

Anyway, forgive me for veering down Memory Lane here. I reckon it’s safe to assume a significant percentage of folks just check out the pictures in my reports and scroll through the text anyway, so it may not matter in any event.

Be that as it may, when I say that China Airlines served up a bunk piece of meat to some of its Business Class customers on one of its most competitive international routes – that opinion is steeped in considerable experience, on both international and domestic flights. There’s no bragging here. It just is what it is. 6.2 million miles flown aboard 207 airlines, with about 2.5 million of those miles flown in First Class. I’ve eaten a lot of airline meals.

Moving on to dessert... It was listed on the menu as a Strawberry Peach Mousse Cake.Well, it certainly sounded good, but when I think of mousse, I tend to envision something that’s generally soft and liquidy compared to cake, which is more bread like. Well, we were served kind of a hybrid of both, and on the whole, I thought it was quite good.

As for the cheese plate, Brie, yes. Asiago, no. Indeed, we were served more of a fruit plate that happened to have a bit of cheese on the side. Crackers? Nope. Nuts? Nowhere to be found. Quince? Whaaaat?!



China Airlines Cheese Plate and Dessert


For what it’s worth, I knew from having read various online reviews beforehand that China Airlines’ inflight catering left something to be desired, but still – it’s one thing to read it and yet another to actually experience it – particularly as an experienced Premium Class flyer, not some wide eyed Ma and Pa Kettle first time flyer in the pointy end of the plane. So based upon these two flights, in terms of meal service, China Airlines earns a well deserved C.

By the way – just in case I’d been unable to sleep, the Mid- Flight “Snack” options actually looked pretty good.

MID-FLIGHT SNACK

Wonton in Peanut and Sesame Paste
Wagyu Beef Burger
Sky Lounge Assorted Snacks

I had my doubts that an airline such as CA that would try to pass off a sorry-a$$ piece of meat such as I received tonight as a “Filet Mignon” would actually serve up a burger made of the highly regarded “Wagyu” beef, but at three in the morning out over the middle of the Pacific, I doubt anybody’s getting too particular. A burger is a burger when you’re hungry.

Pre-packaged snacks and drinks were also available from the self-serve “Sky Bar” located off the galley behind the Business Class cabin. I say self serve, but each time I passed through, there were always three or four flight attendants either working or just hanging out there, and each time I was asked if they could get me anything. I let one of them hand me a bottle of water that I could easily have retrieved myself. No complaints here, just an observation.



China Airlines A350 Business Class Sky Bar


By the time the last of the dinner plates had been cleared, it was getting on 12:30am local time. I had been watching the old 1970s gangster classic movie “Good Fellas” and managed to stay awake through the end of the movie before depressing the call button and having my seat converted from daytime to nighttime use.

In contrast to its meal service, I give high marks to China Airlines’ Business Class suite. The seat actually felt comfortable to sit in, as opposed to many modern day Business Class seats which seem designed to be firmer and more comfortable to sleep on than to sit upon. And, the overall sense of space and ambiance with the tableside lamp was superior to many Business Class seats that I’ve experienced. Kudos to China Airlines on a great suite! Unfortunately, it was so comfortable that I slept so well that I actually missed the main breakfast service. On the menu at least, I thought the Western Menu looked pretty good…


BREAKFAST

Chinese Set Menu
Plain Congee

Assorted Delicatessen
Eggplant and Tofu in Chili Bean Sauce
Chicken with Pickled Vegetables and Edamame
Fresh Spinach with Mushrooms
Dried Seaweed Fish Floss
Salty Egg

Green Onion Roll

Seasonal Fresh Fruits

Western Set Menu
Soybean Milk Bircher Muesli

Orange Peel and Raisin Rye Bread
Croissant

Seasonal Fresh Fruits

Salmon Quiche
Baked Eggs with Aubergine and Meat Sauce
Bacon
Mini Waffles


By the time I did finally awake, there were only about 45minutes left in the flight. A quick peek out my window revealed a beautiful spring evening with scattered clouds offsetting the indigo blue of the Pacific Ocean and the green hills of the northern California coastline.

Thankfully, my wonderful flight attendant was kind enough to bring me a plum cocktail, followed by a continental breakfast plate. I appreciated the gesture, though it felt strange to be enjoying a continental breakfast at 6:30pm local time.



China Airlines Morning Plum Cocktail


China Airlines Continental Breakfast at 615pm Local Time


As we flew south past downtown San Francisco, I couldn’t resist taking a photo – albeit a distant one – of the Bay Bridge and nearby Treasure Island. It was only eighty some-odd years ago that Pan American’s fabled Boeing B-314 China Clippers departed from the Treasure Island Terminal on their 8000 mile, six day journey across the broad expanse of the Pacific Ocean to China. And today, I’ve made the return trip from Taipei in just ten hours. I couldn’t help but smile somewhat ruefully at the fact that I was born just a few years too late.



Aerial View of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge


There are some flights that you wish would last just a couple of hours longer. This was not one of them. However – I don’t say that in a negative way toward China Airlines. Although its Business Class meal offerings and IFE were not on par with other great Asian carriers of our time, the service from the cabin crew was top notch on both flights and the Business Class suite aboard CA’s long range A350-900 provided one of the more comfortable Business Class seats and beds that I’ve flown aboard. So in a very real and objective sense, I think it would be fair to say that China Airlines did a great job in delivering a pleasant and expeditious overall journey from Denpasar to San Francisco.

Would I fly China Airlines again between the same two cities? With EVA offering essentially the same fare, no. More than most, I really value a good in-flight meal in both quality and presentation and, from my past experience (six flights) with EVA’s Business Class, they definitely offer the superior catering. They also offer a significantly better in-flight entertainment system. I might give China Airlines the edge in seating comfort based upon its A350 suites, but in every other regard – ground service, lounges and cabin crew, I’d rate the two airlines as about even.

I might add that there are a number of other single airline Business Class travel options between Denpasar and the U.S. west coast, (Singapore, Cathay, Philippine) and even more out of Jakarta. From Denpasar however, SQ and CX are considerably more expensive while PR, though one or two hundred bucks cheaper, comes with a thirteen hour layover in Manila and a much lower standard of service.

I took a moment to thank each of the smiling crew as I stepped off the plane and into the jetway where a wheelchair awaited. The crew was very deserving of a thumbs up (or two) and should I someday see reviews indicating that China Airlines has upped its game with better food and entertainment offerings in Business Class, then I would look forward to flying with them once again.

As an added bonus, my Global Entry membership allowed me to quickly pass through an otherwise crowded Customs checkpoint, and rather than wait for a shuttle bus from the hotel, I splurged and took a taxi instead. I used an excess of points in Choice Hotels’ Choice Privileges program to book a nice room at the Comfort Inn & Suites, just a couple of miles from the airport in South San Francisco. Tomorrow, I’ll have a leisurely day with a mid-afternoon departure up to Seattle, followed by a brief layover and then a nonstop flight to Fairbanks, upon which I’d already been upgraded.

Life is good.


April 11, 2024
San Francisco to Seattle – 680 miles
Alaska Airlines Economy Class
737-MAX9 ~ 244p – 459p

Seattle to Fairbanks – 1530 miles
Alaska Airlines First Class
737-900 ~ 559p – 839p

One of the nicer benefits of having a Priority Pass membership is the ability to use it in select airport restaurants, where one can order up to $29.00 worth of food at no additional cost. In San Francisco International’s Terminal 2 – where Alaska Airlines operates from – I was able to enjoy a superb turkey club sandwich with a pint of local Firestone Ale at the upscale Lark Creek Grill, conveniently located within easy hobbling distance to my departure gate at D8.

The flight up to Seattle was as typically uneventful as any short flight flown in Economy Class. I did however run into an old friend in the Seattle airport during my short layover. She was on her way to Chicago, and both of our flights departed at about the same time, albeit from opposite ends of the North Satellite. She was a bit shocked to see me cavorting about in a wheelchair, but readily accepted my explanation that I’d simply had too much to drink on the flight up from San Francisco. Truth be told, I updated her on my condition and assured her that the wheelchair was a temporary source of transport. Had I a longer layover, I would have happily guested her into the Alaska Lounge for a drink and more conversation, but as it were we had just time enough for a quick hug and chat before heading off to our respective gates.

My flight up to Fairbanks was only about two-thirds full, eliciting memories of flying during the good old days of the 1970s. Seatmate had flown in earlier that afternoon from London, and had just enough energy left the raise his head and offer a quick “Hullo” before lapsing back into slumber. I quickly calculated that it was almost 2AM in London.

It was a nice evening for flying, with scattered clouds and plenty of late afternoon sun as we flew up the coast of British Columbia before encountering heavier cloud cover about an hour into the flight. I was thankful that seatmate had chosen not to lower his window shades. I imagine he was tired enough that the daylight didn’t bother him in the least. For my part, I appreciated the natural daylight from the pretty evening outside. It sure beat the usual dark tube preferred by so many of today’s travelers as they zone out on their I-Pads, cell phones or laptops.



Alaska Airlines 737-900


It sure was nice to be back in Alaska Airlines’ First Class again. As a One Million Mile Flyer with MVP Gold 100K status, I sit at the top of the pecking order for status and perks, and I could not be happier with the overall service and benefits I receive from Alaska. I remember when I was a 1K with United back in 2013/14. There’s no comparison. I’m not a guy who demands recognition and fawning service, but honestly, Alaska has always treated me like a valued flyer and it is very much appreciated.

Shortly after we’d leveled off, drinks were served along with a small ramekin of mixed nuts with pretzels. I’d ordered a Bloody Mary and took a moment to add the contents from a packet of Tapatio hot sauce to the drink. I used to add a packet of Tabasco Sauce, but I’ve found I prefer the earthiness of the Tapatio to the tang of the Tabasco.

First Class passengers on Alaska can pre-order their meals up to two weeks in advance of their flight. I was upgraded just before I left Indonesia, and I’m glad I had the foresight to copy the menu options, because I thought they were very impressive. I mean, how many U.S. airlines offer you a choice of three hot entrees, a cold dinner sized salad or the always popular Fruit and Cheese Plate on a three and a half hour, 1,500 mile flight? American? Delta? Pfft! I don’t think so.

Let’s check out the offerings…

DINNER
Seattle to Fairbanks

Signature Fruit & Cheese Plate
Beecher’s® Flagship cheese, Tillamook® sharp cheddar cheese, brie, Partners® crackers, Seattle Chocolate truffle.

Tillamook Burger
Grilled angus beef, Tillamook® sharp cheddar cheese, sesame seed bun. Served with crisp lettuce, sliced Roma tomatoes, bread & butter pickles, and a tangy burger sauce.

Thai Curry
Authentic Thai green curry with coconut milk, ginger, garlic, lemongrass and kaffir lime; with coconut shoots, green papaya, Thai basil, and red chili with vegan meatballs made from heart of palm, served over steamed Jasmine rice.

Pork Verde
Slowly cooked shredded pork carnitas, topped with salsa verde and served with a brown rice, quinoa, & barley pilaf, roasted sweet potatoes, and fried plantain.

Asian Noodle Salad & Shrimp
Chilled buckwheat soba noodles, tossed with mushrooms, carrots & peppers, served with poached shrimp and a sesame-ginger dressing.


I was impressed. I love Thai food and almost ordered the Thai Curry, but instead decided on the Cuban tang of the Pork Verde. After all, how often do we ever get a chance to enjoy fried plantain on a North American airline?



Alaska Airlines Pork Verde Meal


The picture above says plenty, but let me just add that this was one of the better meals I’ve been served over the years by Alaska Airlines. The pork was tender and moist, the salsa verde absolutely delicious and the brown rice, quinoa and barley pilaf medley was an excellent accompaniment. It was also a decent sized portion, including the berry cheesecake dessert, which was also quite nice.

Afterward, I opted for a coffee and Irish Cream. On most airlines, that’d mean Bailey’s, but Alaska serves a brand called Five Farms. My flight attendant spoke quite highly of it and, after he took the time to heat up the Irish Cream before adding it to my coffee, I will take the time to speak highly of him to Alaska Listens. It’s taking the time to follow through on the little details like this that can really make the difference between merely acceptable or great service.

Alas, my palate is not advanced enough to discern how good an Irish Cream is, especially when it’s blended with coffee, but when I got home, I took a moment to look up Five Farms Irish Cream. Here’s a quote from their website:

Five Farms contains ten times the amount of Irish whiskey than typical Irish creams, setting it apart in the category and allowing for an intensity of whiskey flavor and warmth that is truly one of a kind. The result is a superior Irish cream liqueur with the richness of Ireland itself.

The rest of the flight went smoothly as I put in my usual bit of work on this trip report. That was a month ago! Despite our 835pm arrival time, the sun was still an hour away from setting when we touched down on Fairbanks International’s 11,800’ runway 2L/20R. It was a beautiful mid-April evening and despite the visual warmth of the sun shining down upon us, the air temperature was announced as 45°F.

After a month away, much of it spent in the hot and humid tropics, I would have to say that 45° never felt nicer or more refreshing. As always, it’s great to be back in Alaska, and above all, it’s great to be home!


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As for all of you who’ve taken the time to ride along through all 35,000 words of this trip “report”, I hope you had a good trip in Seat 2B and that you found the time invested to read all of this report worthy of your time. Thanks for reading.