In January my wife and I finished our holiday in Paris with CDG>FRA>SFO flight, knowing that we already had confirmed (mileage) UG to C on the int'l flight. Our total ticket was about $1000 or so.

We get to CDG and the LH agent tells us that the FRA>SFO flight was cancelled. We would later learn that this was due to the SFO>FRA cancelled flight because of super-severe wind conditions in SF/SFO (of which we were blissfully unaware).

We're sent to the UA desk, which is very small at CDG since there are very few UA flights to CDG! There is a small line already forming, but an agent (wearing a suit and not a uniform) talking to the pax in the line. Thanks to having the C upgrades, he assured us that we would definitely be able to get home that day and that being in business would definitely be helpful in our factor. And then... United really took care of us.

We ended up in C on Air France to LAX, then LAX>SFO in UA F (2-class plane). On the plane I saw that F only had 4 seats! There were some hassles and chaos at LAX (luggage never arrived and then getting from AF to UA terminal, finally learning that LAX>SFO is delayed), we finally arrived home and then just had to wait for our luggage... for a few days.

But the experience of this cancellation, of being sent to AF C to LAX, instead of E to JFK/IAD, was very positive for us. The UA staff were very helpful and it is shocking that they were able to put us on AF C. I'm sure such a ticket wouldn't have only been $1000 range. The C in AF is phenomenal - individual entertainment, full lie-flat seats, improved food (natch), beautiful C gift bag *and* soft box... and the FAs personally thanked each passenger in C before the plane landed. They didn't just thank us at the door. They walked the entire C area to thank each of us passengers in our seats, after the seats were back to sitting and the headsets/entertainment were turned off. Merci, au revoir. Such a simple gesture, yet totally amazing and sweet. Every UA flight in F and C would be nicer if the passengers there received such a simple salutation. Assuming they're awake

And despite the unpleasureable, uncertain, and paranoid wait for the luggage (will we ever see it again, etc), we ended up with two $100 ecerts for the hassles, after I phoned to complain (after the final luggage piece arrived). Those two ecerts are long-gone, probably used by April.

Maybe if we were in AF E I wouldn't still be beaming over the flight experience. Then again I'm sure those seats all have personal entertainment systems as well...

Michael