AA LAX-HKG 777-300ER / 77W discussion, issues, etc.
Sep 11, 2016, 10:46 am
#76
Join Date: Jul 2001
Programs: AA EP
Posts: 2,203
It is not possible. Once you go though security to departures, you are on a different level than arrivals. You can't just walk to immigration. You will need a CX person to escort u to the arrivals level
Sep 11, 2016, 9:31 pm
#78
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: China
Posts: 1,552
No, no you won't see signs for immigration. Nor is it very easy. It is obviously possible (people do need to cancel flights last minute/ miss their flight etc) but the Airport & Immigration don't make it easy.
Sep 12, 2016, 4:57 am
#79
formerly gemini573
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: LAX, HKG, and BKK
Programs: CX Emerald, WOH Globalist, Marriott Platinum, AA Lifetime Platinum, Virtuoso, Prive, STEPS, STARS
Posts: 2,233
Anyone that's planning on flying to HKG the middle of the week, please be aware tropical cyclone Meranti is expected to hit the coast of southern China by Thursday.
Sep 12, 2016, 5:39 am
#81
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AA EXP & Life Plat; AA 4MM; TWA Life Plat; HH Diamond
Posts: 1,109
It looks to be north and east of HKG - but is worth watching....
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weathe...ify-b/60033731
Sep 12, 2016, 3:07 pm
#82
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
Programs: It's Complicated...
Posts: 6,820
Yes, they were tucked into the little mesh pouch in the storage area on our flight from HKG-LAX the other night.
Overall, I really like having the later departure out of HKG and LAX. It does make connecting in LAX more difficult when coming back to the US with the late arrival but I would also think it would help with upgrades as some people will not be able to take that flight due to limited connection options.
Overall, I really like having the later departure out of HKG and LAX. It does make connecting in LAX more difficult when coming back to the US with the late arrival but I would also think it would help with upgrades as some people will not be able to take that flight due to limited connection options.
Sep 12, 2016, 4:14 pm
#84
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
In business class, I think the only thing CX has going for it over AA is more attentive service, but that's a broad generalization and possibly not even true much of the time. By all reports CX's J catering is crap, the seats are the same, and AA has WiFi.
Sep 12, 2016, 4:45 pm
#85
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alexandria, Longboat Key
Programs: UA Gold Marriott Gold AA Gold Choice Gold Wyndham PLAT IHG PLAT Avis President's Club Amtrak Select
Posts: 2,263
Also mattress pads. CX's J catering has especially declined in the past few years. With both flights being mostly night flights, especially LAX-HKG, the need for attentive service isn't so great.
Sep 12, 2016, 6:30 pm
#86
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: AA EXP & Life Plat; AA 4MM; TWA Life Plat; HH Diamond
Posts: 1,109
...and CX keep the cabin a bit warm - and don't have personal air vents as AA do....
The last couple of trips in the last 12 months I've gone down to DFW to catch 137 vs. taking the AA nonstops out of JFK. (That said the SWU into A class was a motivator).
The last couple of trips in the last 12 months I've gone down to DFW to catch 137 vs. taking the AA nonstops out of JFK. (That said the SWU into A class was a motivator).
Sep 12, 2016, 6:39 pm
#87
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: W29
Programs: It's Complicated...
Posts: 6,820
The duck I had on AA on last Saturdays flight from HKG-LAX was about as bad as it gets, dry, tough and tasteless. So I dont know that AA is much better at times. My flight a day earlier on CX from ICN-HKG was actually way better especially since it was a regional flight.
Sep 12, 2016, 7:09 pm
#88
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,234
Sep 12, 2016, 7:09 pm
#89
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: UA
Posts: 384
On a 15 hour flight, I'd probably be awake 7-8 of those hours, so I think the CX service/soft product is still pretty important. I'm yet to be wowed by any AA longhaul FA's, most of the time I feel like I'm in their way. (Exception: doting grandma LUS CLT-Europe FA's who remind me of Paula Deen. "Why, yes, I would like some more butter to go along with my butter
"). I'm not sure why AA service drags way behind its colleagues for service -- CX, Club World, etc. - worse seats, but way better service).I think it's partly because CX/BA/SQ/EK/etc pursers are actually empowered to supervise the other FA's, whereas at AA, purser supervision is contractually forbidden due to the union (only "management" may critique/supervise other FA's conduct), so AA FA's end up doing whatever they want.
AA hard product makes you feel very relaxed upon arrival, but Cathay/SQ-style service makes you feel warm and content on arrival -- I have only rarely had this feeling stepping off an AA plane.
Interesting how the CX LAX-HKG night departures are stacked so close together, yet HKG-LAX are evenly spaced apart.
Sep 12, 2016, 7:41 pm
#90
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Alexandria, Longboat Key
Programs: UA Gold Marriott Gold AA Gold Choice Gold Wyndham PLAT IHG PLAT Avis President's Club Amtrak Select
Posts: 2,263
J is rarely 100% full on the AA longhauls I take- I take an additional duvet and use that as my mattress pad. Not the best solution but it works just fine.
On a 15 hour flight, I'd probably be awake 7-8 of those hours, so I think the CX service/soft product is still pretty important. I'm yet to be wowed by any AA longhaul FA's, most of the time I feel like I'm in their way. (Exception: doting grandma LUS CLT-Europe FA's who remind me of Paula Deen. "Why, yes, I would like some more butter to go along with my butter"). I'm not sure why AA service drags way behind its colleagues for service -- CX, Club World, etc. - worse seats, but way better service).
I think it's partly because CX/BA/SQ/EK/etc pursers are actually empowered to supervise the other FA's, whereas at AA, purser supervision is contractually forbidden due to the union (only "management" may critique/supervise other FA's conduct), so AA FA's end up doing whatever they want.
AA hard product makes you feel very relaxed upon arrival, but Cathay/SQ-style service makes you feel warm and content on arrival -- I have only rarely had this feeling stepping off an AA plane.
Interesting how the CX LAX-HKG night departures are stacked so close together, yet HKG-LAX are evenly spaced apart.
On a 15 hour flight, I'd probably be awake 7-8 of those hours, so I think the CX service/soft product is still pretty important. I'm yet to be wowed by any AA longhaul FA's, most of the time I feel like I'm in their way. (Exception: doting grandma LUS CLT-Europe FA's who remind me of Paula Deen. "Why, yes, I would like some more butter to go along with my butter
"). I'm not sure why AA service drags way behind its colleagues for service -- CX, Club World, etc. - worse seats, but way better service).I think it's partly because CX/BA/SQ/EK/etc pursers are actually empowered to supervise the other FA's, whereas at AA, purser supervision is contractually forbidden due to the union (only "management" may critique/supervise other FA's conduct), so AA FA's end up doing whatever they want.
AA hard product makes you feel very relaxed upon arrival, but Cathay/SQ-style service makes you feel warm and content on arrival -- I have only rarely had this feeling stepping off an AA plane.
Interesting how the CX LAX-HKG night departures are stacked so close together, yet HKG-LAX are evenly spaced apart.