Pillows, headrests, and the first class experience
#16
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: LHR
Programs: CO Silver, TACA GOLD, HHonors Silver, A-Club Gold
Posts: 147
I remember being in an international business flight and asking for a pillow like... 6-8 months ago and getting the lamest excuse in recorded history.
I would have accepted almost any excuse, blaming it on the caterers, calling smisek a pig, whatever... but this one was so bad that instead of making me angry, it actually made me laugh.
"Well, due to the avian flu and the swine flu we here decided to protect our passengers and stop issuing these 'petri dishes', if you'd like i can give you a rolled up blanket"
I would have accepted almost any excuse, blaming it on the caterers, calling smisek a pig, whatever... but this one was so bad that instead of making me angry, it actually made me laugh.
"Well, due to the avian flu and the swine flu we here decided to protect our passengers and stop issuing these 'petri dishes', if you'd like i can give you a rolled up blanket"
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,239
Big if so.
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Bay Area, CA
Programs: UA Plat 2MM; AS MVP Gold 75K
Posts: 35,068
#19
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: IAH
Programs: UA 1K, NEXUS, Global Entry
Posts: 145
I remember being in an international business flight and asking for a pillow like... 6-8 months ago and getting the lamest excuse in recorded history.
I would have accepted almost any excuse, blaming it on the caterers, calling smisek a pig, whatever... but this one was so bad that instead of making me angry, it actually made me laugh.
"Well, due to the avian flu and the swine flu we here decided to protect our passengers and stop issuing these 'petri dishes', if you'd like i can give you a rolled up blanket"
I would have accepted almost any excuse, blaming it on the caterers, calling smisek a pig, whatever... but this one was so bad that instead of making me angry, it actually made me laugh.
"Well, due to the avian flu and the swine flu we here decided to protect our passengers and stop issuing these 'petri dishes', if you'd like i can give you a rolled up blanket"
I've been fed that line too. Ridiculous.
#20
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SEA
Programs: AA EXP (2.5MM), Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 4,859
At least you're not missing much if you skip those two options. Still, kinda cheap of CO to charge for drinks in F.
#22
Suspended
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Manhattan
Programs: CO Plat, SPG Gold
Posts: 1,468
Agreed. It would be preferrable if the steerage flyers could be boarded a few minutes after F, with the GA closing the jetway door in between. It would help reduce gate lice and would give the cabin time to get settled before the self loading cargo comes barging through making the walk of shame.
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K/MM, MC Life Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 722
Agreed. It would be preferrable if the steerage flyers could be boarded a few minutes after F, with the GA closing the jetway door in between. It would help reduce gate lice and would give the cabin time to get settled before the self loading cargo comes barging through making the walk of shame.
#26
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: UA MM *G, AA EXP, OW Emerald, Hyatt Globalist, Gold everywhere else
Posts: 833
I actually go the other way on that. When extended, the UA F headrests are perfectly comfortable, but when lowered they are far too low, plus they stick out from the seat quite a bit and thus very uncomfortably dig into my back (I'm 6'2"). Combined with the silly rule that the headrests must be lowered for taxi, takeoff and landing (no such rule on CO), this makes for fairly long annoying periods where I find myself wishing I was on CO.
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,172
I actually go the other way on that. When extended, the UA F headrests are perfectly comfortable, but when lowered they are far too low, plus they stick out from the seat quite a bit and thus very uncomfortably dig into my back (I'm 6'2"). Combined with the silly rule that the headrests must be lowered for taxi, takeoff and landing (no such rule on CO), this makes for fairly long annoying periods where I find myself wishing I was on CO.
I'm happy to take a few minutes of slight uncomfortableness for a full flight of a more enjoyable head experience
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K/MM, MC Life Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 722
I actually go the other way on that. When extended, the UA F headrests are perfectly comfortable, but when lowered they are far too low, plus they stick out from the seat quite a bit and thus very uncomfortably dig into my back (I'm 6'2"). Combined with the silly rule that the headrests must be lowered for taxi, takeoff and landing (no such rule on CO), this makes for fairly long annoying periods where I find myself wishing I was on CO.
#29
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: LAX/TPE
Programs: United 1K, JAL Sapphire, SPG Lifetime Platinum, National Executive Elite, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 42,231
My jacket was hung and my pre-departure drink served with a smile this afternoon - nothing different there.
I hate the little cuts that are being made here and there, and I agree with the OP that the lack of a forward tilt adjustment on the headrest can be uncomfortable - but I don't miss the lice-infested, planet-o-germ, bed-bug crawlfest shared pillows.
Basic inflatable pillows are available from many vendors for under $10, or you can select a more luxurious option.
I hate the little cuts that are being made here and there, and I agree with the OP that the lack of a forward tilt adjustment on the headrest can be uncomfortable - but I don't miss the lice-infested, planet-o-germ, bed-bug crawlfest shared pillows.
Basic inflatable pillows are available from many vendors for under $10, or you can select a more luxurious option.
#30
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: UA 1K/MM, MC Life Plat, HH Gold
Posts: 722
Now that I've had some more flight experience with CO, my impression of the First Class experience has substantially improved. I'm 2 for 4 on upgrades in the past week, which isn't bad considering my lowly Gold status right now. On both FC flights, I did have my jacket hung and was given pre-flight drinks. In fact, the service and food were both better than any comparable UA flights in quite some time, and will hopefully survive the merger.
The AV systems and available power on most of my flights, in both FC and coach, were much better than the typical UA domestic product. While I was happy to see the UA 737s disappear, the CO ones seem quite comfortable, especially with the large FC cabin for upgrading. Even my four hours in steerage on a 767 felt okay, although it can really use the extra few inches when E+ arrives.
By the way, I hope no one feels offended by negative comments I've made about certain elements. As a newcomer here, I'm more attuned to differences from UA than the regulars might be, and am just trying to point out those differences in the hope that your experience will help me better adapt to changes or that we might collectively lobby for the new airline to keep the best features of its predecessors. I'd still like to have pillows, tilting headrests, and maybe table cloths, but on the whole do feel that my onboard experience is moving up a notch.
The AV systems and available power on most of my flights, in both FC and coach, were much better than the typical UA domestic product. While I was happy to see the UA 737s disappear, the CO ones seem quite comfortable, especially with the large FC cabin for upgrading. Even my four hours in steerage on a 767 felt okay, although it can really use the extra few inches when E+ arrives.
By the way, I hope no one feels offended by negative comments I've made about certain elements. As a newcomer here, I'm more attuned to differences from UA than the regulars might be, and am just trying to point out those differences in the hope that your experience will help me better adapt to changes or that we might collectively lobby for the new airline to keep the best features of its predecessors. I'd still like to have pillows, tilting headrests, and maybe table cloths, but on the whole do feel that my onboard experience is moving up a notch.