UA 893 SFO-ICN F Class
Jul 31, 2013, 5:23 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 48
UA 893 SFO-ICN F Class
I N T R O:
Welcome to my second trip report. Please forgive me for the lack of photos as this is my second trip report and actually wasn't planning on writing one but since I spend countless hours on FT and enjoy many other members TR's I thought I should make one as well.
My mother has been a flight attendant for 25 years, she spent her early years with PAL. Therefore, I receive great flying benefits. My brother and I wanted to take a quick three day trip to Asia. We narrowed it down to Osaka and Seoul. I have been to both places, so I let my brother decide where he wanted to go and Seoul was his choice.
D E P A R T U R E D A Y:
The flight departs at 10:45 out of SFO. We showed up about 2 hours prior to departure and used the self check in and went through security which lasted only five minutes. I really do think the TSA at SFO do a good job, I know many people may disagree (with TSA in general).
I do love the airiness of SFO. It almost looks like ICN or HKG... almost. But I do agree with many of you that the International terminal at SFO is probably one of the best in the US.
With over an hour to kill I decided to get a drink. It has always been a ritual of mine to get a bloody mary at the bar in Terminal G. I don't know what it is but I've always associated Bloody Mary's and air travel together. Maybe it's because I've always seen people drinking them in planes as a kid.
Passport and Departure management card on hand (btw, does anyone know what the point of all that scribbling is at passport check at security)
With the bloody done, we thought we would make our way to Gate 101 which is at the end of Terminal G.
Spotting in this terminal isn't the greatest. I love seeing all the UA 744 at SFO.
The escalators to Gate 101
At this point we only had about 15 minutes until boarding would commence. This is usually the time where they start calling standbys. This can often be the most stressful, exciting, and scary time of traveling for us Non-revs. It can be a time where you walk up to the counter, where they hand you a that golden ticket that either says "F" or "C" on it. Or sometimes, they hand you a boarding pass and you're just thrilled to have made the flight even though you're on 777 with 2-5-2 configuration and you're in the dead center of the 5 seats. Sometimes, your name isn't called at all. (the life of an airline employee).
With EmployeeRes we can access the numbers on the flight and if we'd likely get on or not which is a great tool for us. This flight was looking good for us. As you can see many empty seats in F and J.
At boarding they did call our names we were assigned seat 4A and 2K in the First Class cabin.
T H E F L I G H T:
Once our boarding passes were received we proceeded to board the queen of the skies for our 12 hour journey across the Pacific. I always get very excited when I'm in the jetway about to board an aircraft. It's even more exciting when you're traveling in a premium cabin.
Seat 2K:
I found it quite interesting that the mattress top (blue sheet) was presented on your seat. I noticed a few passengers using it as a blanket.
The seat in bed mode:
Some scenes right before taxiing and departure
UA 744 getting ready to depart for KIX
It was a beautiful day for flying and could see downtown San Francisco in the distance before heading for the Pacific.
Once we were airborne and the seatbelt sign was turned off the crew began the service which always starts with a ramekin of warm mixed nuts.
I was surprised to see the light blue table cloth which barely fit the tray table. That must have been influenced by CO. IMO, I think I prefer the white linen. Then again small detail not really a big deal.
I usually like to start off with a little bit of red wine. I apologize, I forgot to take pictures of the menu.
Welcome to my second trip report. Please forgive me for the lack of photos as this is my second trip report and actually wasn't planning on writing one but since I spend countless hours on FT and enjoy many other members TR's I thought I should make one as well.
My mother has been a flight attendant for 25 years, she spent her early years with PAL. Therefore, I receive great flying benefits. My brother and I wanted to take a quick three day trip to Asia. We narrowed it down to Osaka and Seoul. I have been to both places, so I let my brother decide where he wanted to go and Seoul was his choice.
D E P A R T U R E D A Y:
The flight departs at 10:45 out of SFO. We showed up about 2 hours prior to departure and used the self check in and went through security which lasted only five minutes. I really do think the TSA at SFO do a good job, I know many people may disagree (with TSA in general).
I do love the airiness of SFO. It almost looks like ICN or HKG... almost. But I do agree with many of you that the International terminal at SFO is probably one of the best in the US.
With over an hour to kill I decided to get a drink. It has always been a ritual of mine to get a bloody mary at the bar in Terminal G. I don't know what it is but I've always associated Bloody Mary's and air travel together. Maybe it's because I've always seen people drinking them in planes as a kid.
Passport and Departure management card on hand (btw, does anyone know what the point of all that scribbling is at passport check at security)
With the bloody done, we thought we would make our way to Gate 101 which is at the end of Terminal G.
Spotting in this terminal isn't the greatest. I love seeing all the UA 744 at SFO.
The escalators to Gate 101
At this point we only had about 15 minutes until boarding would commence. This is usually the time where they start calling standbys. This can often be the most stressful, exciting, and scary time of traveling for us Non-revs. It can be a time where you walk up to the counter, where they hand you a that golden ticket that either says "F" or "C" on it. Or sometimes, they hand you a boarding pass and you're just thrilled to have made the flight even though you're on 777 with 2-5-2 configuration and you're in the dead center of the 5 seats. Sometimes, your name isn't called at all. (the life of an airline employee).
With EmployeeRes we can access the numbers on the flight and if we'd likely get on or not which is a great tool for us. This flight was looking good for us. As you can see many empty seats in F and J.
At boarding they did call our names we were assigned seat 4A and 2K in the First Class cabin.
T H E F L I G H T:
Once our boarding passes were received we proceeded to board the queen of the skies for our 12 hour journey across the Pacific. I always get very excited when I'm in the jetway about to board an aircraft. It's even more exciting when you're traveling in a premium cabin.
Seat 2K:
I found it quite interesting that the mattress top (blue sheet) was presented on your seat. I noticed a few passengers using it as a blanket.
The seat in bed mode:
Some scenes right before taxiing and departure
UA 744 getting ready to depart for KIX
It was a beautiful day for flying and could see downtown San Francisco in the distance before heading for the Pacific.
Once we were airborne and the seatbelt sign was turned off the crew began the service which always starts with a ramekin of warm mixed nuts.
I was surprised to see the light blue table cloth which barely fit the tray table. That must have been influenced by CO. IMO, I think I prefer the white linen. Then again small detail not really a big deal.
I usually like to start off with a little bit of red wine. I apologize, I forgot to take pictures of the menu.
Last edited by mikelazaro; Jul 31, 2013 at 8:31 pm
Jul 31, 2013, 5:51 pm
#2
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 48
The table set up (how's this compare to LH or LX, SFO777, haha)
From the bread basket, I go for a pretzel roll.
Starter: some kind of tempura and looks like a sack of gold or something (I had no idea what it was)
Salad: had a choice of creamy ranch or caesar's, I went for the latter.
I liked the old salt and pepper shakers more even though they did look like they were plastic
Next up was the soup course, which was some kind of cream of mushroom. It was quite tasty but I do prefer my soup to be fairly hot.
For the main course, I went for the Bulgogi beef which was actually not too bad. It was cooked pretty well for being on a plane. The Bok Choy was really tasty, not too soggy or too crunchy. The rice was a little dry but thats expected in the air. Overall, a really good meal.
cooked pretty well (I mean cooked the way I like, not "well done")
some old school cutlery
I noticed this was a multi purpose bar, for pre departure it was used for newspaper, during dinner service for a bar, and during the duration of the flight it was where the snacks were kept.
Cheese, crackers, and grapes were served at this time. During which, I opted for a Bailey's on the rocks.
I normally don't have a sweet tooth but decided, despite being stuffed, that I would partake in an ice cream sundae. Why not? I'm on vacation.
That concluded the main meal service for the flight. Overall, the flight attendants were pleasant. They kept wine and water topped off most of the time.
From the bread basket, I go for a pretzel roll.
Starter: some kind of tempura and looks like a sack of gold or something (I had no idea what it was)
Salad: had a choice of creamy ranch or caesar's, I went for the latter.
I liked the old salt and pepper shakers more even though they did look like they were plastic
Next up was the soup course, which was some kind of cream of mushroom. It was quite tasty but I do prefer my soup to be fairly hot.
For the main course, I went for the Bulgogi beef which was actually not too bad. It was cooked pretty well for being on a plane. The Bok Choy was really tasty, not too soggy or too crunchy. The rice was a little dry but thats expected in the air. Overall, a really good meal.
cooked pretty well (I mean cooked the way I like, not "well done")
some old school cutlery
I noticed this was a multi purpose bar, for pre departure it was used for newspaper, during dinner service for a bar, and during the duration of the flight it was where the snacks were kept.
Cheese, crackers, and grapes were served at this time. During which, I opted for a Bailey's on the rocks.
I normally don't have a sweet tooth but decided, despite being stuffed, that I would partake in an ice cream sundae. Why not? I'm on vacation.
That concluded the main meal service for the flight. Overall, the flight attendants were pleasant. They kept wine and water topped off most of the time.
Jul 31, 2013, 6:29 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 48
I tried getting some sleep during the flight, but even with the 180 degree flat bed, I still can't sleep on a plane. I decided to watch a few movies and shows and also enjoy another bloody mary.
After a few hours of movies and shows the pre-arrival meal was about to be served. I remember we had three choices which included... Asian style noodle soup with wontons and beef, a cheese omelette with ham and sausage, and cereal with banana. We were due to arrive at 2:40pm, I don't even understand why there are breakfast options. Being a non-rev my first choice, the noodles were already out. I am not a fan a cereal so I went for the omelette. I have no place in complaining but it was inedible. The whole meal was dry as can be. I ended up eating the fruit, croissant, and yogurt which was actually perfect. I didn't want to make myself too full since I knew I would be eating some excellent Korean BBQ upon landing.
S I G H T S F R O M S E O U L
Food in the South Korea, is very tasty and if you go to the right place it can be very inexpensive. After three days in Seoul, however, I was pretty much tired of Korean food. It has a very distinct taste and spice to it.
For the first two days we stayed in the Hongdae area which is a great location with a lot of bars and great restaurants. For the last night we stayed across the river in Gangnam at JW Marriott. The hotel was amazing, but the location wasn't that great. There wasn't much to do within walking distance. I realized we were staying in a nice hotel and everything is expensive but Hite beer that normally cost 2 USD cost 12 USD at the JW. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself and that's what I did.
view from the 19th floor
Forgot to take my room pics
The gym was amazing at the JW
C O N C L U S I O N
Overall, it was a great quick trip. The last time I went to Seoul was in February when it was freezing out. This trip it was extremely hot out with humidity. I preferred the cold since you can bundle up and still be able to sightsee. We had two great flights, stayed in great hotels, and ate great food. Not much else you can ask for in a quick trip to South Korea. I ended up only taking one photo on the way home. I ended up sitting in seat 1K in First Class. Again, I am sorry for lack of photos and photo quality.
After a few hours of movies and shows the pre-arrival meal was about to be served. I remember we had three choices which included... Asian style noodle soup with wontons and beef, a cheese omelette with ham and sausage, and cereal with banana. We were due to arrive at 2:40pm, I don't even understand why there are breakfast options. Being a non-rev my first choice, the noodles were already out. I am not a fan a cereal so I went for the omelette. I have no place in complaining but it was inedible. The whole meal was dry as can be. I ended up eating the fruit, croissant, and yogurt which was actually perfect. I didn't want to make myself too full since I knew I would be eating some excellent Korean BBQ upon landing.
S I G H T S F R O M S E O U L
Food in the South Korea, is very tasty and if you go to the right place it can be very inexpensive. After three days in Seoul, however, I was pretty much tired of Korean food. It has a very distinct taste and spice to it.
For the first two days we stayed in the Hongdae area which is a great location with a lot of bars and great restaurants. For the last night we stayed across the river in Gangnam at JW Marriott. The hotel was amazing, but the location wasn't that great. There wasn't much to do within walking distance. I realized we were staying in a nice hotel and everything is expensive but Hite beer that normally cost 2 USD cost 12 USD at the JW. Sometimes you just have to treat yourself and that's what I did.
view from the 19th floor
Forgot to take my room pics
The gym was amazing at the JW
C O N C L U S I O N
Overall, it was a great quick trip. The last time I went to Seoul was in February when it was freezing out. This trip it was extremely hot out with humidity. I preferred the cold since you can bundle up and still be able to sightsee. We had two great flights, stayed in great hotels, and ate great food. Not much else you can ask for in a quick trip to South Korea. I ended up only taking one photo on the way home. I ended up sitting in seat 1K in First Class. Again, I am sorry for lack of photos and photo quality.
Last edited by mikelazaro; Aug 1, 2013 at 4:30 pm
Aug 1, 2013, 2:12 pm
#10
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Phuket Thailand
Programs: HH Diamond, BA Gold, IHG Gold, Oman Gold
Posts: 1,038
Great Report
So I have to ask, as I have no-idea how standby work 
You got your flight out okay, but what happens on the return, what happens if flight is full and no seat for you, are you just stuck there till one comes free?
You got your flight out okay, but what happens on the return, what happens if flight is full and no seat for you, are you just stuck there till one comes free?
Aug 1, 2013, 2:37 pm
#11
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Dallas, TX
Programs: AA GLD, Marriott PLT, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,900
Aug 1, 2013, 4:26 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 48
Yes, that is what would normally happen. With EmployeeRes, I can see the numbers on the flight and decide from there if it's even worth trying to fly standby. If the flight is oversold in all three cabins, I usually don't even bother trying. Years back, my family and I went to Maui for spring break and were stranded on the island for a week and even went to HNL for more mainland flight options. The way we got home.... HNL-NRT-SFO, lucky we brought our passports.
Aug 1, 2013, 6:35 pm
#14
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Posts: 48
If I was a paying customer, I would have to agree with you. It really is no big difference than their J product. I work hard for my money, therefore if I was paying for the seats up front I would definitely take my money elsewhere for F class.
