BWI-ORD-LAX-SAN
Apr 30, 1999, 2:26 am
#1
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BWI-ORD-LAX-SAN
BWI-ORD: Now I remember the problem with BWI: traffic in the morning makes it painful to get to from VA. The DC-10 was old and tired. I repeat: they call this FIRST class????
ORD-LAX: OK, now I see the difference between upstairs on an international 747-400 and a domestic 747-200. Can you say night and day? From quality of service to quality of seats to in-seat entertainment to my now cherished laptop plug, this 4 hour flight is a BIG disappointment. To all you United lurkers (and you know who you are): you have a HUGE discrepancy between your domestic and international business class service. I know that competition drives the market, but it makes me very curious to see if AA offers domestic service that is so inferior to its international service as well. Any AA aficionados care to comment?
The meal orders were taken by status level and I was second (I wonder how far down I’ll be on the list on UA 57 in November…). Penne pasta or steak. I order steak, which they (further down the list) run out of. The lady in front of me is VERY disappointed, so I offer my steak order to her (“the pasta will be better for me anyway”). The FA is very appreciative. My kindness is rewarded when I am brought a first class meal of a petite filet and cold lobster. WAAA-HOOO. Kindness pays!
My enthusiasm fades as we arrive at LAX to find a plane at our gate. 45 minutes in the holding pen later, we are finally towed to the gate. But now the ramp agent has disappeared, so the jetway is not pulled up to the plane and we all stand and wait for another 20 minutes as someone who can drive the jetway is found and makes her way to our plane. I now must hustle to my connection for which I am late.
A long, brisk walk through the (VERY unfinished UA LAX) terminals later and at my gate a surly United Express agent points out that they have been waiting for me (meaning a 10 minute late departure). I resist the strong temptation to bite her head off about the interminable delays I have survived at UA’s hands so far. The EMB-120 flight is short and uneventful. Not surprisingly, only 1 of my 2 checked bags make it from LAX to SAN. It is later delivered to my hotel.
The Bahia “Resort” Hotel has neither a frequency program nor participation and should be avoided in any case.
BTW, the weather in San Diego sucks. Look, I watch Beverly Hills, 90210, and those folks never wear clothes. And Beverly hills is NORTH of here. So what’s with the sixty degrees, clouds and wind????????
I’m in SD ‘til Sunday…
ORD-LAX: OK, now I see the difference between upstairs on an international 747-400 and a domestic 747-200. Can you say night and day? From quality of service to quality of seats to in-seat entertainment to my now cherished laptop plug, this 4 hour flight is a BIG disappointment. To all you United lurkers (and you know who you are): you have a HUGE discrepancy between your domestic and international business class service. I know that competition drives the market, but it makes me very curious to see if AA offers domestic service that is so inferior to its international service as well. Any AA aficionados care to comment?
The meal orders were taken by status level and I was second (I wonder how far down I’ll be on the list on UA 57 in November…). Penne pasta or steak. I order steak, which they (further down the list) run out of. The lady in front of me is VERY disappointed, so I offer my steak order to her (“the pasta will be better for me anyway”). The FA is very appreciative. My kindness is rewarded when I am brought a first class meal of a petite filet and cold lobster. WAAA-HOOO. Kindness pays!
My enthusiasm fades as we arrive at LAX to find a plane at our gate. 45 minutes in the holding pen later, we are finally towed to the gate. But now the ramp agent has disappeared, so the jetway is not pulled up to the plane and we all stand and wait for another 20 minutes as someone who can drive the jetway is found and makes her way to our plane. I now must hustle to my connection for which I am late.
A long, brisk walk through the (VERY unfinished UA LAX) terminals later and at my gate a surly United Express agent points out that they have been waiting for me (meaning a 10 minute late departure). I resist the strong temptation to bite her head off about the interminable delays I have survived at UA’s hands so far. The EMB-120 flight is short and uneventful. Not surprisingly, only 1 of my 2 checked bags make it from LAX to SAN. It is later delivered to my hotel.
The Bahia “Resort” Hotel has neither a frequency program nor participation and should be avoided in any case.
BTW, the weather in San Diego sucks. Look, I watch Beverly Hills, 90210, and those folks never wear clothes. And Beverly hills is NORTH of here. So what’s with the sixty degrees, clouds and wind????????
I’m in SD ‘til Sunday…
Apr 30, 1999, 3:50 am
#3
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Matt, I know I'm a broken record on this one, but the inability of United to make simple connections at LAX and SFO is one of the big reasons I stopped flying them.
At least it wasn't SFO where you probably would have had to go outside the security area and get in line to go through the detector AGAIN to make your connection.
At least it wasn't SFO where you probably would have had to go outside the security area and get in line to go through the detector AGAIN to make your connection.
Apr 30, 1999, 4:16 am
#4
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Matt, I should not worry about your meal selection on the PIP Express. I have taken the liberty of ordering you the McDonalds FriendlySkyMeal. Burger or McNuggets with your carton 'o milk? And by the way, it's a DC10 (though I have no way of knowing just how "tired" it is). 
And how very kind of you to offer your meat to the lady in front of you. Always the gentleman. Just don't try pulling any of that stuff when I'm reclining in your lap on the PIP Express! (I'm tempting the "censors" here, you see). Hey, how about that thread in Buzz about the "penetration" of FF programs or some such euphemism or another. Pretty racy stuff, I can assure you! 
Good to have you back. My best to Shamu.
[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 04-30-99).]
And how very kind of you to offer your meat to the lady in front of you. Always the gentleman. Just don't try pulling any of that stuff when I'm reclining in your lap on the PIP Express! (I'm tempting the "censors" here, you see). Hey, how about that thread in Buzz about the "penetration" of FF programs or some such euphemism or another. Pretty racy stuff, I can assure you! Good to have you back. My best to Shamu.[This message has been edited by PremEx (edited 04-30-99).]
Apr 30, 1999, 5:40 am
#6
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Matt,
If you had driven to IAD and taken the 767 or 777 to LAX, you would have received much better service. This is a very good flight.
I think the domestic 747's are hand-me-downs from the Pacific fleet which is also tired. I expect the domestic 747's will never get new seats. But the domestic 767's and 777's have already started getting new seats.
And the weather in So Cal in April is usually iffy. I'm in LGB now and heading somewhere much warmer tomorrow.
If you had driven to IAD and taken the 767 or 777 to LAX, you would have received much better service. This is a very good flight.
I think the domestic 747's are hand-me-downs from the Pacific fleet which is also tired. I expect the domestic 747's will never get new seats. But the domestic 767's and 777's have already started getting new seats.
And the weather in So Cal in April is usually iffy. I'm in LGB now and heading somewhere much warmer tomorrow.
Apr 30, 1999, 7:21 am
#7
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Manassas VA
Posts: 145
As to the DC-10 to Honolulu issue:
I was chatting with a UA 777 captain while in a people mover at IAD. He was telling me that UA was replacing all the 10's but 1 or 2 with 777's. THe 1 route to still be flown by the 10? To Honolulu. My guess (and it's only a semi-informed one) is that it's probably a runway or rate of climb issue, or some other such item.
Tom
I was chatting with a UA 777 captain while in a people mover at IAD. He was telling me that UA was replacing all the 10's but 1 or 2 with 777's. THe 1 route to still be flown by the 10? To Honolulu. My guess (and it's only a semi-informed one) is that it's probably a runway or rate of climb issue, or some other such item.
Tom
Apr 30, 1999, 7:26 am
#8
Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Manassas VA
Posts: 145
Matt,
The last few times I flew out of BWI (the 745 am to LAX) I didn't have much of a traffic problem. Of course I leave NoVa at 5:15AM. Thar might have a lot to do with it.
Is it just me, or are the early AM flights out of BWI ALWAYS oversold?
Tom
The last few times I flew out of BWI (the 745 am to LAX) I didn't have much of a traffic problem. Of course I leave NoVa at 5:15AM. Thar might have a lot to do with it.
Is it just me, or are the early AM flights out of BWI ALWAYS oversold?
Tom
Apr 30, 1999, 10:51 am
#9
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I'll be hangin' with Shamu this afternoon, as a matter of fact.
Stimpy: You are correct, and the IAD flights are my first choice, but my boss has discovered the joys of the BWI discount, so I am forced to make double connections and deal with inferior service. Oh how I do wish that airport did not exist...
Premex: lol. BTW, I've eaten that McD. meal in FC when flying with my kids and they refuse to eat it. I've seen real McDonalds food. I've eaten real McDonalds food. And that, sir....And not to worry, Premex my boy, as I have taken the liberty of ordering the macrobiotic meal for you on the PiP express...
Stimpy: You are correct, and the IAD flights are my first choice, but my boss has discovered the joys of the BWI discount, so I am forced to make double connections and deal with inferior service. Oh how I do wish that airport did not exist...
Premex: lol. BTW, I've eaten that McD. meal in FC when flying with my kids and they refuse to eat it. I've seen real McDonalds food. I've eaten real McDonalds food. And that, sir....And not to worry, Premex my boy, as I have taken the liberty of ordering the macrobiotic meal for you on the PiP express...
Apr 30, 1999, 11:14 am
#10
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I am so glad that Gisela and I won't be very hungry on that P-i-P-express UA 58 after what we expect to get on our (upgraded) transatlantic FRA-LAX flight in LH's international first!
And if UA doesn't refit their LAX terminal and RCC till then, and if you folks will already be drunk - we might just get our first Mai Tai at the LAX-Senator lounge after arrival ...
And if UA doesn't refit their LAX terminal and RCC till then, and if you folks will already be drunk - we might just get our first Mai Tai at the LAX-Senator lounge after arrival ...
Apr 30, 1999, 12:09 pm
#11
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Rudi,
If you haven't been in the new LU 1st class, you will love it. The seats are actually better than BA's first class. Much wider with more cushion.
I didn't know LU had a Senator lounge at LAX? If so, where is it?
If you haven't been in the new LU 1st class, you will love it. The seats are actually better than BA's first class. Much wider with more cushion.
I didn't know LU had a Senator lounge at LAX? If so, where is it?
Apr 30, 1999, 3:24 pm
#12
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stimpy: there is none - LH's guide is referring to UA First Class Lounge in Term 7 - sorry (but I guess chances for a Mai Tai are better in a UA lounge than a LH one).
Apr 30, 1999, 10:51 pm
#13
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Location: St. Louis
Posts: 238
BWI traffic to/from the airport has been hit and miss. The last time I drove from N. VA to BWI I thought I was slick by going an extra couple of minutes to take the parkway, but then I got caught in construction where we stopped moving for 5 minutes at a time.
Went back over to I-95 at the next exit where I was caught by an interstate traffic accident. All of the lanes were closed.
After 12 minutes of no movement, I drove over the median and went back to the same exit I got on the interstate to go back to the parkway only to suffer through that mess.
Long story short, missed my flight, had to purchase another ticket on another airline, and by then the IAD people-movers didn't look so bad.
Matt: won't the "what is Matt's time worth" argument compensate for the ticket differences between IAD / DCA and BWI? I realize that BWI and SAN are both Southwest markets so that may be a rough one price-wise...
Went back over to I-95 at the next exit where I was caught by an interstate traffic accident. All of the lanes were closed.
After 12 minutes of no movement, I drove over the median and went back to the same exit I got on the interstate to go back to the parkway only to suffer through that mess.
Long story short, missed my flight, had to purchase another ticket on another airline, and by then the IAD people-movers didn't look so bad.
Matt: won't the "what is Matt's time worth" argument compensate for the ticket differences between IAD / DCA and BWI? I realize that BWI and SAN are both Southwest markets so that may be a rough one price-wise...
May 3, 1999, 12:15 pm
#14
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Changed my SAN-SFO-ORD-BWI into a SAN-IAD-BWI. The benefits: Double SAN-IAD miles courtesy of the double Dulles bonus. And 500 miles for the 15 minute IAD-BWI segment, again doubled. One question that I have that I can see leading to a future battle with UA is whether the IAD-BWI segment will count at one of the unlimited double dulles miles or as one of my three allowed double BWI miles...how about BOTH? Best of all, home at 1900 vs. 2300 on a Sunday. The downside: 300 or so fewer status miles and have to sit in coach on an A320 for 4 hours. Seemed like a no-brainer to me! And the nice counter agent didn’t even charge me $75 for the change (if I had purchased this intinerary it would have cost $300 more – I had checked!)! Of course, sitting in 7A with el-jerko in front of me in my lap so far that my laptop wont open all the way, I question the wisdom of the move...and long for that awful first class service that I’ve been complaining about so much lately.
If my car weren’t at BWI I could be home before my plane to BWI even takes off. But then I’d miss out on 1500 miles (500 for status). I think we all know what I’d do….
Some unpleasantness at the brand-spankin’ new IAD A Terminal (discussed on Catman’s United thread). I love the J31! It’s how flying was meant to be: loud, low and short! It’s good to be home.
And soooo sad that I missed both the Cat and Anna! We REALLY need those contraptions that beep or buzz whenever two are within a few hundred yards of each other!
If my car weren’t at BWI I could be home before my plane to BWI even takes off. But then I’d miss out on 1500 miles (500 for status). I think we all know what I’d do….
Some unpleasantness at the brand-spankin’ new IAD A Terminal (discussed on Catman’s United thread). I love the J31! It’s how flying was meant to be: loud, low and short! It’s good to be home.
And soooo sad that I missed both the Cat and Anna! We REALLY need those contraptions that beep or buzz whenever two are within a few hundred yards of each other!