My First UA Sh*ttle Experience
Nov 22, 2000 | 10:47 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: ABQ
Programs: SPEBSQSA
Posts: 3,795
My First UA Sh*ttle Experience
My first Sh*ttle flight was not what I expected. I was actually happier with UA Sh*ttle than I have ever been flying coach on HP.
PHX-SFO, UA #2359, 11/15/2000
We arrived at PHX shortly before 11:00 a.m. for our 12:21 p.m. departure. This being our first Sh*ttle flight, I wasnt sure what to expect. The check-in line was long, but move surprisingly quickly. The counter agent was pleasant, and assigned the Mrs. and I window and aisle seats with no one in the middle. (We hoped this would hold, but you never know.)
Our 12:21 departure left perfectly on time at 12:55 p.m. The incoming flight was delayed due to weather in DEN. Surprise #1: The plane was not falling apart! Surprise #2: The seats were comfortable, and seamed wider than HP seats. Surprise #3: The crew was actually very friendly and attentive. In fact, one of the best crews I have ever had. Upon arrival in SFO, our luggage was off-loaded quite quickly, and we grabbed a shuttle-van to our hotel.
Renaissance Stanford Court
I chose the Stanford Court for two reasons. First, I have stayed there before, and love that old European style hotel feeling. Second, it is right on the corner of California and Powell which is where the cable-car lines cross. This was perfect for the Mrs. to get around town. For anyone visiting SFO, I highly recommend the Stanford Court.
Each morning, your wake-up call is accompanied by a warm beverage (coffee, tea, etc.) Each night, they will shine your shoes while you sleep for no additional charge. The rooms are quite spacious, and offer some great views of the city and bay if you are lucky enough to get a view room.
A couple of restaurants worth mentioning are: Lichee Garden in Chinatown (Not the tourist section of Chinatown, but the real Chinatown.) Excellent food and service and quite reasonably priced. The other is Bambinos Italian on Cole. They had great Italian food ten years ago, and they still do.
A side note. The Mrs. was enjoying a meal in Chinatown when some deranged individual decided that she needed to run away with him. Unfortunately, she does not speak Chinese, and the restaurant staff did not speak English, so she didnt know what to do. She knew this guy was going to follow her wherever she went. After a few minutes, a large African America gentlemen walks over to the table and states to the Mrs. sorry Im late. He then turns to Mr. Deranged and says Your in my seat! Mr. Deranged gets up and leaves, the gentleman sits down, and he and the Mrs. talk for a minute. He was just getting an order to go, heard the conversation, and decided that he wanted to help. Thank God for helpful strangers.
SFO-PHX, UA #2352, 11/22/2000
We wanted to get out before the real Thanksgiving rush, and made it barely! Weather was delaying flights into and out of SFO, which is not an unusual situation. Our 12:19 p.m. flight departed right on time at 1:55 p.m. It was a rough ride most of the way to PHX, but, again, the service was good (but not as good as our outbound flight.)
Overall, I give UA Sh*ttle a 7 on a scale of 1-10. I really like CO, but dont know if I can put up with HP much any more, so I may just defect at least a little.
------------------
Bob
PHX-SFO, UA #2359, 11/15/2000
We arrived at PHX shortly before 11:00 a.m. for our 12:21 p.m. departure. This being our first Sh*ttle flight, I wasnt sure what to expect. The check-in line was long, but move surprisingly quickly. The counter agent was pleasant, and assigned the Mrs. and I window and aisle seats with no one in the middle. (We hoped this would hold, but you never know.)
Our 12:21 departure left perfectly on time at 12:55 p.m. The incoming flight was delayed due to weather in DEN. Surprise #1: The plane was not falling apart! Surprise #2: The seats were comfortable, and seamed wider than HP seats. Surprise #3: The crew was actually very friendly and attentive. In fact, one of the best crews I have ever had. Upon arrival in SFO, our luggage was off-loaded quite quickly, and we grabbed a shuttle-van to our hotel.
Renaissance Stanford Court
I chose the Stanford Court for two reasons. First, I have stayed there before, and love that old European style hotel feeling. Second, it is right on the corner of California and Powell which is where the cable-car lines cross. This was perfect for the Mrs. to get around town. For anyone visiting SFO, I highly recommend the Stanford Court.
Each morning, your wake-up call is accompanied by a warm beverage (coffee, tea, etc.) Each night, they will shine your shoes while you sleep for no additional charge. The rooms are quite spacious, and offer some great views of the city and bay if you are lucky enough to get a view room.
A couple of restaurants worth mentioning are: Lichee Garden in Chinatown (Not the tourist section of Chinatown, but the real Chinatown.) Excellent food and service and quite reasonably priced. The other is Bambinos Italian on Cole. They had great Italian food ten years ago, and they still do.
A side note. The Mrs. was enjoying a meal in Chinatown when some deranged individual decided that she needed to run away with him. Unfortunately, she does not speak Chinese, and the restaurant staff did not speak English, so she didnt know what to do. She knew this guy was going to follow her wherever she went. After a few minutes, a large African America gentlemen walks over to the table and states to the Mrs. sorry Im late. He then turns to Mr. Deranged and says Your in my seat! Mr. Deranged gets up and leaves, the gentleman sits down, and he and the Mrs. talk for a minute. He was just getting an order to go, heard the conversation, and decided that he wanted to help. Thank God for helpful strangers.
SFO-PHX, UA #2352, 11/22/2000
We wanted to get out before the real Thanksgiving rush, and made it barely! Weather was delaying flights into and out of SFO, which is not an unusual situation. Our 12:19 p.m. flight departed right on time at 1:55 p.m. It was a rough ride most of the way to PHX, but, again, the service was good (but not as good as our outbound flight.)
Overall, I give UA Sh*ttle a 7 on a scale of 1-10. I really like CO, but dont know if I can put up with HP much any more, so I may just defect at least a little.
------------------
Bob
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused.
Nov 22, 2000 | 8:42 pm
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Sep 1999
Location: source of weird and eccentric ideas
Posts: 40,051
Hey, nice trip report, thanks!
On recent sh*ttle flights I've had some better experiences, I don't know if it's improved, if I just got lucky, or what, but I am glad to hear you had a great experience.
I have flown HP quite a bit several years ago and it was on the lowest end of barely tolerable. NW and HP are the biggest reasons I don't fly CO...
I am so impressed with the stranger who helped out you and your wife, what a story!
On recent sh*ttle flights I've had some better experiences, I don't know if it's improved, if I just got lucky, or what, but I am glad to hear you had a great experience.
I have flown HP quite a bit several years ago and it was on the lowest end of barely tolerable. NW and HP are the biggest reasons I don't fly CO...
I am so impressed with the stranger who helped out you and your wife, what a story!
.