Sorry that this report is so long in coming. I was not able to sit long enough at a computer while on my holiday, to do much more than a few emails. Here is my FIRST Envoy Class experience!
Sunday 7 November my first Envoy experience began as Zone 1 was called. After having passed through the one security line at Frankfurt (Main) airport where NO shoe removal was required, I went directly to the gate, 12 in Terminal 1. There I waited from 9:30 till pre boarding took place at 10:25. The Airbus Industi 330 Jet was waiting for me as was the boarding attendant who, upon seeing my seating assignment, opened the velvet gate to the first class section at the head of the aircraft.
One of the captains and an FA were there and I greeted them as I entered. I took note of those first seats in row one as everyone had told me that these were desirable for the reclining ability. They surely did look different. I found my 3A seat, stowed my rollaboard in the overhead and had my backpack out to retrieve some things needed. My seat mate came and I moved to the area in front of my seat. Ah the glory of that significant increase of space. Space, aboard an aircraft is the premium one pays for in Envoy. Space for your feet, space to move around in the cabin, space in your seat.
I introduced myself to the seat controls, the foot rest, the lumbar support and where the tray and the video screen was stored. Some of the controls did not work correctly and the foot rest looked as though it was in need of some repair but I liked the additional room of the seat and the space around the seat.
The FA came around the cabin offering champagne or orange juice (blood orange, yumm). I asked for one of each, gleefully stating that I would make myself a Mimosa. The FA's face darkened and she chastised me a bit saying "all you had to do was ask me and I would have made you one." Did I offend her by making one on my own? How odd a response!
We got a "pep talk" from the first officer about our route and other flying information. He made some jokes and made the morning crowd in the cabin more relaxed.
We were in the air 10 minutes late which is not 'late' in the airline industry. After we leveled off I used the lavatory in the front of the aircraft after which it was 'suggested' to me by the FA that I could also use the one in the rear of this class. "It might be closer" she said. It struck me as a strange comment, to tell me which lavatory to use and the rear one was not at all closer (I was in seat 3A). I began to think this FA didn't like me or was in a bad mood to begin with. Ah well. I wasn't going to let this one person spoil my adventure.
We were given menus from which to choose our dinner. The selection was not gourmet but certainly better than the economy class. Appetizers of roasted peppers, prawns and tomatoes were served in a pleasing arrangement and with a nice glass of chardonnay. Dinner was chicken in a tomato sauce and a bit over done. The "Express lunch" was a beef Wellington which I should have taken. Dessert was chocolate mousse with chocolate truffles. Coffee and a Bailey's topped it all off. I had wine before and with dinner. I drank a vodka tonic while I watched one of the 2 movies I selected then dozed as much as I could through the 10 hour flight. I liked the little "survival package' one receives, with head phones, socks, a sleep mask, tooth paste and brush and used the mask to help induce sleep after 5 hours into the flight. It was only a short nap to help me through what would be a very long day. I would begin to adjust to the East coast time zone and be awake for a total of 24 hours this day.
Upon waking, we were offered a snack of pizza which we washed down with a red wine. My seat-mate and I exchanged addresses since we had such a good time together and we then landed at Charlotte where we would go our separate ways. Of course I had to collect my luggage and recheck it through to my next flight. That is standard for all international flights coming into the States.
I had a 4 hour layover and my next flight was to depart from concourse C so I decided to visit the Club there in that concourse. I received my complimentary drink but was surprised to see so little else offered. There was some apples and a snack mix of pretzels, nuts and little crackers and coffee or water. I had been to the United Red Carpet Club at Miami and they offered wines, cheese dips and a spinach dip with crackers and toasted breads. There were soft drinks, coffee or tea, beer and water, all without cost. There was a staff there that kept the supply stocked. US Airways should either close their clubs all together to 'save money' (it that is indeed what they are trying to do) or keep the Club up to better standards than what I saw. The rooms were nice enough, with flat screen TVs in each room where you could select sports in one room or news in another. I chose news. I found a nice comfy oversized chair and snuggled down to try and nap. My body clock said it was nearly 10pm in Heidelberg and I had been awake since 4:30am.
I was hearing various announcements about gate changes for certain flights so I kept checking the status of my flight with the front desk in the club but somehow they missed my need to know changes and I was not aware of the gate change to another concourse. I had, fortunately, given myself 20 minutes which helped out when I found myself in need of getting to the other side of Charlotte airport, to concourse D. And then...
My connecting flight to West Palm Beach was delayed 45 minutes. We were cattle, all crammed together at the waiting area at the gate. The flight coming in was late and to add insult to injury it was announced that someone had gotten 'sick' in the craft and that had to be cleaned up. Well, being in first class, we were accommodated with glasses of wine to soothe our nerves after we were preboarded. I did have to borrow a cell phone to call my dad to tell him I would be late in arrival at PBI. The Boeing 737-400 jet had a rather cramped first class but for the short trip it was OK and the pilot shaved off some time to make it a 1.5 hour trip. We were only 15 minute late to our destination. After going through customs and collecting my luggage I arrived at the arrivals pickup section just as my dad made his arrival! Spectacular!
I had a fantastic visit with my family in Florida for 2 months! It was interesting to see the "Blue Tarp" state with all those blue roofs waiting for repair after the hurricane. There were new mountains popping up all over the Treasure Coast, aluminum siding mountains of discarded twisted metals and debris.
My visit came to an end and on December 27 I was again at PBI for my trip back to Heidelberg Germany and winter. Now I would be flying in the Roach section. All the difficulties of flying over the holidays were still fresh in the atmosphere of the airport. US Air had a 'black eye' with the baggage that never made it with their owners. All flights seemed to be delayed, rescheduled or in some sort of limbo no matter what the name of the airline. As I was checking in at the counter I was greeted by an obviously over stressed lady who could not decide if I was in line to be checked in or with someone else in the line. She kept climbing over the luggage scales and moving among us to nudge us into what she thought should be the line all the while mumbling how things would all be taken care of.
I decided to go straight to my gate instead of walking around even though I had well over an hour till flight time. I sat close to the boarding gate and tried to read but wound up talking with a lady in a wheel chair who fed me white chocolate! The flight was late. Hmm, imagine that! It was 45 minutes late. For me, no problem, I had another 4 hour layover but no access to The Club this time cause I have not received my complimentary pass as yet.
At Charlotte airport I went to Concourse D (international flights) by 6pm. My flight was to leave at 7:20pm. Shall I tell you that it was late? The flight originated in Albany NY. Winter? Snow? Need I say more? I sat there with several young men and women all whom were returning to military bases in Germany. As we waited, several of them had their names announce by the desk and were upgraded to Envoy class! What nice a surprise to them, that was! Seems that Envoy was not full and US Air chose to give each of these young military men and women a nice gift.
Now I was a roach. No champagne offered, no slippers or sleep mask (but of course I had my little pack from my Envoy experience with me, he he!) I had with me a small bottle of wine which I opened and poured into my own cup. I knew that was not technically allowed. US Air wants you to purchase their wines and liquors at $5 a pop! I cant afford that so I had my own. I slipped on my socks, got out my head phones, got my book and waited till we were in the air and the video came on. I then had another wine (I was asked by an FA what that was. I lied and said grape juice. she said OK but that "some of our European customers can't understand that is not allowed" and we charge for drinks now) Dinner was not as good as in the past and I mean the past of early 2004 when I flew roach. Things have gotten lower in quality. The flight was long as usual (shorter going to Europe than coming from..) and cramped. I slept not more than 2 hours then chose another movie to watch till they turned the cabin lights on. I was once more shocked at the lower quality of a so called 'breakfast' of some industrial sweet cake. I had to nearly chase the FA for a cup of coffee and then again for the cream and sugar. They all seems so distracted and the service was not up to par. I have always been a supporter of US Airways and the people in the front lines but things are beginning to fall apart for US Airways when even those front line good people are not able to do the good job. Costs are being cut but at least let the traveler be warned. Bring your own food on board if you expect to have something other than a sugar bomb for breakfast. Next time I will ask for the diabetic menu.
Well, if there IS a next time, I will be able to upgrade to Envoy class again. I have my miles. Hope there is an airline to use them on!

Well, you should have known in which difficult financial situation US Airways is (it�s much worse than that of their competitors).
And just tell us how much you paid and ask yourself what you can expect for that amount - i know the pricelevel between Germany and the U.S.!
(I live in Schwetzingen which is just "next door" to Heidelberg.)
Somehow i understand that staff motivation goes down when salaries are cut...(it should be no excuse, though)
This makes it even more difficult for US to survive as it won�t take long till regular US customers start looking for better U.S. airlines (if there are any...).
Unfortunately i have to consider US as a hot candidate for the next "big" failure on the U.S.market. Never flown on US but they still have a positive image to me especially as they really tried to renew their fleet rather than keeping oldtimers in a somehow airworthy condition like most of their rivals!
Just wondering if your miles won�t get lost if they "cease operations"...

I surely did think about the status of all these people working for US Air. It was at the top of my mind through all the processes of arranging my flight. There was indeed an air of detachment from many of those hard working people and I understood it. Still, I thought I would report what happened.
Others in all legs of my trip to the States and back to Frankfurt showed some smiling faces and others that had a 'deer in the headlights' look about them.

But you are correct about the quality of their fleet. Although there were signs of wear and tear (to be expected with thousands of flyers per week aboard these craft) these were the Airbus 330's and they are nice for a long distance flight.

I would fly US Air again if they survive this. There is so much negative reports written in this forum, it sounds ominous.

Thanks for the report. Sorry you had to endure all of those delays, but such is life. I hope you'll be back in Envoy again soon!

Thanks for writing up your report.

What is envoy class? Which airline did you fly?

Oh, I just noticed from one of the replies, apparently it's US Airways.

International business class on US Airways

Thanks Alysia

ENVOY CLASS=Busisness class joined with 1st on international flights aboard US Airways. It is the Great Equalizer.


If survival is granted, I WILL fly again in Envoy.

I am not as frequent a flyer as many who post here but I love flying, love the adventure and love the travel experience.

Thanks to all who helped me get the most out of this first experience.
And.....Thanks Envoyboy!