IceTrojan

Itinerary:
LAX-HKG on CX881 Y
HKG - 8 hour layover
HKG-SGN on CX765 Y
SGN - 8 days.
SGN-NRT on JL751 Y
NRT - 7 hour layover
NRT-LAX on AA170 C

CHAPTER 1

Before Departure:

Got some bad info from the reservations center in LA - was told that checkin for CX opened at 4 hours before departure. Got to the counter, and they said that the counter opens for both night flights at 6:30pm (I was on the 12:20am CX881), so I could have checked in my luggage way earlier and had time to grab a real dinner.

I need to fly CX more... check in was a BREEZE. Dropped my luggage off at the sniffer for inspection (just told them I was checking in using the F line to get ahead), and walked right up to the counter (no wait). I received my BPs and invite to the temporary F lounge (see here for report), which surprised me a bit as I thought it was for fare-paying F pax only. Checking in took less than 5 minutes.

This was quite excellent as I could spend more time at the Flagship Lounge in T4 (first time). If the AC is an escape from the terminal, the FL is an escape from the AC... much more quiet. I grabbed a quick shower... the shower rooms aren't any different than the ones in the AC, except for slightly better quality products and more accoutrements.

I liked the self service bar, which had some decent spirits (free-flow Grey Goose is a beautiful thing). The snacks weren’t anything special, but at least there was a variety. The chairs at the tables were pretty uncomfortable though. All in all, not a mind-blowing experience but well worth the price of admission.

After about 90 minutes, I proceed to go check out the temp F lounge in TBIT, which was nicer than I thought it would be (see report). After another 40 minutes, I had to face the inevitable and descend into the pit that is TBIT.

TSA security was short (<5 minutes) but should have been shorter had the “once-a-years” and their families not gotten in line. Seriously, why is there no elite line? Then the walk to Gate 103, which was completely full. In fact, at the Southern end of TBIT were gates 101-103 and all seem to have to share the same space. After a short wait, they called for F/J boarding, so I joined as an EXP. I had a small glimmer of hope for an op-up, but it was not to be, and boy am I very sad about it…

On-board.
I take my exit row aisle seat, 44H, and thought I would be merrily on my way to HKG in Y style. Unfortunately, I had a chronic seatback kicker behind me In fact, with a 15hr flight looming ahead, I spoke to him within the first hour of the flight, and he wasn’t being very receptive. I’ll give him this… he sure had great timing, because he would always jolt my seat right when I get to sleep. At about the 6 hour mark I had an FA talk to him. Then at the 8 hour mark I spoke with the Purser. Unfortunately they can’t do anything since I’m not willing to give up my exit row seat, and he refuses to move.

Y is completely full anyway, so the only options were to switch with another Y pax, or move one of us into J. I even suggested they move Mr. Kicker to J, as I only wanted a seat that didn’t wake me up. In any case, my position was that our existence was mutually exclusive, so one of us had to move… and I’m sorry, but if anyone were to be forced to move, it should me his non-status butt and not my shiny Emerald one. Am I off base?

Well, no movement happens, so now I’m forced to stay up the remainder of the flight. Mr. Kicker is now asleep, but still twitches. Grr. At least I have the Wing to look forward to…6 hours from now…

Anyway, moving on... the Y food was terrible. Stewed (nuked) beef, mashed (gummy) potatoes, veggies, salad with shrimp on it (way prepackaged, as the lettuce was infused with shrimp goodness :blech: ). In an attempted to make the meal Christmas-y they replaced the normal cheesecake with a slice of bouche de noel, also known as dried hunk o’ dough. I expected more out of CX (even in Y)! Perhaps they should contract with the vendor who caters Asiana flights. At least service was outstanding.

For the morbidly curious - The Y Menu:

I generally don’t have a problem with “reduced seat width” because of bulkhead/exit row, but man these seats on CX are tight. This is due to the IFE controller being permanently mounted to the armrest, which a) takes away at least 1 ½ in, and b) makes it VERY hard to control.

IFE was interestingly varied, but the most interesting channel to me (the flight map) didn’t work at my seat, even after 2 reboots. And why is my seat being held together with Scotch tape? The new seats can’t come soon enough. Plus: broken sink on starboard lav, broken toilet on port side, and someone’s IFE screen actually fell off like a decapitated head. I must be in one of the oldest 744s they have.

And finally, there was a Y amenity pack providing
-Pack itself
-Socks
-Keychain Lanyard
-Toothpaste/brush
-Card saying eyemasks are available.

(more to come… next up… a jaunt in HKG... and Hong Kong)

pacificboot

Boy.. if you had only seen my trip report, which had two paragraphs that detailed my horrible adventure at the TBIT before checked bags security check point, where I stood in line for one full hour.. and that was all in F. How did you manage to get through the security lines so quickly? I thought all passengers, including F or top tier, must have their checked bags screened before check-in?

And CX should really stop serving scrambled eggs and congee in Y... they have served it for so long, and it is disgusting.

IceTrojan

I went up, said "First" and they pointed me to a swabber machine (not the xray). They swabbed while I checked in, then my bags were ready to be tagged and taken away. Not too shabby.

IceTrojan

Hong Kong is spectacular… I’m definitely coming back.

But first things first… we arrive at 7am-ish. While waiting to deplane, the purser and an FA were apologizing profusely for not being able to do anything (and ignored Mr. Kicker )… I appreciated the gesture and don’t begrudge them. Anyway, I followed the signs to “Transfers” and found my way to the F side of The Wing. Boy howdy is it nice. I immediately go freshen up in The Cabanas, and all previous descriptions are spot on (though it was a little funky that all the rooms were open-ended by the “brook”) Being able to soak in hot water after a long night of Mr. Kicker did wonders for my disposition.


Afterwards, I enjoyed a quick but delicious breakfast at The Haven. A few dim sum items, a very delicious mushroom/tart/Benedict item, and (as a stamp of previous British rule) sausages and baked beans. I also had the best cup of Earl Grey ever. Service was very doting but not annoyingly so.


Refreshed and refueled, I was ready to tackle HK. The F desk happily took my carryon to store, and gave me one of those passes to exit through transfers and go through Immigration (which was exceedingly quick and easy). Made my way to the Airport Express… make sure you print the coupon from the CX website! With your CX BP, it brings the return ticket to HK Station down from HK$180 to HK$100. I like trains, and this one was very nice, with a very cool LED indicator showing how far along you are. The 30-min ride was pretty scenic too.

HK Station puts you right by the Piers, so I just followed the signs to the Star Ferries, about a 5-10 minute walk. Arriving so early, I had to wait an hour for the ticket office to even open. I walked around, taking in the scenes… HK Bay has got to be one of the best locations for a city to spring up.


I get my ticket and board a very nicely crafted ferry, complete with onboard café (the ticket allowed you one drink and one food item… I got a Coke and a VERY buttery pound cake). The tour didn’t stop at all the places I thought it would, but no matter, I was getting off at the same place. We took an hour tour around the bay, with audio describing the nearby buildings.


After disembarking, I followed up on a tip about a dim sum shop at Pier 5. It was more like a shack… but it was SO tasty! This is definitely where the locals got their breakfast before boarding a ferry to work. I got 2 meatballs and 2 dumplings for the US$1.20… you can’t beat that!


Time to head back to HKG, so I walked back to HK Station. Damn these Brits for driving on the wrong side! I almost get creamed not once but TWICE because I didn’t look the right direction before crossing. Anyway, what I didn’t noticed before about HK Station is that you can check in for (what seemed like) all airlines there, before getting to the airport. A time saver to be sure. I also noticed that there were no-cost luggage carts on the platforms… great idea.

Back through security and immigration control (breeze), and I’m back at The Wing in time for lunch. But after walking around the city, of course I have to take another shower in the Cabanas! Even more tasty morsels for lunch, and of course I had to order a hot noodle soup (Ginger Beef Ramen for me)…delicioso! Afterwards I walked around the J lounge for a bit… the feeding area is a self-service café style, and the sitting area involved community tables and benches (which I rather like). But, many more people, so back to the F side I go.


The most comfortable couch is nearest to the F entrance, facing where the Cabanas would be… you just sink right in. The perfect spot to Internet. An attendant roams around taking care of your refreshments needs. Quite a while before my flight boards, I decide to head down to the gate to stretch my legs. The confused attendants reminded me that I had a while, but after I told them I just wanted to walk around they understood. Fortunately, my gate wasn’t too far off (I sorta was hoping it would be by the Pier so I can check that out too).

HKG is really just a mall built with airplane parking, and was bustling with travelers looking for a good deal. I found some funky items for sale, and decided on some dried/toasted sesame fish for my family (“Buy 2 get 1 free? But I only have enough HK money for 1 “ ) When I arrive at my gate, it was none other than B-LAD (CX's 100th aircraft) that was parked there… I was excited to get a fairly new A330.


Boarding commences while I’m taking a quick walk to a nearby shop, but they allow me to board in the C line by virtue of my EXP status. Took my exit row seat (54C) and settled in for the (relatively quick) 2 hour trip to SGN. Little did I know that I was about to take one of my best flights ever in Y.

It starts when the purser comes up to me, introduces herself, and welcomes me to the flight. She says I’m the only OW Emerald in Y (is that good or bad?), and if there was anything in particular she could do to not hesitate to ask. She then offers me a selection of Australian wines from J, and I agree to a cabernet. She comes back with the wine and some nuts. At this point, I notice the other pax around me in the full Y cabin are wondering who the hell I am, and why they weren’t getting any wine and nuts. It was interesting, but whatever.

The meal service was quick and efficient, with a couple passes of the drink cart. The purser continues to stop by once in a while to check on my specifically, which definitely added a touch of class to the sea of the unwashed (I’m kidding!). Finally, right before landing, she asks one last time, and in a stroke of genius (what do I have to lose?) I ask if there’s any chance of moving closer to the front, so that I would deplane faster. She says she’ll see what she can do and disappears. After about 5 minutes, she comes back and says (remember, everyone is staring at me), “Mr. Trojan, do you have your bags? Please follow me.” She then leads me forward, pulls aside the curtain, takes me to the J cabin. There’s maybe 3 other pax there. I’m excited to try out the C seat, albeit for just 15 minutes… I’m mainly happy that I’m right next to the door.


We land, purser bids me adieu, and I’m out the door as soon as it opens (wonderful!). I see that 3 other 744s have also just arrived and are unloading their pax, so I quickly make my way to immigration, and stood in line behind maybe 4 people. Then the mass of humanity comes. By the time I make it to the officer, I look back to see people from around me start lining up… behind 25-30 people. One guy looked like he was trying to burn a hole through me with his stare… fortunately for me, I was gone in less than a minute.

If you’ve ever been through SGN, you know that the baggage claim area is way too small, and can be very inefficient. Yay for me, my bags are tagged “Priority First” and are the first to arrive. I quickly scoop them up, head for customs, and out the doors I go. Time from plane opening its doors to exiting the airport… less than 10 minutes. This is a record for me (at least for an international flight).

IceTrojan

The following is an outline of my stay in Vietnam. I do have to say, since I had a couple of my first-time buddies with me, I did some of the more touristy things that I avoided in the past… some were actually decent, and others… well, you know how it is. I’ve included my personal grades on certain things. Thoughts may be random, and time may not be linear. Be warned.

– Reunification palace (B+): The tour was better than I had expected. Not too much propaganda during the tour, which was conducted by a local university student studying English. It was very interesting seeing where all the history took place in the lead-up to the War.


– “Central Park” (A-): Well, I call it Central Park… made things easier. It’s the community area located between the Reunification Palace and the Cathedral of Notre Dame. During the holidays (basically, Dec-Feb) it’s decorated and there are nightly festivals going on. Definitely come out here at night to see all the lights and take in all the sights. If you’re really venturous, come on Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve… but don’t expect fireworks.


– Sinh Café (B): Well known among budget travelers, they are a full-service tour company known for low prices. I gave them a try, and while I thought the price was great, you do get what you pay for, and so the tours tend to be of lower quality. Advantage – they speak English, and very well.

– VN (B+): I quite enjoy flying VN… it’s definitely a different experience.
What I liked:

• Domestic widebody service (SGN-HAN has 6x777, 1xA300, ???)
  
• There’s only 2 fare buckets – Y and J. Thus, nothing complicated like advance purchase requirements, and only a 10% penalty for refunds.
  
• Airfare is cheap.
  
• How easy it is to ask for and get exit rows when checking in (I’m 100%).
  
• How the seat belt light goes off as soon as we’re wheels up (more of an oddity thing).

What I didn’t like:

• No boarding groups.
  
• The waiting area/holding cell you have to wait in before boarding.
  
• You’ll have to flight to get your rollaboard onboard (they didn’t budge when I pointed out that my cousin’s rollaboard was smaller than the backpack I had)..
  
• Customer service is still a concept the frontline employees still struggle with on occasion. But more so than the US, a smile and empathy will get you far. In HAN our flight to SGN was delayed for a couple hours (late inbound aircraft), and the poor GA was being hammered by the pax, who didn’t understand why they couldn’t fly at the indicated time. The things this GA had to hear! One guy even asked why they couldn’t bring another airplane to fly us, and that he’d never fly VN again if they didn’t (kinda hard to follow through on that threat). Since I now had a couple of hours to kill, I went over, spoke to her in Vietnamese, and offered to explain to the English-speakers what was happening. Half the angry mob disappeared (as I suspected, it was a communication problem), and eventually the native crowd dissipated as well. When boarding was called, the GA allow my party to board in the business non-line, instead of with the angry horde… and even ignored our rollaboards

– Taxis from HAN: $10 flat fee to the city ($12 for a 7-seater). Didn’t get a flat fee coming back (metered cost was $14).

– Taxis in general: If you find a taxi driver you like, you can ask for his card/cell number and have him at your beckon call. Most will be thrilled at the prospect of guaranteed fares.

– Flower Hotel & Blossom Hotel – Hanoi (A): Sister properties on the same street, it was an excellent value for $30/night. Down comforters, very nicely appointed rooms, decent staff, and a great breakfast buffet included… on the top level of their buildings for an almost-360 degree view of the city.


– Halong Bay (A+): It’s a definitely must-do day trip from Hanoi. It’s a 3-4 hour bus ride each way. On this trip, we left in the morning and returned in the evening… we stayed both nights in Hanoi, though there are resort properties in Halong. Winter isn’t the best time to go (misty and a little chop on the water). But cruising among the islands, stopping by on a floating fish market, and exploring the natural caves on the islands… terrific. I’ve been twice now, and would go again.


– Mekong Delta tour (A): We did a day trip from Saigon to Can Tho, the closest town on Delta. We rented a private minivan ($45 for the day including tip). We were taken to the main boat tour center where we were initially offered a speed boat tour for 1,200,000VND (~$80... ouch!). After we wanted to leave, they suggested a slow outboard dingy for ~550,000VND (~$35... excellent! and preferred) and we also had our own tour guide who was very knowledgeable and spoke English very well (she also spoke Japanese). We said we wanted to stay away from tourists, and she obliged, taking us to an island where residents reside and not many tourists actually go. Much more fun than going to watch foreigners take pictures of themselves with stupid poses. Of course, there were some tourist traps along the way, but we were happy with our experience (especially with the fresh fruit ^).


- Cu Chi Tunnels (D-): The only reason it didn't get an F was that some of it was mildly interesting. But everything they have to show you has been rebuilt... nothing was original (except for the destroyed US tank, which likely had soldiers in it at one time, proudly on display for tourists to play on like a jungle gym). You can fire off guns on the shooting range... at the cost of 20,000VND (~$1.25) per bullet. You end the tour by eating boiled tapioca root and drinking tea (bleh). Oh, and the admission fee was $0.50.... plus a $5.00 "tourist tax" Not worth the 2 hours it took to get there. It wasn't a historical site... it was an amusement park

(Yes, I really did take this pic to show everyone how preposterous it was)

IceTrojan

(sorry everyone... my report sort of fell apart)

I know that JL isn’t oneworld yet, but for the last 6 trips (3 years) I’ve been able to use my PLT/EXP card to check in at the JL C line with no problems (and Priority luggage tags to boot), and this time was no exception. The VN agents (who handle checkin for all airlines) were very professional. I was sent to a different counter to pay my Vietnam departure tax (currently included in the price), and upon returning the agent at the exit row seats I had requested.

To get to the departures area at SGN, you go through a screening area (bags xrayed). There are then xrays/metal detector before entering a glass box/holding area for the gate, which is divided up into sections according to row number… these don’t mean much in the scrum following the call for boarding. There is a separate C section next to the door, and at least that’s enforced. If you want to get ahead of everyone, just hang out by the double doors on the far end of the holding area (or start going there when someone with a radio stands next to the doors). Shortly after departure at midnight, a bev/snack service starts and lights are turned off within 45 minutes, to maximize sleeping time on the 5h35 flight.

Unfortunately, you are basically forced awake (lights and loud announcements) about 1 ½ hours before landing for breakfast. And no, it’s not worth it. (Your choice of fish porridge or porridge with fish).

Arrival in NRT was nothing special. The crowd followed each other to immigration, we went to the other side where no one was. Got through no problem… we then checked our carryons at the luggage check near the train station (but a couple stories up). We’re now ready to visit drizzly Narita City.

– Took the JR train for about $4 each way (attendant barely spoke English).

– Walked down the path towards the big Shinto temple… apparently we arrived on a religious holiday, so there were many who walked with us, down the gauntlet of shops. Very interesting to bear witness to.

– Stopped by a market that had freshly cooked fried chicken and potato/meat croquettes… delicious, and only 100 yen each!

– Experienced a full religious service.

– Walked back up to have ourselves some tasty Ramen Bayashi (great noodle soup and cheap/fun bottle openers).

– Stopped by the 100 yen store for random and unique (and cheap!) Japanese trinkets.

– With the aide of a non-speaking policeman, we rode the train back to NRT (trick I learned on the way back was to take the Green Car )

– Checked in and made our way to the AC (remember, it’s still the old AC), where we showered and napped for a little bit.

– At the appointed time, I walked my friends to their KE flight to LAX.

– I spent the rest of the time at the AC (couple more hours), then boarded AA170 to LAX. Standard J service, nothing special (though it was a rough ride for takeoff and the first 2 hours, and service wasn’t started until then).

– Highlight of my arrival into LAX was that the premium tags actually worked (and it was interesting that in SGN I received JL premium tags, but my bags arrived with the highlighter orange AA premium tags).

IceTrojan

The food in Vietnam really deserves its own section, so it will be added here in due time.