OT on my own thread..., but LaserSailor you are one prolific contributor! Close to 5k posts in less than 3 years. Holy smokes. Most insanely active people seem to have 700-1000 posts a year but you're at insane 1600.
Hats off to you! ^:-:

From my last trip, I do believe that the cloth for the table will completely cover the tray, unlike the ones used by AC on both my recent TATL flights in J. Do the napkins still have the button hole?

Flew GF to NRT last week and had the button hole.

Dammit I flew ANA for fifteen hours. I coulda had PJs? WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME BEFORE???

It is my understanding that non-revs pay a co-pay to sit in premium cabins on international flights. They don't get it free. I'm not giving an opinion one way or the other of how I feel about non-rev's in the premium cabins, just trying to post what I believe, based on what I have read, to be fact. Maybe an employee poster can confirm with just a yes, that is true, statement. Don't care how much it is.

Yes, well the system has changed since the merger. UA adopted CO's program, and they give active/retirees a set number of passes that increase boarding priority and cost less (if anything). Dependent (immediate family) travel outside of those limited # of passes is at a lower priority, and with a fee (which is almost 2x what pmUA charged from what I'm told). Buddy passes are a whole nother animal. Basically retirees got those taken away, but actives still have them. The prices also increased substantially.

Point is, next time you see a NRSA in United First on a 3-cabin aircraft, realize that there are distinctions between who they are and what type of pass they are on. Because in many cases, UAL is still getting a not insignificant amount of money out of them.

TOPIC CHECK

This is a discussion about amenities in Global first and not a discussion about non-revs and upgrades

goalie
UA forum Co-Moderator

I bring my own PJ's from AA on United. The worst part is changing in the tiny lavs with who knows what on the floor

Yeah, but you didn't miss anything.

Perhaps things have changed since I did an LAX-NRT roundtrip in ANA F in 2012. At that time, my experience with their PJs was not very nice. Passengers aren't allowed to keep the pajamas. The jammies are retrieved at the end of each flight, laundered, and repackaged. New sets are stiff and scratchy. Laundered sets aren't as bad, but they tend to retain their stiffness, and they've been worn by strangers. Yuck.

However, I did partake of the nice wool cardigan that came with the pajama set, and the duvet was covered in a soft silk jacquard fabric. Very luxurious.

Back on topic...I know UA GF isn't as nice as other carriers' service, but I agree with another poster about the seat. It is wide, comfortable, and more relaxing than BF. On a flight last January I slept nearly all the way from Tokyo to Chicago.

GF difference:

Check-in via GF lounge area, with a shorter security line
Bigger seat, with AVOD
Bigger amenity kit, with more stuff in it
Hot appetizer (vs. cold)
soup (as many had pointed out)
Better wines and vintage champagne, compared to BF
More personalized service due to FA to passenger ratio, if the crew is working hard (New York based crew is usually pretty good)
Turn down service, with a mattress pad

Same as BF:
United Club access (unfortunately, no GFL in EWR)
Meal entree choices
Group 1 boarding

No pajama or slippers (slippers only on flights to NRT)

Thanks very helpful!
Where is the GF lounge area at EWR? Same as GS?

If staffed. When I flew IAD-LHR if GF, there wasn't anyone in the GF Check-in. We went to the kiosks checked in and waited. The BF folks in the next bank of desks eventually stopped chatting to see what we needed (we were heading to DPS and Indonesia has a visa on arrival - someone had to push a button to verify docs to let us continue with check in).

The GF flight itself was comfortable and the pilot came out and chatted with each GF passenger before take off. That was nice! Needless to say the trip in TG F from LHR-BKK was on a different level in terms of food, amenities, comfort :)

Good list! You left one out though, which I think is very nice: in GF you have 3 closable storage compartments which you can access without standing up and taking your bags out of the overhead. One of these is large, and two small ones. This is a nice convenience when you're trying to work, sleep, work etc.

Yup - the glass enclosed area.

https://hub.united.com/en-us/news/co...customers.aspx

Thanks! I like the nooks and crannies as well. The problem, for me anyways, is I would forget and leave stuff in there. Or at least the fear of it.

One more question: how are the headsets? Noise canceling? Should I bring my own Bose? Prefer not to if don't need to since adds weight and volume in carry on