UA.Com lists "noise-reducing" headseats as a GF amenity - I'm guessing they are non-branded and not as good as Bose. Check out the Global First site

When I fly F on LH, I will use their headsets, which are Bose. The headsets in GF are mediocre and nowhere close to Bose.

Don't have high expectations for GF, given my experiences. There is only a marginal difference in catering, and service is totally dependent on the flight crew--but never comparable to a REAL international first experience. On a recent GF flight from Beijing on a 747, the aging flight attendants refused to help a passenger (or find help from a taller or younger flight attendant) put her roller board into the overhead bin. This GF passenger sought help because she could not reach the overhead bin. The GF flight attendant told her that "if you bring a bag on the airplane, you have to be able to stow it yourself". In first class. On Singapore air in coach, the flight attendants practically knocked me down to grab my bag and store it for me. You can only imagine the shock and disbelief of a paying GF passenger being treated like this. On the same flight, my special meal was not boarded, headsets are hardly noise-cancelling and IFE had nothing of interest whatsoever. On a previous leg of this itinerary, I had flown SWISS and AIR CHINA in business class. They trumped UA GF in everything except the physical seat and its storage cabinets.

If what one FA told me is true, I don't blame them. Yes, I know, never trust what the say, but she said she was just back at work after being out for some time after after twisting her back helping do just what you describe above. Neither her medical or time out was paid because they're specifically NOT supposed to lift things for the pax.

True, or just another rumor?

Very true. Flight attendants are not supposed to lift bags into the bin due to insurance rules. If a FA receives an OJI from lifting a bag, they won't be covered.

The current generation of headsets are meh. They don't seem to be doing as much active noise cancelling as pmUA headsets.

The luggage helping thing seems like an Asian airline requirement. I saw a CX FA, because of her height, step on the seat rail to get a bag up to the luggage bin, which I thought was a workplace safety hazard.

Contractually, the FAs are not obligated to deal with the bags in-cabin. However, many, including our resident FAs on FT, suggest that they lift up the bag together with the passenger as opposed to having the FA lifting the bag alone - kind of like what they do in the safety video on the beach.

I have heard about the no medical paid leave as a result bag-related injuries. I'm guessing it'll be based on individual's circumstance/medical leave time availability/seriousness of injury.

Are you sure about the wine and champagne - I don't remember anything very memorable on my recent GF flights.

Maybe you had too much? ;)

On BR and TG J I've seen two short FAs help a short/elderly pax try to get a bag up, in both instances they were about to step on the seat. I got up and did it for them (6'2").

Can't agree with the above comment about UA IFE being worse than CA/LX.

NRT does offer a GFL lounge, right upstairs from the regular lounge.

I think think they meant only INTL that do are LHR & NRT. But they are also forgetting HKG.

The wines aren't memorable but there's usually at least one good one. For more: https://www.united.com/CMS/en-US/tra...sWineMenu.aspx

The wines in the GFL are very good though, many in the $50 per bottle range. But you won't see Krug, Dom, etc.

He/She is correct about refusing to help the pax with the luggage, as any FA in the US no matter what airline it is, if they help their luggage and injured themselves, it is on their own. I don't know about SQ, but most countries have the exact same rule.

It is also correct that any pax if they can't put the bag in the overhead bin on their own, why not check it instead ? It is not like there are not enough checked bag allowance for F pax right ? :

Many people nowadays want to bring the biggest and heaviest carryon onboard to avoid check bag fees, and you know they would have no way to lift it up to the overhead bin, if they can't get FA to help then they will always ask the pax help, as a pax if they ask me, I always say it like the FA did, "pay the fee and check your bag !" :rolleyes:

If the pax cannot put their own bag into an overhead bin, how are they going to get it out of the overhead bin? I guess they are counting on the continued kindness of others.

Depending on the aircraft I think the FA could have found a closet that would have stored the bag without having to lift it (like in the nose of the 747) somewhere on the bird.


SunLover

+1. I've never flow CA but I don't think UA's IFE is worse then LX at all.