Got Back From SFO: What's With Everyones Beef With SFO?
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Denver, Colorado
Programs: IHG Spire, Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Titanium, Mileage Plus Gold
Posts: 1,736
Got Back From SFO: What's With Everyones Beef With SFO?
So I just got back from SFO which was my first time ever flying into San Francisco. Driven and taken the train but this weekend was my first time flying into SFO. On this forum, we will get people saying SFO this and SFO that not in a good way. I went to the end of ALL of United's Concourse and back including the International Section. Also, I went inside all three of the domestic United Clubs there. Except for the United Club across from gate Gate 71A which while clean and nicely stocked, was deep inside the building without any natural lights, kind of was depressing. The other two were fine. The terminal concourse were all bright and clean with a variety of food options. The staff in the lounges were all pleasant as well.
My flight back home was oversold so as a VOLUNTARY bump, I was offered $400.00 voucher plus I told them I wanted first class on the alternative flight to which they agreed to. The supervisor even offered up $20.00 dollars food voucher. With 4 hours to kill till my next flight, I explored every corner of UA's concourse. No nasty lounge dragons were around. The gate staff were excellent. The only issue was with a passenger in FC who security had to be called on once we landed but other than that it was smooth sailing.
My flight back home was oversold so as a VOLUNTARY bump, I was offered $400.00 voucher plus I told them I wanted first class on the alternative flight to which they agreed to. The supervisor even offered up $20.00 dollars food voucher. With 4 hours to kill till my next flight, I explored every corner of UA's concourse. No nasty lounge dragons were around. The gate staff were excellent. The only issue was with a passenger in FC who security had to be called on once we landed but other than that it was smooth sailing.
#2
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,878
#3
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,703
SNA -> SFO is my favorite route to get bumped at. It's almost guaranteed around the holidays Last year I flew it three times just to get voluntarily bumped 3 times. This is what I do in my holidays LOL.
Maybe you just caught it at a good time. Like [MENTION=659374]Kacee[/MENTION] said, the UC's are overcrowded since the Polaris club construction. Oh and with winter coming around, Karl will be making an almost daily appearance along with some rain. Then the magic happens.
Maybe you just caught it at a good time. Like [MENTION=659374]Kacee[/MENTION] said, the UC's are overcrowded since the Polaris club construction. Oh and with winter coming around, Karl will be making an almost daily appearance along with some rain. Then the magic happens.
#4
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: SEA
Programs: UA MP (1K, 1MM)
Posts: 268
SFO is a great airport. Could be better if the runways 28L & R were a bit more separated to allow them to operate in parallel during bad weather. Or if BART ran 24/7 into The City.
#5
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: Rowley, MA / Edgartown, MA / Christiansted, St. Croix (USVI)
Programs: UA LT GS/4.96MM, Marriott LT Titanium, IHG Platinum, Global Entry, TSA Pre✓, Korea SeS, APEC
Posts: 579
SFO is a good airport, Ive transited through it hundreds of times (today again, in fact) and Ive been delayed but never stranded. Yes, the UCs can be crowded at times but United is trying to make that better. I can think of many airports that are worse.
#7
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jun 2005
Posts: 58,295
IAD's miserable C/D "temporary" concourse, for starters.
#8
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: USA
Programs: UA (1K, 2MM), AA, Avis, National
Posts: 867
#9
Join Date: Aug 2017
Location: LAS
Programs: 3 MMer
Posts: 458
One drop of rain falls and it's ground holds for flights into SFO system wide,
Been there done that numerous times. One week ago 3 hour ground hold LAS-SFO and over 3 hour delay to HKG due to weather. Mis-connected in HKG and barely made the next flight to BKK. The ground crew in HKG were exceptional, and as we departed our aircraft,we were personally directed to our next protected flights.
You won't find one res agent or flight crew that recommends going to/through SFO with a hint of inclement weather.
I will never go through there again, EVER!
#10
Join Date: Jan 2016
Programs: UA 1K; *G, AA Plat
Posts: 1,703
Or you are not in the front on international flights and must trek back to the domestic clubs.
One drop of rain falls and it's ground holds for flights into SFO system wide,
Been there done that numerous times. One week ago 3 hour ground hold LAS-SFO and over 3 hour delay to HKG due to weather. Mis-connected in HKG and barely made the next flight to BKK. The ground crew in HKG were exceptional, and as we departed our aircraft,we were personally directed to our next protected flights.
You won't find one res agent or flight crew that recommends going to/through SFO with a hint of inclement weather.
I will never go through there again, EVER!
One drop of rain falls and it's ground holds for flights into SFO system wide,
Been there done that numerous times. One week ago 3 hour ground hold LAS-SFO and over 3 hour delay to HKG due to weather. Mis-connected in HKG and barely made the next flight to BKK. The ground crew in HKG were exceptional, and as we departed our aircraft,we were personally directed to our next protected flights.
You won't find one res agent or flight crew that recommends going to/through SFO with a hint of inclement weather.
I will never go through there again, EVER!
Was the ground staff in HKG United Airlines staff?
#11
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM; Bonvoy Titanium; most other FF programs...
Posts: 660
SFO as an airport is quite pleasant... good food options, nice lounges (including the Centurian Club), but as other have mentioned, it's the delays that come with ATC and runway construction that makes it less than desirable. As I often transit through SFO from LA, flights from LAX are some of the first to get delayed/cancelled, often times just under the 3 hour maximum tarmac time before they have to head back to the gate. Despite giving myself a buffer of over 4 hours for a connection (LAX-SFO-HKG) I barely made my flight in SFO to HKG.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
Last edited by FoxFlyer; Dec 4, 2017 at 9:32 am
#12
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 5,578
SFO as an airport is quite pleasant... good food options, nice lounges (including the Centurian Club), but as other have mentioned, it's the delays that come with ATC and runway construction. As I often transit through SFO from LA, flights from LAX are some of the first to get delayed/cancelled, often times just under the 3 hour maximum tarmac time before they have to head back to the gate. Despite giving myself a buffer of over 4 hours for a connection (LAX-SFO-HKG) I barely made my flight in SFO to HKG.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
the International departure gate and it is a heck of trek to make it (especially when UA does not hold a plane to accommodate late connecting pax ) . Easy for a teenager, those
days are long gone for me. Personally I prefer LAX going to Asia, but I am aware that's against the prevailing thinking. Unfortunately UA's options here are pretty small other
than NRT and SIN, though at least it gets me home. Not much going to Europe either. I avoid SFO unless I have at least six hours to spare ( and at one time that was not enough ).
#13
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SRQ, PDX
Programs: UA 1 MM, AA, DL
Posts: 937
Same here. I cannot count how many flights I have missed while being routed through SFO. On top of it my domestic flights always seem to arrive at the farthest gate away from
the International departure gate and it is a heck of trek to make it (especially when UA does not hold a plane to accommodate late connecting pax ) . Easy for a teenager, those
days are long gone for me. Personally I prefer LAX going to Asia, but I am aware that's against the prevailing thinking. Unfortunately UA's options here are pretty small other
than NRT and SIN, though at least it gets me home. Not much going to Europe either. I avoid SFO unless I have at least six hours to spare ( and at one time that was not enough ).
the International departure gate and it is a heck of trek to make it (especially when UA does not hold a plane to accommodate late connecting pax ) . Easy for a teenager, those
days are long gone for me. Personally I prefer LAX going to Asia, but I am aware that's against the prevailing thinking. Unfortunately UA's options here are pretty small other
than NRT and SIN, though at least it gets me home. Not much going to Europe either. I avoid SFO unless I have at least six hours to spare ( and at one time that was not enough ).
1. YVR
2. LAX
3. SFO, arriving night before and staying at the Marriott.
#14
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: SFO
Programs: *G^2, Bonvoyed, NEXUS
Posts: 3,542
SFO as an airport is quite pleasant... good food options, nice lounges (including the Centurian Club), but as other have mentioned, it's the delays that come with ATC and runway construction that makes it less than desirable. As I often transit through SFO from LA, flights from LAX are some of the first to get delayed/cancelled, often times just under the 3 hour maximum tarmac time before they have to head back to the gate. Despite giving myself a buffer of over 4 hours for a connection (LAX-SFO-HKG) I barely made my flight in SFO to HKG.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
It's the stress, unknown and what ifs of flying THROUGH SFO which gives me heart palpitations, so I tried to avoid it whenever possible.
This may be less of a problem with UA given their dominance, but flying AC for example, I have also experienced a lot of gate constraint issues over the past couple of years where we arrive on time, but our gate is occupied due to another delayed aircraft and there is no where for us to go. Does SFO not have remote stands/buses available in these situations?
#15
Join Date: Feb 2009
Location: PDX
Programs: AS (MVP), UA (silver), AA, DL, Hilton (Gold)
Posts: 231
Weather, Weather, and Weather. Because the main runways are too close together, they often can't do simultaneous landings and well when you cut a busy's airports landings by 50%, delays happen quickly.
But when it is is clear it is really cool to be able to look out your window on final and wave at passengers on the parallel landing!
But when it is is clear it is really cool to be able to look out your window on final and wave at passengers on the parallel landing!