PTravel

I sure am. I've also got a long-haul to China next week. Here's what I'm planning on doing:

1. I usually carry on two bags -- a smallish rolling computer bag and a backpack. The backpack contains whatever I will need in flight and goes under the seat. This time, I'll put them both in a single roll-a-board, just in case the "1 carry on" thing is imposed.

2. I just ordered one of these for overnight delivery. I should have it by Tuesday:



http://www.scottevest.com/v3_store/E...n_Jacket.shtml

I'll use its 25 pockets to hold, at least, my iPod, my earbuds (in case I can't use the QC15s that I just bought), and a couple of extended-battery thingies so, at least, my iPod will last through the trip. I also can't stand the coach food on UA transpac, so I'll stuff a sandwich or two into the pockets, along with some of those little vodka bottles, a small LCD flashlight and a paperback book or two. Nothing in my lap -- all neatly in my jacket.

I will not sit there for 12-14 hours doing nothing but staring at the seat back in front of me.

3. I was planning to do this anyway, but I'll bring on some See's candy for the cockpit and cabin crew. I usually do this on transpacs, and the crew seem to appreciate it -- perhaps they'll cut me a little slack if I decide to thumb through Hemispheres Magazine or the Skymall catalog.

The_seat_Baron

Maybe we can get a 'NO to NO IFE on UA' campaign going... I'm sure it can be just as successful as the one setup regarding CR-1's...

BearX220

I doubt UAL itself could explain what's going on, except it's caught up in the vortex of more insane government panic-mongering. Maybe customers should explain to UAL what's going on at our end. I, for one, am not flying anywhere under these psychotic conditions. This madness has gone too far. None of these demented "security measures" accomplish a thing beyond driving normal people crazy.

Well, let's see some cancelled itineraries, boys. Let's see some half-empty C cabins. Kick 'em in the revenue shorts. UA should have to choose between its customer base and these vicious, half-bright government demagogues. Until there's a revenue downside to this pointless, theatrical mindscrewing, nothing changes.

I got nothing booked for January and I'm not going to have anything, either. What I have to do I can do via Skype until this lunacy blows over.

kevincrumbs

I'm guessing it has to do with the fact that it is an aircraft that flies onto the US. Not sure what the IFE has to do with the potential ability of terrorists to leave materials behind for someone who is flying NRT-US.

I would imagine that UnitedPR will have something for us on Monday. Probably the weekend combined with time needed for UA to put a PR spin onto this to make it somewhat palatable.

iflyuaaa

it makes no sense why only UA is affected by this. how come there is IFE on all the other airlines?

who is the best person to complain to. about all the idiotic security policies that don't even work. just took the lotion out of my backback that has gone around the world about 25 times in the last 2 years and only caught once in singapore. was in vegas last weekend with 8 friends - 6 of them had full size bottles of shampoo and not caught. the policies are stupid and not even enforced. i think we were safer pre 9/11. sitting down the last hour of the flight will just give a terrorist easy aisle access to run to the front of the plane. no electronic devices? please. we all know that we get our cell reception back about 5 mins or so before landing and i see everyone texting as soon as it comes on - myself included. what are they gonna do? make us check in cell phones? these idiots running security should all be fired. does anyone know the annual TSA budget? if we just fired all of them, that money could be used elsewhere or returned to the hardworking americans who are already overtaxed. i bet we'd be safer. the best safety is just having alert passengers on the plane who will tackle any potential terrorists.

and plus, why do we have all this security specifically for airplanes? i can go to a concert hall with 20,000 people and bring in a gun cuz there's no metal detector. but i can't go on a CRJ with 50 people. gee, if i was a terrorist, just go attack anything else. what are we gonna do? complete nanny state everywhere? give air travel a break!

The_seat_Baron

I wonder if I can use the no IFE to my advantage and request my money back from buying the ipod/iphone adapter last month.

I'll sleep on it and decide what to do about this anger I have!

unavaca

Ugh. This is my first year as a 1K (just made it earlier this month...) and as best I can tell, it was all for naught. I'm not flying long-haul without IFE; I'll be clawing my eyes out after a few hours. My laptop battery lasts 2.5 hours -- less than half the ride for SFO-JFK.

This is freaking weak, UA. Get your .... together and make this right. I'm not booking anything more for 2010 until I see some positive confirmation of changes.

docbert

Or perhaps, just perhaps, they aren't allowed to explain what's going on?

(Yes, I know more than I'm saying, and no, I'm not saying anything more...)

taipeipeter

Actually, if you check around other forums, many airlines are turning off IFE--Qantas for one.

ThWilmesi

well no iIFE on a long flight of over 12 hours - means very simple on UA or american airline for me... next thing is they wont allow you to use the computer..... etc.... thank god you have choices when you fly from
Asia to the US... this is insane to be honest... and i dont know how the turning off of the IFE in this particular case enhances your security....

avsrock90

If THIS kills Channel 9, I give up....

Also, its currently legal to use a GPS receiver on board. Done it many times before, especially on southwest, just to figure out where I am, what cities I'm looking at out the window, how fast we're going, altitude, etc. So disabling the airshow will clearly solve the problem.

http://gpsinformation.net/airgps/airgps.htm

avsrock90

Reports on the Delta forum say that the requirement is that the airshow be turned off on the IFE. Some IFE systems let you do this without taking down the whole system. UA's (and QF's???), apparently do not.

channa

Well, they can change that rule at any time. If they do, I'd like to know. Not that I use it on board, but I do carry one with me for use on the road on the other end.

RichardInSF

Here's a shocker: I can usually tell when the plane is starting to descend without relying on Airshow. I think UA should require a lobotomy prior to flying internationally to make sure that I can't sense that. Come to think of it, I'm beginning to think it requires a lobotomy to deal with air travel these days as well as what is surely an overreaction from UA to an overreaction from TSA.

bthobe

Up until today I was lamenting how much I miss my job and traveling the globe.... My co-workers are heading back to SIN via LAX in a few days and ridding coach. Short of a few Ambien and a few mini's, there is no chance in hell I would join them.

Personally, I heavily rely on the IFE map as it gives me a pertinent info such as how much further I have to suffer in the back of the bus before reaching my final destination half way around the world.

Good luck to everyone and God speed.