Mai Tais Return to United's Hawai`i Flights
 

Took UA 84 from SFO to HNL yesterday. Seated in the front. When I asked for a mai tai (to see what would happen) the FA fell all over herself to apologize. Called it a bad decision and said they would be back in March "because so many people complained". During the flight she apologized at least two more times and also apologized for the "fake" Baileys" from Starbucks they now pass off on us. This flight crew was great, as have been most of the HNL-based crews of late. They really seem to care. This crew even knew my name when I went to the galley, and not by reading it off the manifest. As we got to the gate the FA brought my seat mate a full bottle of red wine. She said he was the only one who was drinking it and since it had just been opened she thought he would like to take it with him. All of us sitting around him were very impressed.

Freudian slip, or was the landside bookstore very cold?

UA 74 1/30 HNL-SFO only 1 bottle of sparkling wine boarded

FA was discussing her fake maitai to the pax behind me and made her one. I asked for one also. Not great, but a nice effort.

UA 83 1/31 LAX-HNL Multiple bottles of sparkling wine.

I'm happy to confirm Mrs. Fredd and I enjoyed a couple of Mai Tais yesterday SFO-HNL - picture here on our travel blog. A great purser, friendly crew, and Channel 9 on, so we even didn't mind again losing the Halfway-to-Hawaii contest. :)

^I'm flying back home tomorrow, so I'll see if I can get one after breakfast(:eek:).

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!

Got a flight next week (still waitlisted, but I'll clear). You totally made my weekend!

Great news! From the picture it looks like it's made with dark rum... are they still using Myers?

Nipping out, as in dashing out quickly.^

Perhaps the British side of English?:D

Some light and some dark - a very generous pour using the mini-bottles but I didn't notice the brand of the liquor or of the mix. Quite tasty result though. ;)

Oh, as mentioned in our blog the sparkling wine is back too.

When I had an FA make the 'fake Mai Tai' last month she commented that she had to use another dark liquer because they don't cater a dark rum anymore. Hmm.

***I'm not a drinker but highly valued flying SFO or LAX to HNL or OGG for the Trader Vic's meals... always made it fun. Everything about going to Hawai'i should be fun, darnit. Even if it's on business (which it was) everyone back at the office *thinks* you're goofing off, so you might as well live it.

I [friggin' burned good miles] upgraded to F on flying HNL a couple months ago and... yeah. Should have hit Burger King in the airport for a carry on bag. Nothing worth a darn foodwise.

So, grumblings aside, Fredd, other than the booze, what was on the menu for chow?

TDM

The choice was between a macademia-nut crusted chicken and a cheese tortellini with a white sauce decorated with a thin line of red sauce.

The purser also offered us the option of a fresh salad from Y if we didn't like either choice. Mrs. Fredd expressed a mild preference for the chicken and I said I'd take anything. He served both of us the pasta and said it was a much better choice than the chicken. It was palatable - okay but nothing more.

It was fortunate his bartending skills helped to compensate for the mediocre meal. ;)

I've had both and completely agree with him: the pasta is a better choice by far. That's not saying the pasta is any more than "palatable" mind you... the chicken was leather-like.

^ Thanks for sharing!

Glad UA has brought them back.

Thanks goodness they're back...I'll have one on sfo-hnl in May :cool:

The stuffed shells are pretty good. The ravioli, not so much... I usually get a special meal these days to break it up...