TRIED&TESTED Flight
United Airlines B757-200 United Business First
Newark-San Francisco CHECK-IN I arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal C at 0635 for flight UA1289, scheduled to depart at 0830. Check- in at the dedicated business class counters was efficient and I headed to security and immigration 10 minutes later.
Despite all the horror stories about security procedures at US airports, my experience was quick and smooth, even though I had to take off my shoes. I was on my way to the United Club lounge by 0705. THE LOUNGE United Club in Newark’s Terminal C is opposite Gate C74. The facility itself gave a positive first impression with plenty of comfortable seats and workstations with power sockets. The décor with a generous use of
brown wood lends the lounge a classy look without being ostentatious. I also appreciated the large number of screens showing flight arrivals and departures. But as far as food and beverage options went, the selection was lacking, with just a few choices of biscuits and soft drinks on offer. The lounge has a cash bar, but it was left unattended during my visit. BOARDING According to my boarding pass, boarding was scheduled to begin at 0745. However, there was no announcement for the flight at the United lounge. I left the lounge promptly at 0745 and made my way to gate C71. Upon arrival at the gate at 0750, I
was ushered quickly onto the plane by an attendant who told me that the captain wanted an early take-off. I was shown to my seat, and offered a welcome drink of either juice or water. THE SEAT The aircraft was a narrow-body Boeing 757-200 with a 2-2 configuration in business class. Most UA domestic flights offer leather recliners with extra width and expanded legroom. But on
Visit
www.businesstraveller.asia
certain transcontinental flights out of Newark, the seat product offered is nearly identical to the flatbed found on the airline’s long-haul wide-body aircraft such as the B747-400 and B777-200 (United Business First). I sat at 2A, next to the window, so access to the aisle required that I climb over the passenger next to me when she had her seat adjusted to a reclined or fully flat position. The foot cubby was cramped, so I had to put one leg over the other when sleeping on the flatbed. This appears to be a problem limited to the B757, as I did not experience it on the B747-400 during my flight back to Hong Kong. Overall, though, I found my seat to be comfortable with plenty of space and easy-to-use controls. And I appreciated the charging port as well as the 15.4-inch PTV that featured a wide range of entertainment programming during what was a fairly long flight. Storage space includes a small open compartment located just below the PTV, and open space next to the head cushion, suitable for placing the laptop. There’s also a power socket and USB port. THE FLIGHT The plane pushed back at 0815, some 15 minutes ahead of schedule, and took off five minutes later. The seat-belt sign was off shortly after cruising.
Flight attendants commenced
service by offering each passenger a hot towel. I checked out the meal menu in the seat pocket, and found cold and hot breakfast options. I chose the latter (herbed scrambled eggs) rather than cereal and banana. Meal service began roughly an hour after take-off, and it was done efficiently and without fuss. I found the main course to be a mixed affair; the turkey sausage that accompanied the eggs was over-cooked to the point of being rubbery. I did however
FIRST CLASS BUSINESS ECONOMY
GALLEY WASHROOM
enjoy the scrambled eggs, which were pleasantly seasoned with melted Parmesan cheese. The meal was served alongside fresh fruit, yoghurt and bread. After breakfast, I took a look at the inflight entertainment options. Along with a respectable number of blockbuster movies, United also offered a comprehensive selection of American television shows. I, however, decided to watch Guardians of the Galaxy. The quality of service from the
crew was a marked improvement over the inbound flight that I had taken into the US. A smile here and there went a long way. Still, it paled in comparison with the hospitality standards I am used to on Asian carriers – touches such as addressing passengers by name and other efforts to make us feel special were absent. ARRIVAL Descent was announced at 1105, and we touched down in San Francisco International Airport at 1135 – more than half an hour ahead of schedule. The aircraft reached the gate at 1140 and we began disembarking soon after. VERDICT A pleasant and efficient experience overall, with a top-notch inflight entertainment selection and reasonably good seat product, especially for a domestic flight. However, in terms of service and overall quality, it’s clear that US carriers are still playing catch-up to their Asian counterparts.
TESTED BY Clement Huang Departure time: 0815 Flight length: 6 hours 5 minutes
PLANE TYPE B757-200
CONFIGURATION 2-2
SEAT WIDTH 21in/53cm
SEAT LENGTH 76in/193cm
SEAT RECLINE 180 degrees
PRICE The internet rate for a midweek, flexible return flight in mid-March started from US$2,400, inclusive of taxes and surcharges.
CONTACT
united.com
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2015 23
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76