Off to China
Now recovered from her May back surgery, Mrs. SFO is finally ready to get back into long-haul travel. We’re headed for our first trip to the PRC today, 4 days in Beijing and 3 days in Shanghai. And flying on some new airlines, Air China on the outbound and Japan Airlines on our return.
Our first stop today is United and our positioning fight to San Francisco. A comedy of mistakes this morning starting with trying to avoid another security at SFO by asking United DEN to check us in for our Air China fight, which I had booked on a separate PNR on united.com using Mileage Plus miles. I should have known better. Two Global First agents tried in vain for 5 minutes before giving up. No harm, no foul… or so we thought.
No lines at Pre-Check and we were thru security in less than 90 seconds.
And via train to Concourse B.
We arrived at B45 just before boarding… for everyone except us. The first hint of trouble was when we heard “Mrs. SFO777, please check with the agent at the B45 podium.” Apparently, the challenged Global agent had done something with our DEN-SFO reservation, even though we had checked in online at home, that generated a TSA alert and the dreaded SSSS on her reservation and boarding but only after it was re-issued. The gate agent had to summon TSA agents to the gate and re-clear her. Next, our boarding passes wouldn’t scan at the jet bridge boarding stand. So, back to the podium for more tap-tap-tap on the Shares computer system, not once but twice. Success finally and we were the last to board. Amazingly there was overhead space above our seats.
With the trashing of AA by US Airways management, I am warming to United. Great DEN-based crew and a brand new A320, complete with… nothing. In its infinite wisdom, United management ordered these new planes dark… no IFE and no power. Just Wifi and a wifi based entertainment system. A nice idea… as long as your battery holds out. Maybe OK on short hauls but they are now using these suckers on 5+ hour transcons. Wow, simply wow.
Yep, no power.
Open bar PDB.
Yo, United. You installed a curtain at the galley. Why not use it???
Unlike USdbaAA on a similar length flight, a full United breakfast flight with a choice of cereal or the Jeff McMuffin. I wasn’t really hungry but took one for the team and the photo op. The egg wasn’t very good but with the yogurt, fruit and delicious cinnamon bun, it was a substantial meal.
Not the most responsive Wifi service but when it did kick in, it was on par with gogo.
And you can use your computer, ipad etc to stream movies and other shows. Just as long as you don't drain the battery. :)
