Scholarship table
Seems like there are some United flyers on here. I switched over from AA to United after moving to Denver. Are people generally pleased with it? I noticed my upgrade % has dropped from AA, likely because Denver is a hub. But otherwise my experience has been that it's totally fine...yet everyone I know complains about it. Is that a non-elite flyer thing? Or have I just not gotten the Real United experience yet?
Glow:You have never seen anything until you see the security lines at MCO! Not a regular at Vegas, but I never seen anything as bad as MCO. And there's nothing they can do to fix that.I've flown United since my honeymoon back in 1980. I've been Mileage Plus since 1984 and elite level since 1987. The loyalty, I can say, has been a two-way street. I've been to Hawaii and Europe more times than I can count because of Mileage Plus! My loyalty to United stems from a 1997 incident in which the entire airline was mobilized to get me home. My daughter was adopted from Belarus and we had to go during high season to Europe (June to September). Trying to find a seat was virtually impossible. Since I was a 1K and we were bringing home a young girl who had never been out of an orphanage, we were shooting for international first class. They "found" us three international first class seats from Amsterdam to London and Chicago. I say "found" because they pulled three revenue seats for us to get us home. The people at United could not have been more accommodating, more appreciative of me as a frequent flyer or, frankly, more caring. A month later, I was in Denver coming home when the lead flight attendant pulled me aside and asked, "how's Tracy?" I asked her, "how on earth do you know who Tracy is?" She looked back at me and said, "your wife was in 1C, Tracy was in 1D and you were in 1E, London to Chicago, United 959, a month ago. Some people, we never forget..."We've had other incredible moments on United over the years. Yeah, sometimes they really suck especially when Commander Jeff was at the controls, but they try hard. They really do Their non-stops help, but their service from MCO is good too.Goose:I make a really concerted effort when I fly to read the person next to me. I'll always say hello and from time to time chat. But the secret is to know when to go about your business. I've sat next to some fascinating people. Gary Fencick of the Super Bowl Chicago Bears and former Governor James Thompson immediately come to mind. But if they signal they don't want to talk, I'll go about my business. And, if I get a chatterer, I'll take out my Bose noise cancelling headphones and listen to something for an hour.If I ever sit next to you, I'll say hello and then put my headphones on.
Worst domestic airports: LGA is truly atrocious. On Thursday it took me an hour to leave the airport - and that doesn't even factor in the 30 minutes I spent eating at the Centurion Lounge. Horrible place. EWR is pretty crappy too if you're not flying out of Terminal C. MCI sucks with their poor design requiring separate security at each gate. MIA is a dump and the A.C. is always cranked too cold. Favorite domestic airports: DCA (b/c everything is close), SFO, and somehow, Indianapolis! LAS, SEA, and Jackson Hole are up there too. Favorite int'l business classes: JAL, if you get the SkySuites. Better than int'l first class on 99% of other airlines. Love the service on Thai, even if the product can be outdated. And I've loved every trip on Turkish, especially if you get a few hours in the Turkish Lounge in Istanbul (which is an oasis in a nightmare airport). KLM and Lufthansa for the pretty FAs. U.S.-based airlines, I'll take AA refurbed 777 or Delta One. And I'll admit I'm a total sucker for BA's 747 upper deck, even if the hard product is poop. I feel like I'm on a private jet in another era. I'll even take that over BA first class, which is basically business class on every other airline. Worst int'l business classes: United 777-200, TAP Portugal (service, dear god), BA non-747 upper deck. And of course any intra-Europe flight on a non-widebody. Seems like there are some United flyers on here. I switched over from AA to United after moving to Denver. Are people generally pleased with it? I noticed my upgrade % has dropped from AA, likely because Denver is a hub. But otherwise my experience has been that it's totally fine...yet everyone I know complains about it. Is that a non-elite flyer thing? Or have I just not gotten the Real United experience yet?
Agreed. Absolutely blows. They should take a wrecking ball to it.
A wrecking ball is in the works. Voters in Kansas City approved a new airport terminal last November.http://crankyflier.com/2017/11/09/with-the-new-terminal-approved-southwest-sees-opportunity-in-kansas-city/
I never recline.
TAMUI do know, Newsie is right on you knowing ball.
God bless you sir.I'm 6'4 and most of that length is in my legs. Don't make enough scratch to fly anything other than economy. On most airlines, the person reclining in front of me simply isn't an option. Short of attempting to sit cross legged in my seat, it is physically impossible for the seat in front of me to fully recline. Whenever someone tries, I try to politely explain my height and most understand and don't try to recline. I once had a flight from DFW to San Fran and the person said they understood....then he tried to recline every 10 minutes or so as if I had somehow gotten shorter since takeoff. Halfway through he pressed the flight attendant call and angrily explained to her that I was keeping him from reclining. Poor young woman actually knelt down and checked my legs to verify that I was indeed as tall as I said I was. She politely and professionally told him to suck it up.
The issue is United calls all business/first "Polaris" when its a fraction of their fleet. So you're likely just riding the old business class cabin, and I'll agree. While its great compared to economy, its really not that impressive of an offering.As for HK, 10000% agree. First time I went to HK it blew my mind. Its a marvel of a city in a number of ways, but British touches and sensibilities in a tropical setting really make it extra crazy (London is also my fav city). Talking to people like my father who have been traveling there for 25+ years, makes me sad I couldn't have experienced it pre-handover to China. I love it now, but you ask people Westerners or ex-pats who were there prior, and they bemoan all the changes, I imagine it was even more like Europe.
Hong Kong - Any time I had to go to China for work I always made sure I flew home from Hong Kong, so I would be forced to spend a night in there so I could "decompress" from 2 weeks in China. British Pub beer & food & soccer viewing followed by Temple Street Night Market action for a little "scavenger hunt". The day I'd fly home I'd take a nice run along the Avenue of Stars for the awesome harbor views before heading on a lonnnnggg flight to NYC.
A lot of friends thought I had a glamorous life because of travel ... I didn't bother telling them that going to Detroit on Saturday night, working Sunday and coming home Monday morning wasn't exactly "glamorous." They wouldn't have wanted to hear it.
Wow, I'm very concerned for Benny. Being able to mimic Myron Medcalf's writing so closely implies an oncoming case of dementia.
For those that complain about MSP security... There is a secret sky way check in that barely anyone uses. It's in back of the parking garage, also near the rentals. Floor 2, I think it's called the skyway check in. It's only good for carry on luggage and it has limited business hours. But many times I've been caught scrambling to get my phone and ID ready as I literally walk up to the counter with no line. Once in, you may have to walk to the other side of the airport for your flight, but it gets you in fast. If your getting dropped off at the dropoff right by the main entrance it might not make sense to head out to the parking garages... but it's there.
Most Famous People I’ve Met (either in an airport or on a flight): Paris Hilton, Jeff Van Gundy, Dolph Ziggler
* I had a contract engineering job that put me on the JFK to LAX flight once a month. Had Tommy Hilfiger on one flight who gave me a cool finger point, had LaVar Burton on another flight and saw Slash at LAX.* In the early 90's flying out to Milwaukee for Summer Fest I had Paul Schaffer and the World's Most Dangerous Band on my flight. I sat next to Anton the drummer as only Paul was in First Class. They were all at the luggage carousel later.* In the 80's and 90's I used to see NHL teams in airports all the time, but they must be doing charter flights in 2000's.* Like 15 years ago on a flight to Cleveland, I sat next to a polite chatty older gentlemen who ended up engaging me in an interesting philosophical conversation the whole flight. He was on his way to Oberlin College to give a talk. I got on the flight determined to take a nap because it was like a 6:30am flight out of LGA and was charmed otherwise. It turned out to be Noam Chomsky.* I'm leaving out my celebrity interactions elsewhere including my very funny grocery shopping experience with Matthew Perry on a Sunday night at Stew Leonard's.
Polaris seems to really be hit or miss.