Trip Report: United Airlines - New Orleans to Hawaii (November 2017)

Trip Report: United Airlines - New Orleans to Hawaii

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American-based airlines are not known for their long-haul service.  As compared to other international carriers, American-based carriers fall below in terms of service, product, on-board amenities, and generally customer service.  For these reasons, I generally prefer to take international carriers when possible; however, sometimes that is not possible such as when I was flying to Hawaii.  While Hawaii is considered a domestic service, the flight times to Hawaii are generally long.  We were looking for fly from New Orleans to Honolulu, and return from Maui to New Orleans.  There were a couple of options available and I really wanted to try Virgin America/Alaska, but it involved overnight layovers which was not convenient, so in the end I choose United Airlines as it was most convenient in terms of price and flights.  The path was New Orleans – Denver – Honolulu; Maui – San Francisco – New Orleans.  Given my previous experience with United (https://0504traveller.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-trip-report-united-airlines.html), I was not looking forward to the flight.

Booking the flight was very easy and straightforward through United’s website, and it was very easy to manage the booking and select seats through United’s app.  That is one positive aspect about United, the app is very user-friendly and is very useful and convenient in managing your booking, accessing boarding passes, selecting seats, purchasing lounge passes, etc.    

The first flight was from New Orleans to Denver, departing New Orleans at 7:45a and

arriving into Denver at 9:40a for a scheduled flight time of 2h55m.  The flight was

operated by an Airbus A321 in a 3-3 seat layout.  Boarding was done by group numbers and all the passengers were boarded and seated for an on-time departure.  The seats on the A321 were a bit narrow, but the legroom was decent.  The seat comfort itself was fine for the flight time; however, after a longer flight period you may start feeling the effects of the seat.  There were no PTV’s, instead in that area was a pocket which contained the inflight magazine, the safety card, air sickness bag, and a description of the inflight entertainment.  The inflight entertainment was accessible through United’s wifi and through their app.  The free entertainment included a variety of TV shows, some movies, and other programs.  The selection is limited and not great, but it provides some entertainment on the flight.  Just after reaching cruising altitude, the attendants began their inflight service.  Complimentary soft drinks, water, tea, coffee, and juices were available as well as snack boxes for purchase.  The complimentary drinks were served with United’s new waffle snack, which personally I do not like.  The remaining flight was uneventful and we landed on time at Denver International, taxied to the gate, and deplaned.

We had approximately 1h30 minutes in Denver before our next flight so we took the opportunity to have breakfast prior to our next flight.  Our next flight was from Denver to Honolulu, with a scheduled flight time of 7h45min.  The flight was operated by a Boeing 777-200 and was scheduled to depart Denver at 11:30am and arrive into Honolulu at 3:45pm.  We got to the gate around 10:30a and the plane was already there.  The gate agent made several announcements which encouraged passengers to purchase food in Denver as well as to download the United app to access the entertainment.  Again, boarding was done by group numbers and all passengers were boarded and seated for the on-time departure.  The plane had a 3-4-3 seat layout, which was high density, and had a small business and two mid-size economy sections.  Given the long flight time, we had purchased ‘Economy Plus’ seating to get more legroom so the legroom was decent.  The seat itself was average, but it was not comfortable for the long flight period.  Blankets were provided on the seat when you entered the plane.  The seatback on this plane was exactly the same as on the A321 – there were no PTVs but instead a seatback pocket which contained the inflight magazine, the safety card, the air sickness bag, and a promotion for United Wifi.  There was one difference – this plane had a device on the seatback that would hold your smartphone or device in place.

We took off and there was a long waiting period from the time we reached cruising

altitude until the inflight service commenced.  The inflight service was very slow and very basic – complimentary soft drinks, tea, juices, and coffee were provided along with pretzels (which were basically thrown at you).  You could also purchase snack boxes – I purchased the ‘cheese snack box’ which contained cheese and crackers, but they were the smallest cheese and low quality crackers and definitely not worth the price.  The attendants came back an hour prior to landing to do another drink service, and passed water sometimes through the cabin in flight, but that was it in terms of service.  I understand this is considered a domestic flight, but given the length of the flight I expected United to provide something a little more.  Also, there was basically no difference between an economy seat or an economy plus seat – there were no extra perks besides extra legroom.  Why would I pay the higher price (and it is a drastic difference) just for additional legroom and that’s it – in my opinion, economy plus seats should come with some additional perks that incentivize you to pay the higher price.  Overall, it was extremely disappointing and a very uncomfortable 7 hours on the plane.  Even the attendants were not nice – they had water in the galley, so instead of wasting glasses I brought my water bottle to refill.  I asked where the full bottles were so I could use that instead of wasting 6 glasses, and the attendant just looked at me, pointed to a storage up top, and walked away.  It was extremely rude service. 

Given our experience on the outbound, I was not looking forward to our return flight.  The first return flight was from Maui to San Francisco and was operated by a Boeing 737-800.  The flight was scheduled to depart Maui at 10:25p and arrive into San Francisco at 5:22am for a scheduled flight time of 4h55m.  We arrived to the airport, checked in our bag, and proceeded to the gate.  The plane was already at the gate when we arrived (it had come in earlier in the day) and boarding commenced on time.  We had again paid for economy plus seats and we selected the first seats in the economy section, right behind business class.  The plane was laid out with 2-2 seats in business and 3-3 seats in economy.  Each seat had a PTV in front of it with controls on the armrest.  Controls on the armrest are a bad idea because inadvertently either you or your seatmate hit the button and change the channel.  In order to make more money, on planes with PTV’s, United does not offer free personal entertainment.  For planes with PTVs, they do offer free live TV but only on the continental U.S.  If you are outside this area, then you have to pay to access movies and TV programs; the flight map is free to watch.  Once boarding was completed, the safety video was shown and we pushed back and took off to San Francisco.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the attendants came by with their drink service but as it was an overnight flight, most passengers were sleeping.  The remaining flight was uneventful and we landed on time in San Francisco.

 

We had about 2 hours in San Francisco before our next flight, so this was just enough time to go and enjoy a nice breakfast.  The next flight was San Francisco to New Orleans,

which was also operated by a Boeing 737-800.  The flight was scheduled to depart at 8:15am and arrive into New Orleans at 2:27p for flight time of 4hr5min.  The plane arrived at the gate from another destination, those passengers deplaned, and we boarded for an on-time pushback.  We had not paid for economy plus seats so were sitting in regular economy seats.  The plane was laid out similarly to the previous plane, with 2-2 seats in business and 3-3 seats in economy.  The legroom was decent, the seat comfort average, but the seat width was a bit narrow.  The difference was this plane looked newer and there were no PTVs, instead you had access to United’s free entertainment through your own personal device.  The service on board was similar, in that after takeoff the attendants came by to offer complimentary drinks and you could purchase a snackbox.  The difference for this flight was that, about an hour prior to landing, a second drink service was done.  We landed on time and deplaned.

Overall, it was a disappointing flight with United.  I understand it was a domestic flight, but given the length of the flight and the fact that competitors are beginning to offer additional amenities on longer flight times, I expected something more for our flights.  I also expected something more to be included in the economy plus section; just having additional legroom was not worth the high price United charged.  I tend to avoid American-based airlines for international travel and had primarily used them for domestic travel.  After this experience, I will try and avoid them for longer domestic travel and only use them for short domestic hops.

Trip Report: United Airlines - New Orleans to Ottawa via Newark (October 2017)

Trip Report: United Airlines, New Orleans to Ottawa

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United has been offering lower fares recently.  I need to fly to Canada for work and when I looked online, United was offering the best options both in terms of flight times and prices.  When I have previously flown to Canada, I like to fly Air Canada to try their product; however, this time Air Canada's prices were significantly higher so I booked United.  My route was New Orleans to Ottawa via Newark (and same on the return).  New Orleans to Newark was operated by an Airbus A320 while Newark to Ottawa was operated by an Embraer 190.  

It is very easy to manage your booking through the United app.  Through the app, you can view your booking, change your seat assignments, access boarding passes, see gate numbers, gate changes, flight status, as well as access the on-board entertainment.  It really is a useful app to have if you are flying with United.  With the app I checked in online and received my boarding passes.  My flight was scheduled to depart New Orleans at 3:50p and arrive into Newark at 7:50pm.  The flight had arrived from another destination, and after a quick turnaround we started boarding.  Boarding happened by groups, and within 30 minutes the plane had been boarded.  


The operating aircraft for the almost 3hr flight was an Airbus A320 with a 3-3 seat layout.  The legroom was surprisingly very good, I am tall at 6'1 and the legroom was good enough for me.  My knees were not hitting neither the seat in front of me nor myself.  The seat itself was pretty decent and comfortable enough for the 3hr flight (although I have been on this aircraft for longer flights, and after 3.5hrs the seat starts getting uncomfortable).  There was a small pocket in front of the seat that was empty.  The inflight magazine, safety card, and other information was stored in the pocket above the seat.  This is very convenient as this layout provides more legroom for passengers.  I also saw passengers use this nook as a holder for ipads and other electronic devices.  It was a quick taxi to the runway and we took off near our scheduled time.

About 15-20 minutes after reaching our cruising altitude, the inflight service continued.  Complimentary drinks were served along with complimentary pretzels.  Snack boxes were also available to purchase.  The drinks were provided in small cups, and this was the only inflight service for the entire 3 hours.  After providing drinks, the flight attendants never came by for another service - not even for water.  I understand trying to cut down on costs, but they could have at least come back down the aisle with water.  The rest of the flight was uneventful as it was up to the passenger to pass the time.  You can access free entertainment through United's app when you are connected to United Wifi.  Unfortunately the wifi was not working on this plane so you were not able to connect to the entertainment - there was no apology, just a statement that the wifi was not working.  We landed in Newark earlier than our time, but it took a while to taxi to our gate as there was another plane there.  We finally got to our gate and deplaned.

I had about one hour before my next plane departed, but I also had to switch from the C concourse where United is based to the A concourse where United Express is based as my next flight was on a small plane. The operating plane for my flight to Ottawa was a small Embraer plane in a 1-2 layout.  There was one seat on one side and two seats on the other side and neither of them had a lot of room.  The plane was also small in height - I am about 6'1 and my head was hitting the roof of the plane.  Luckily the flight time was only 1h20 minute so a lot of time was not spent in the plane.  Given the short flight time, as soon as we reached cruising altitude the inflight service commenced.  Complimentary drinks and snacks were provided.  It was a very short and uneventful flight - and that's good because it is not a comfortable plane to be on for a long period.  

Overall, it was a decent flight with United.  While United is a mainline carrier, their service resembles that of a low-cost carrier.  Before their ticket prices were very high and you did not get a lot for the ticket price, but now they seem to have lowered their prices in comparable to the service you receive.  You do not pay a lot of money and in return you do not get a lot of service - basic prices for basic services.

Trip Report: United Airlines, Amsterdam to Washington, Dulles (February 2017)

Trip Report: United Airlines, Amsterdam to Washington

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

In the past, I have tried to avoid taking American carriers long-haul.  Their service, seat comfort, and overall experience fall short as compared to their international competitors.  The US carriers realized this and have started to invest in their international product, and have been providing discounted fares on their international routes.  For these two reasons, I decided to try United International from Amsterdam to Washington, DC.

United serves Amsterdam from its hub in Washington Dulles and flies the Boeing 767 on this route.  The plane contains Business Class, Economy Plus, and Economy sections.  Given it was an almost 9 hour flight, and I have previously experienced United economy to Punta Cana (review here: United Airlines - Punta Cana) and it was uncomfortable, I decided to purchase an economy plus seat.  In choosing the upgrade, there were two options available – the first was just the economy plus seat while the second was the economy plus seat, priority boarding, and access to the lounge.  There was a price difference between the two options, and in my opinion the higher price did not the extra options available.  For that reason, I choose just the economy plus option. 

The flight was scheduled to take off from Amsterdam at 12p and arrive into Dulles around 3p.  I was staying at the airport (review: Sheraton Amsterdam Airport) so I was able to quickly get to my checkin counter 2hours prior to departure.  When international flight included one free checked bag at 23kg, and when I got to the checkin counter there was no one there.  I was checked in, got my boarding pass and checked my luggage all within 5 minutes.  This gave me more opportunity to explore School airport.

I arrived at the boarding gate around 11am and the plane was already there (it had come from DC earlier that morning).  Even though I had purchased Economy Plus seating, I noticed I was in the last boarding group so I went to ask the agent if I could get into the earlier group – she replied that it didn’t matter as there were only 46 people on the entire flight! A plane that can hold more than 200 people is flying today with only 46 passengers.  Given the light load, we did not start boarding until 11:30am and we were done with boarding by 11:40am. 

There is one section of economy plus seats and one section of economy seats, and both are laid out in a 2-3-2 setting.  I had initially purchased the bulkhead seat, which is the first economy plus seat as that provides more room (although it’s restricted as no moveable armrest).  Given the light load, everyone in the plane could have an entire row to themselves, so I switched to an empty two seater for more room and comfort.  Overall, the economy plus seats provided very nice legroom.  The legroom was plenty so that you could easily stretch out, especially on the long-haul flights.  During the flight I went and tried out the economy seat – the legroom there was decent, but it would be tight for the longer flight and even tighter if the person in front of you reclined their seat. 

Each seat on the plane had its own PTV system, which was controlled both by touch and remote.  USB ports and headphone jacks were available next to the PTV and plugs were available beneath the seat.  The entertainment system was immediately available, which is a nice thing and I am not sure why some airlines only turn on the system once they reach airborne, and the movie selection was very good.  In fact, the movie selection was a lot better than I had expected – there was definitely enough there to keep you occupied for the flight duration.  The TV selection wasn’t as great, but still provided some nice episodes of selected TV shows. 

Given the light load, the flight attendants said it did not make sense to bring out the

service cart so they individually took orders and brought items.  Prior to departure, the attendant came around asking our drink order.  Once we reached cruising altitude, drinks and a snack mix were served while the main meal was being warmed.  Once warmed, the main meal was served.  The meal was decent but the portion was definitely smaller as compared to other airlines – both the size and quantity of food was compact; the flavors were alright (I’ve had better, but I have also had worse).  Ice cream for dessert was also served.  Tea, coffee, drinks, and water were offered when the meal trays were cleared.  After the service, the cabin lights were dimmed for people to relax for the flight.   

The attendants were visible in the aisles, and water, fruit, and small snacks were available into the galleys. One strange note: I asked if hot chocolate was available, and I got the following response “normally hot chocolate is only available for first class, but given the light load I will make an exception, but not this is not usually available”.  It was very offputting, and if it’s that much of an effort just say that hot chocolate is not available.  Given all the effort, I was expecting really good hot chocolate, but when it came it was the same hot chocolate that Southwest offers for free on every flight.  Prior to landing, a small snack and drinks were served.  Again, emphasis on small as the portion size on United are very small.  Because we left early, and we had strong winds behind us, we made it to DC almost 30 minutes ahead of schedule.  We quickly landed, taxied to the gate, and deplaned.  

Overall, it was an interesting flight with United.  While the entertainment selection and availability of USB ports exceeded my expectations, the food size was small, the service was decent but could be better, and I had to purchase seat comfort.  Given all this, would I choose to fly American carriers long-haul?  I am not sure; before I had avoided American carriers as much as possible.  Now, I would not seek them out but I would not avoid them.  If the price is right, and the flight time short, and the international carrier option is longer or not as feasible, then I would not avoid American carriers.

Trip Report: United Airlines, New Orleans to Punta Cana via Houston (Caribbean - Dec 2016)

Trip Report: United Airlines, 
New Orleans to Punta Cana via Houston (Caribbean)

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I have not flown a mainline US carrier international in over 10 years.  The reason is that their on-board products do not compare as highly as their international competitors.  For most international carriers, personal TV screens, USB ports, free luggage, and basic meals in economy are standard on most international flights.  This has not been the case for US carriers so I had avoided them.  Recently, US carriers had been upgrading their products so I recently decided to give United a try on an international destination – from New Orleans to Punta Cana via Houston.  Navigating United’s website and mobile app were very easy.  I was able to book the flights, manage the booking, select seats, pay for bags and seats, and check-in seamlessly. 

The first flight was from New Orleans to Houston.  United operates many flights a day on this route and uses a variety of aircraft – Airbus, Boeing, or Embraer.  Our flight was scheduled to depart at 7:25am and arrive into Houston at 8:46am, even though the flight time is 45 minutes.  This flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800.  United does not charge for seat allocation, so you can choose your own seat in Main Economy; United does charge for Economy Plus seating which includes extra legroom.  The layout of the 737-800 is 3-3 and usually the seat pitch is decent, but this was an older plane so the seat pitch was tight.  The seat is basic with no USB ports nor PTV’s.  In the seat-back pocket is the airline magazine, the safety card, and a brochure on how to access the wifi and the free entertainment.  On planes with no PTV, United offers free, limited entertainment through the United app; you can purchase additional options, including movies, at a cost.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the attendants came by to offer drinks and pretzels.  By the time the attendants had concluded their drink service, it was time to collect the trash as we were descending into Houston.  It was an average flight given the short distance.

We initially had 1-hour in Houston until our next flight departed to Punta Cana.  Unfortunately, due to ground traffic congestion at Houston we sat in the plane for most of that time so that by the time we landed, it was already time to board our next flight.  Luckily, our next gate was right next door but this did mean that we had limited time to purchase any food or beverage in Houston.

Boarding was extremely chaotic and disorganized on this flight.  When I had checked-in online, I had selected seats for myself and my family.  When we arrive into Houston, our seats had been reassigned so I had to go to the gate agent to get our seats back (they said it was because of an equipment change).  Because of the delay, we were not able to board until Group 5 which is the last group. When they started to board this group, they made everyone gate-check their carryon bag stating there was no longer any room on board the aircraft; no-one had a choice as the gate-check was ‘mandatory’.  When we went on board and went to our seat, there were actually plenty of empty spaces in the overhead compartments so there was no need to gate check any bags.

The plane that flew from Houston to Punta Cana was the exact same plane that we just flew from New Orleans to Houston – an older Boeing 737-800.  The seat pitch was really tight, the plane looked really old, and the only difference was each seat had PTV in them.  As boarding was chaotic, and the flight attendants just told people to ‘sit anywhere’ we departed late.  The on-board service was terrible as the flight attendants only did the basic duties.  The flight time was 4hr30 minutes and on this flight, there was food for purchase and drinks were served twice; once at the beginning and then once in the

middle of the flight.  Each time, only a small glass was provided (not even a can, even when asked).  The PTVs had live TV and movies available, but this needed to be paid for at a cost of $5.99 per screen (which was outrageous).  About 1 hour prior to landing, the flight attendant came by to distribute immigration forms, but it took so long that by the time she finished handing out the cards it was time to land and she said “you have to stow your tray tables; I know everyone is still completing their forms but you can do that later”.  The entire flight was poor service, poor management, and a bad international flight on United.  We finally landed in Punta Cana and we deplaned via stairs.  As soon as most of the passengers had deplaned from the front of the plane, the rear door was opened for passengers to deplane via the rear (again, an example of poor management).

Given this, I was not looking forward to my return flight on United.  We were better prepared as this time we had downloaded movies and other shows to pass around the time.  Given the seat discomfort and tight pitch, and the length of the flight, we had chosen to pay for Economy Plus seats with extra legroom.  The flight from Punta Cana to Houston was 4hr45min and was operated by a 737-800, but this time it was a ‘Next-Gen’ plane which meant it was newer.  On the newer plane, the seat pitch and seat comfort in Main Economy was better.  Each seat had a PTV, which needed to be paid to access, and there were no USB ports.  Service on-board was similar, with free drinks and pretzels and buy on-board food, but the crew on this leg was a lot friendlier and nicer.  It was definitely a better experience on the return.

We had 2 hours to transit in Houston until our next flight to New Orleans, but most of this time was spent in clearing security at the airport.  The flight from Houston to New Orleans was operated by an Airbus A320/321 which had a decent seat pitch and decent seat comfort.  The seat was slimline and had not PTVs, instead the back of the seat had a pocket with the airline magazine, sick bag, and wifi information.  You could access the limited, free entertainment through the United app.  Service on-board for the short 50-minute flight was drinks and pretzels.  Overall, it was a decent short flight.

It was my first time experiencing United internationally, and given everything I experienced I am hesitant to try them on a long-haul flight.  The lack of amenities they provide to passengers, the difference in service depending on airplane and crew, and overall lack of comfort does not make me want to choose United.  If I compare United to their international competitors, they provide better service, more amenities, and newer planes at the same or reduced costs – so I do not see the incentive in flying with United.   

A Trip Report: United Airlines, New Orleans to Houston (August/September 2016)

A Trip Report: United Airlines, New Orleans to Houston

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

It has been a while since I have flown a ‘mainline’ U.S. carrier and the reason is that in previous years both their service and products not good.  The carriers had not upgraded their products, and their customer service was not service at all.  The carriers realized they needed to focus on their products, and so in recent years the big 3 – United, Delta, and American Airlines – have been focusing on providing better service by upgrading their on-board products and their service.  Delta has been focusing on Delta +, American has been adding new planes and new service, and United released Polaris.  Given these upgrades, I decided to try out United upgraded economy product from New Orleans to Houston. 

In previous cases, I have booked my international ticket from Houston and have booked a separate domestic ticket – and usually I have booked Southwest for my flights from Houston to New Orleans.  I usually choose Southwest over United for a couple of reasons – more economical fares, better consistency in terms of service and product available, and two free bags of checked luggage.  This time I decided to fly on United for a couple of reasons.  The first reason is stated above – they had been advertising a new product and enhanced service so I wanted to try that one.  The second reason is that I was connecting to an international flight and it is always better to have all the flights on one ticket – for baggage and flight connectivity.  The third reason is that Southwest flies in and out of Hobby Airport, while United and international flights go out of Intercontinental and to get from one airport to the other costs about $30-45 one way and takes about an 30-45minutes (without traffic) so it takes a lot of planning and luck to ensure you make your connecting flight. 

United has many flights throughout the day from New Orleans to Houston.  Some of the flights are operated by Airbus or Boeing jets, while others are operated by regional jets.  My first flight was in the afternoon and was scheduled to depart New Orleans at 12:35p and arrive into Houston at 1:48pm. This flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800.  United does not charge for seat allocation, so you can choose your own seat; however, they do charge to upgrade to Economy Plus which allows you earlier boarding and more legroom.  I had chosen an aisle seat in Main Economy.  Boarding started a bit later than usual, but the taxi time in New Orleans is very short so the plane took off generally on time.

The layout of the 737-800 is 3-3 and the seat pitch is average.  The flight times is 45 minutes, and for that flight time both the seat comfort and seat pitch were fine.  This plane had come from Chicago to New Orleans, which is a 2hr 20 min flight, and I am not sure the seat pitch and comfortable would have been good for that long flight time.  The seat is a basic seat as there are no USB ports nor PTV’s available.  In the seat back pocket is the airline magazine, the safety card, and a brochure on how to access the wifi and the free entertainment.   United does provide limited free entertainment through the United app, and again for the short domestic flights the limited choices of TV programs are fine.  You can purchase additional options, including movies, at a cost.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the attendants came by to offer drinks and pretzels.  By the time the attendants had concluded their drink service, it was time to collect the trash as we were descending into Houston. 

For my return, I had booked a late afternoon flight which departed Houston at 5pm and was operated by an Airbus 319.  I had cleared customs and immigration and so went to the United counter to see if I could get on an earlier flight; that is one of the plus points of having so many frequencies during the day is that you have a lot of options and can sometimes get on an earlier flight (depending on availability).  I was able to get on an earlier flight that departed Houston at 3:50pm and scheduled to arrive New Orleans at 5:03pm.  This flight was operated by an Embraer RJ-175, and when I had previously been on Regional Jets they were usually small, cramped, and a bit uncomfortable.  When we boarded this flight, the aircraft looked new, the seats were comfortable, and the legroom was pretty decent.  The attendant had announced that this was a new aircraft and was part of United’s ‘fleet renewal’ in which they were updating and modernizing their fleet; this included new regional jets which were roomier and more modern than previous versions. 

The service on this flight was similar to the outbound flight – wifi was available (for a fee) or free entertainment was available through the United app; drinks and pretzels were available after take-off; and overall it was a nice, short flight.  Overall, I was impressed with the new United.  They have invested a lot in their product and it shows, from the updated planes to the updated on-board service.  Given this, I would not hesitate to take United either short-haul or medium-haul domestic.