Stay Report: Motto by Hilton Washington DC City Center (Washington, D.C. - October 2022)

  Stay Report: Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C. City Center
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was traveling to Washington, D.C. for work and needed to stay in a specific location.  All hotels in the location I wanted to stay out were sold out so I had to look near that location and during that search I found the Motto by Hilton Washington, D.C. City Center.  This hotel is located in Chinatown right across the street from the Gallery Place/Chinatown Metro stop.  Because I needed a hotel close to the metro stop and this metro stop was close to where my work was going to be, I booked the hotel.  I had not heard about Motto by Hilton brand so was not familiar with what to expect - an important tip to do your research beforehand because I was in for a big suprise.                                                                                                                                              I booked the hotel through the HiltonHonors website and app - both sites brought the same price and once booked I could modify either through the app or through the website.  Motto by Hilton is one of Hilton's newest brands and I was not sure about their brand nor type of hotels that they offered - this is something I should have read up on because I was in for a big surprise when I checked in.  When I got to the hotel and went to check-in, that is when the check-in agent let me know that Motto by Hilton is a micro-hotel meaning that the rooms are very small and the services are limited - basically its similar to a pod-hotel or an upgraded hostel.  I found out later that his hotel used to be the Pod Hotel Washington D.C. and that is still the name listed on some online maps.  In fact, on some online maps I had to put in the restaurant that was attached to the hotel to find the hotel as the online map had not been updated to the new hotel name.

The lobby was very small as it was a standard lobby but divided into two halves with one half being the hotel lobby and check-in and the other half being the bar area for the attached restaurant.  As you entered into the lobby, on the right were the two small check-in desks were you checked in and received your key.  Further along the right side was a couch that faced the elevators on the left-hand side; there were 3 elevators but sometimes it took a while for them to come.  My room was at the end of the hallway and tip - if you are a light sleeper do NOT get this room because the window faced the alley way with the garbage bins and between 4a-6am the garbage trucks came and made A LOT of noise.

When I opened the door, I did not realize how micro the room was - especially because the pricecharged was not micro but rather really expensive.  You enter into a little hallway with a coat hook and a mirror and then there is a sliding door that leads into the main room.  As soon as you enter the main room, on the left hand side is a small desk with a chair that blocks your entrance into the room.  Literally right next to the desk is the extra-large twin bed and right next to the next is another bedside table and the room ends.  The bed was on the left-side of the room as on the right was a stack of shelves for storage, the window that had black-out shades but was not noise cancelling, and TV mounted to the wall with a small ledge underneath.  The bed was decent and comfortable but there was definitely a lack of storage space and there was no room to move around the bed - it was very tight space.                                                                                                                                                             In between the hallway and the main room was a sliding door and that sliding door was the main door to your bathroom - so either the door slid to close the bathroom door but then left the entrance to the hallway open or the entrance to the hallway was closed and the bathroom door was open; not very good design.  The bathroom itself was a decent size and had a toilet, a small sink, and a small shower - the shower was decent but was poorly designed so that the water spilled everywhere outside when you showered.  The bathroom also had zero storage space so there was no place to put your toiletry kit or other storage.  There were refillable bathroom toiletries in the shower with shampoo and body wash and a soap and lotion were provided in the sink. 

As it is a micro-hotel, there were not the standard amenities that you would find at a regular hotel.  Instead this hotel offered wifi, a hotel restaurant, there was a gym in the basement, and an iron and ironing board in the room.  The wifi was decent and provided enough speed to connect devices and stream videos.  I was mainly there for work so did not time to checkout the gym nor the restaurant but the restaurant seemed very popular amongst locals, especially for happy hour.                                                                                                                              Overall, I was a bit disappointed with the hotel.  Yes, I was not aware it was a micro-hotel so that was my fault but generally once chooses a micro-hotel for convenience of location and because it is less expensive - you are getting 1/4 of the room so you should be paying less.  The room was definitely small but the price was that of a standard hotel room in D.C. - the hotel offered a micro-hotel at a standard hotel room rates and I think that is misleading and not right.  Also, I stayed there for multiple nights and I would not recommend staying at this hotel for more than one night - its convenient as its located across the street from the metro station but that is all the bonuses in my opinion.

Trip Report: TAP Air Portugal - Washington, D.C. to Zurich via Lisbon (November 2021)

  Trip Report: TAP Air Portugal - Washington, D.C. to Zurich
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was looking to fly to Europe from the US and in Fall of 2021 only certain airlines were operating.  One of these was TAP Air Portugal and during that time their prices were good, the flight timings were good, and the COVID regulations were not strict thus limiting travel (I think TAP did this strategically to continue operating and providing a revenue for their operations); because of all these reasons I booked TAP Air Portugal.  I have flown TAP before both long-haul (Newark to Lisbon) and short-haul (Lisbon to Barcelona) so I was familiar with their product; they tend to offer lower fares and in return offer a decent product.  Their prices are not fancy and neither are their services - everything seems ok, especially given the price you pay so one should not expect a Singapore or Emirates-type service.  Since my last flight with them, they have invested in fleet renewal which includes A321LRneo which are long-haul single aisle planes.  These have been used recently on many long-haul flights between Europe and the U.S. in markets where a larger, twin-aisle plane capacity is not there.  

My flight was from Washington, D.C. to Lisbon and then from Lisbon to Zurich; the first leg wasoperated by an A321LRneo while the second leg was operated by an Airbus A320.  When I booked my trip, I was able to preselect my seat and select a special meal option for my long-haul flight at no cost; for the short-haul flight preselecting a seat and adding a meal would be an extra charge.  Since my itinerary included a long-haul sector, checked baggage was included but had my itinerary only been short-haul or within Europe then checked baggage and hand carry are only allowed on certain ticket levels.  I had all my documentation ready and so I was able to check-in online and receive my boarding pass but I still needed to stop by the desk to confirm all my health requirements and documentation.  During the check-in process I could modify my long-haul seat selection but could only add a seat for my short-haul for a cost.  

The flight from Washington, D.C. departed at 10pm and arrives into Lisbon at 10am.  In the Fall of 2021 there was not many people flying so the airport was empty and it took 10 minutes to get through check-in and security.  Once the flight arrived and was cleaned and catered, we boarded in groups.  The Airbus A321neoLR is a unique plane in that is a long-range plane but it is single aisle unlike most long-range planes which are double aisle.  The single aisle makes allows airlines to operate routes longer term that may not be as profitable with a bigger airline.  The airplane is in a 3-3 configuration and had a business class upfront, a small premium economy, and then economy section.  Even though it was a single-aisle the seat pitch and seat width of the seat were very good and comfortable for the 7hr+ flight.  The seat itself contained a wide PTV screen with USB and headphone jack underneath, a section for safety card and airline magazine, a tray table that can be used half-open or fully open, and then additional pockets and storage underneath.  Overall, it was a comfortable flight for the flight time and length of the flight. 

Once airborne, inflight service commenced.   First there was a drink and pretzel service and then meals were served.  The food was average, decent but not great, and this was also the comment on the entertainment options for the PTV, decent but not great.  The options were great for a 4-5hour flight but you would be limited for longer flights.  After the first meal, most passengers went to sleep.  There was water and pretzels available in the rear of the plane throughout the flight and then prior to landing a snack was served.  Once we landed, transiting through Lisbon airport was a NIGHTMARE as there were too many people and not enough staff to handle the transit.  I had about 2.5hrs transit time and the entire time was spent in line going through immigration and security.  I barely had enough time to clear everything and make it to my next gate; that happened both on the airport and the return.

My next flight was an intra-European flight on an Airbus A320 and there was a noticeable difference in terms of cabin size, seat comfort, seat pitch and width, and general layout of the seat.  The seat comfort, seat pitch and width were all reduced and it made the 2h45m flight feel longer.  There was no PTV and I could not access wifi on the plane so it was up to you to bring your own entertainment.  Drinks are served on TAP but everything else is buy-on-board.  

Generally, it was an average flight onboard TAP.  My experience and opinion of them from my previousflight had not changed - they are an average airline which will get you from Point A to Point B in a lower cost and with an average plane with decent seat pitch and width.  There will be nothing outstanding that will make you say 'oh my God' but nor will there be anything that bad that will make you swear them off (except this time transiting through Lisbon was not fun). 

Trip Report: Air Canada, Toronto to Washington, D.C. (October 2021)

   Trip Report: Air Canada - Toronto to Washington, D.C.
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I was booking my flight from Washington, D.C. to Toronto and return.  On the outbound the best flight and connection I found was with Delta and on the return the best connection, flight time and price I found was with Air Canada.  This routing would take me from Toronto to Washington Reagan via Montreal.  I found the flight on Google Flights but went to AirCanada's website directly to book the ticket.  It was quick and easy to book the ticket online, select my seat, and get my reservation.

My original flight had me departing Toronto at 4pm with an 1hr layover in Montreal and then arrive into Washington. D.C. at 8pm.  I arrived to the airport a little more than 2-hours in advance because I thought I had to stand in line for my documents to get checked.  In line they said that if I received my mobile boarding pass then everything was clear and nothing needed to be shown/checked so I proceeded to security.  Since I was going to Montreal it was treated as a domestic flight so I did not need to clear immigration and because of that, I got to the gate really quickly.  When I approached the gate, the earlier flight to Montreal was on 'last call' and they asked me if I was part of that flight.  I said I was part of the later flight and they asked if I wanted to take the earlier flight; since I had only hand-carry I said yes and I was able to take the 2pm flight to Montreal onboard a Boeing 787 dreamliner.  

This flight generally departs Toronto at 2pm and arrives into Montreal at 3:14pm.  The flight was

operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner and it was great to experience this Dreamliner plane on a short domestic flight.  The plane was laid out in a 3-3-3 configuration in economy and the seat width and seat pitch were very good; I am tall and the legroom was excellent.  Yes it did help that no one was next to me but despite that I thought the legroom was great.  The seat was very comfortable to sit on and had a lot of features including a seatback PTV with a USB port and headphone jack; underneath that was a full-size tray table; and below that was a seatback pocket.  Universal power outlets were also available.  The amenities were nice for the short domestic flight but given how everything was laid out, I would not hesitate to take the flight long-haul.  Shortly after we reached cruising altitude inflight service commenced.  I was surprised that Air Canada was doing a full drink service and pretzels on this short flight; yes the entire cabin was not full but flight time was only 1hr15min and that is not a lot of time to get through the service.  The FA's were really good about being efficient but also decently friendly; they were definitely friendlier and better as compared to some American FAs.  We landed in Montreal and because of my earlier flight I now had 3-hours in Montreal. 

Unfortunately, due to COVID there was only one or two shops that were open in the entire airport.  I understand it was a pandemic but there were A LOT of people and not enough services provided so either more services needed to be available or less people needed to be transited through Montreal.  I bided my time and then proceeded downstairs to the basement where my next flight would be departing from. 

My flight to Washington, D.C. would be operated by a CRJ2 which is a small regional jet with a 2-2 configuration.  The plane was very small, tight, and not a lot of leg space.  There was an open seat available and I asked the FA if I could move, but there was a main FA and a FA in training and they had taken up those seats even though not of them sat there throughout the flight (not great customer service).  The service and experience on the CRJ2 experience was in complete opposite of the my previous experience - the plane was smaller and extremely uncomfortable, the FAs were not nice nor customer friendly and overall it was not a good experience.  Once airborne, inflight service of a drink and pretzels were provided and then it was not long before we landed as it was only a 1.5hr flight.

In the end, it was an interesting flight with AirCanada.  During my first flight from Toronto to Montreal I got to experience their long-haul fleet and that seemed comfortable so something I would want to try and experience.  On the second flight, from Montreal to Washington D.C. I got to experience their regional jets and FAs which were not nice and very uncomfortable.  I have flown on AirCanada's Embraer from Toronto to New Orleans (link here) and it was a very comfortable experience so I will try and remember that experience versus this one.

Trip Report: American Airlines, Washington, D.C. to New Orleans (July 2019)

Trip Report: American Airlines
Washington D.C. to New Orleans
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I travel a lot from New Orleans to Washington, D.C. and return.  Previously, the only direct flight from Reagan (DCA) to New Orleans was on USAirways, which then became American, but then Southwest came in and started direct flights.  I have written about the difference between the two here - originally they both were about the same price for a one-way flight so the only differences were customer service and the items that American makes you pay for that are free on Southwest just as checked luggage and changing of flights.  Because of these differences, I have generally flown Southwest on this route but this time the price difference was so great that American ended up being the better option.  We were three of us traveling so I booked two 'Main Economy' tickets and one 'Basic Economy' ticket - the reason for this is that there was a $30 difference between the two tickets, and this is the amount that we needed to pay for the checked luggage, so I discounted one ticket to build in the charge for the checked baggage.  

It was very easy to navigate and book the ticket through AA.com and I was able to manage the ticket through the app.  During the purchase process, I was able to preselect seats for those seating in Main Economy but the Basic Economy seats would be selected for me at check-in.  I had set an alarm to check-in 24hrs prior to my flight, but it took the system (both app and mobile website) about 4 minutes to refresh itself and allow me to check-in.  Once checked in, I had been assigned a window seat for the Basic Economy and this cannot be changed nor moved without paying a seat-fee (about $17); even at the boarding gate seats cannot be changed without paying the seat-fee.  Other airlines allow you to pay the checked baggage at check-in (ie. United has been doing this for years) but unfortunately this item is not available on American yet (there is news that this update is coming soon).  After check-in, we received our mobile boarding passes and were ready to fly with American.

We got to the airport early and used the self check-in kiosks to check-in the bags, pay for the bags, self-tag, and then drop the luggage off at the security desks - at almost no point did we interact with an American Airlines employee (which I do not know is a good thing or not).  Once past security, we made it to the gate and waiting for our flight to start boarding.  American has 9 boarding groups, which in my opinion is way too many.  While the boarding groups do by go somewhat fast, that is still a large number of groups to be boarding.  For the passengers in Main Economy, they could board in Group 5 but the Basic Economy passengers board in Group 9.  I was traveling with passengers who needed some extra time and so I was able to board early with them to help get them settled in.  

The operating aircraft was an Embraer 190 in a 2-2 seat configuration operated by an American Airlines partner.  I have flown on many Embraers with American and some of them are new and really nice while others are older and uncomfortable; this plane was unfortunately the latter.  The 2-2 seat configuration is nice in that there are no middle seats, but the seats were old and had lost much of the padding making it uncomfortable.  The legroom or seat pitch was decent and alright for the 2-hour flight.  The seat itself was basic with a tray table and a pocket with airline magazine and sick bags; there were no PTVs or any other amenities on the seat.  Boarding took a while (with so many groups how can it not?) and it was a full flight and everyone had carry-on luggage which could not fit in the small plane - and throughout the boarding process the flight attendants were not customer friendly at all, had scowls on their faces the entire time and kept making announcements telling people to hurry up 'so we can have an on-time departure'.  Boarding finally was complete, we pushed back and took off to New Orleans.  

There was really nothing much to do on the plane.  American does offer free entertainment to your personal device and they have movies and TV shows on there for free, so that is a nice gesture and helps the time pass by.  For the 2.5hour flight, there was only one drink service and that to within the first 30 minutes of the plane - the flight attendants came rushing by and provided complimentary soft drinks, tea, coffee, or water plus a pack of pretzels.  The complimentary drinks were appreciated, but the poor service that came with it was definitely not.  The flight attendants were not customer friendly at all, and seemed to be rushing through the service to get it done (even though after the service all they did was just sit down in their jumpseat).  For my drink, the attendant did not even wait for the fizz to go down so literally I only got one sip of the drink.  When I asked for another drink when they came back to collect the trash I got the response 'oh, I think we ran out of soft drinks'; seriously, how do you run out of soft drinks on a freshly catered plane??

Overall, it was a poor flight on American.  The plane was uncomfortable and the service was just horrible.  I usually fly Southwest and on the same route the service is better, the price is usually the same, and they provide free checked-bags so why would I choose American?   I had chosen to fly American as they were the lower fare option, but after experiencing their poor service and poor plane comfort I will just pay whatever price Southwest is offering and fly them instead!

Stay Report: Hyatt Place Arlington/Courthouse Plaza (Arlington, VA - July 2019)

Stay Report: Hyatt Place Arlington/Courthouse Plaza
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I have stayed at many Hyatt Place's, and while my last experience with the brand wasn't great (see review here) the Hyatt Place was the closest hotel to where I needed to go so I went ahead and booked the hotel.  Hyatt Place is Hyatt’s low to mid-budget option for travelers and the rooms are mini-suites – with a bedroom, bathroom, a sitting area and a mini kitchen as well.  Usually, complimentary wifi, breakfast and parking are provided, and the brand competes with Hampton Inn and Courtyard. 

The hotel in D.C. has only been open for a little over one year, and it is located on Wilson Boulevard within walking distance to many shops, restaurants, and to the two or three metro stations.  There are two entrances to the hotel, one from the street one from a faux side street for cars to pull into for the valet.  As you walked into the lobby, it smelled really nice and overall looked modern and fresh, but overall it was small.  You entered into a small seating area and then proceeded to the check-in counters which were right in front of you.  To the right of the check-in counters was the elevator, and connected to the check-in desk on the left was the bar/restaurant.  There were seating areas all around and behind the elevators was a small space for the breakfast area.  As I said, it was a compact seating area and felt even more compact when the breakfast rush was in full swing. 

Hyatt had emailed the possibility to do online check-in so that is what I did and I received an email when my room was ready so all I had to do was collect the key.  Unlike other hotels, such as Hilton, I was not able to preselect my room at check-in but I could change my room when I went to collect my key; the process to collect my key was very quick and efficient.  Once I received my key, I had to use to access the elevators to the room.  I was on the 6th floor, and the hotel overall has 8 floors.  The hallways to the room were a bit narrow so they could fit the luggage cart but could not fit the luggage cart plus guest side by side; luckily the narrowness did not extend to the rooms as they were spacious and very comfortable.  


As you enter the room, on the right was the bathroom which was more spacious than I had expected.  The bathroom contained a sink, a toilet, a shower with a sliding door, bathroom toiletries of shampoo, conditioner, and soap, as well as a sliding door between the bathroom and the main room.  As you enter into the room, on the right side are couches - one of which can turn into a sofa bed – as well as a table in front of the couches.  There is a ‘partition’ between the 'living room' and the bedroom, and I put it in quotes because it only extends a quarter-way while the remaining section is open so it does not provide a lot of privacy.  Across from the couches, along the wall, is a full size desk as well as a console which contains a TV on top and drawers on the bottom.  There is a also a fridge within one of the cabinets of the console.  

On the other side of the 'partition' is the bedroom.  I had booked a room with one large bed and the bed was in the middle with a nightstand on either side.  Each side also had a reading lamp as well as plugs next to each bed.  The bed itself was comfortable and provided a decent sleep (much better than the sofa bed).  Across from the bed was a the standing wardrobe which contained a hanging shelf to hang your clothes, a shelf on top, a safe on the bottom, the luggage stand, as well as the iron and ironing board (there was a lot in the wardrobe).  Because the room was so spacious, there was still plenty of room to move around and the room did not feel cramped nor compact.    

The Hyatt Place does offer free facilities for its guests to enjoy such as complimentary parking, complimentary wifi (for members - some hotels enforce and check while this hotel did not), and complimentary breakfast.  The hotel also provides a fitness center, a business center, and valet parking.  The complimentary breakfast was standard which cereal, eggs, fruits, and coffee but the place where the breakfast was staged was way too small given the amount of guests and the seating area definitely could not handle the capacity of the hotel.  The wifi was also not strong and could not handle the large number of guests in the hotel - if you had two devices you had to choose which one you wanted to connect to wifi.  

Overall, it was an interesting stay at the Hyatt Place.  The rooms were spacious, the beds were comfortable, and the location was great as it was within walking distance to many items.  The negatives were that the wifi was bad, the hotel could not handle the capacity for breakfast, the elevator broke down on the second night, and the housekeeping was understaffed so did not service the rooms on the last night (and the hotel is only one year old).  I have had some great stays at Hyatt Place and some awful stays and this was in the middle - so while I wouldn't rush to book the hotel again, I also would not avoid it either. 

Trip Report: American Airlines - D.C. to Vermont; Vermont to New Orleans (November 2017)

Trip Report: American Airlines 
D.C. to Vermont; Vermont to New Orleans

comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I haven't take American Airlines domestically for a while now; mainly because other airlines provide a more direct and cost-effective option.  I used to fly American/U.S.Airways a lot when I used to live in Washington, D.C. as they provided the most direct options from Reagan Airport (they have a hub there).  I was flying out of D.C. to Vermont and out of Vermont back to New Orleans, and American was provided the most direct and cost-effective options so decided to give them a try again.  While American's base fares are usually comparable with their competitors, namely Southwest, American charges extra for checked luggage while Southwest it is complimentary; and so for that reason Southwest has always won out (although American does provide complimentary seat selection while you have to stand in line for Southwest).

My first flight on American was from Washington Reagan Airport to Burlington, Vermont.  It was a direct flight operated by an Embraer RJ 170 with a flight time of 1h 40min.  Through the app I was able to check into my flight, pay for my luggage, as well as received my boarding pass.  The American app has definitely been updated as before you could not book flights through the app, so the app is now more user friendly; however, you cannot pay for your baggage while checking in.  For other airlines, as I am checking in I pay for excess baggage thus eliminating that hassle at the airport.  With American, that option is not available so if you are checking in a bag, that has to be paid for at the airport.  This is what I did when I arrived at the airport, lready checked-in, when I arrived at the airport I used the kiosk to drop off my luggage and then proceeded to the gate.

My flight was scheduled to depart at 11:50a and arrive into Burlington around 1:30p.  The operating aircraft arrived from Burlington at 11:30am, passengers deplaned and we boarded the plane.  The plane is laid out in a 2-2 seats, but the plane feels small.  I was in an aisle seat and the legroom was decent but the seat was a bit uncomfortable - there was definitely some wear and tear in the seat.  The seat is plain with a tray table and a pocket with the airline magazine, safety card, and throw-up bag.  Boarding happened quickly and we pushed back on time.  After a brief taxi we took off for Burlington.  Once we reached cruising altitude, the in-flight service began.  American offers complimentary soft drinks, juices, tea, coffee, and water along with pretzels.  Given the short flight, there was no purchase on board available.  Once the drinks were passed out and the rubbish collected, it was almost time to start our decent into Burlington.  It was a short flight and generally a decent one.  The seat comfort could've been better but overall it was a decent flight.

My return flight was also booked on American but this time I was going from Burlington to New Orleans via Philadelphia.  My flight from Burlington to Philadelphia was scheduled to depart at 3:15p and arrive at 4:52p.  As with previous flights, I was able to check-in online and select my seat assignment but I had to go to the airport to pay for my baggage.  When I checked in both online and at the counter, the flight was scheduled to leave on time.  When I got to the gate, the plane was there and was scheduled to leave on time.  About 30 minutes prior to departure, there as an announcement that the flight was delayed due to weather delays.  This is where the app needs to be fixed as in other airlines, usually the app has more updated information and the gate provides the information later.  With American, the gate had made the announcement but the app was only updated 15 minutes after the gate made the announcement.  Our flight was delayed by over an hour which greatly affected many connections as many had short transfer times in Philadelphia.

The flight to Philadelphia was operated by a small E-170 with a 1-2 seat layout.  The plane is small and feels narrow and compact.  The legroom is decent and the seat comfort is average for the short 1hr35m flight time; however, anything longer and the plane would not be comfortable.  We finally took off around 4:50p and shortly after takeoff the inflight service started.  This consisted of complimentary soft drinks, tea, juice, or coffee along with pretzels.  Once the drinks had been served, it was almost time to start our decent into Philadelphia.  It was a short flight and decent.

As we left late, and most passengers had connections in Philadelphia, there were a lot of passengers who were rushing to make their next flight.  Ground staff in Philadelphia were not prepared, nor helpful, nor knowledgeable on where to go or the quickest way to get there.  In fact, some of the ground staff were arguing with each other and giving passengers contradicting information.  I had 20 minutes to cross two terminals, and it involved a lot of running.  I finally made it to my next gate where the flight was boarding.

The next flight was operated by an E-190 with a 2-2 seat layout.  While the plane looked

newer and modern, and the seats more comfortable, there was definitely less legroom onboard this flight.  For the almost 3hour flight time, there was not a lot of inflight services.  As soon as we took off, drinks and pretzels were offered and that was it for the entire flight period.  After that, the attendants did not pass by until we were about to land.  

As I had said, it was the first time in a while that I had flown American Airlines.  Their app definitely needs to be updated as it still does not provide all the services that a customer needs.  The inflight service is basic, but that is to be expected these days of airlines in the U.S.  Most of the times they provide lower fares, and for that lower price you get 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: Ethiopian Airlines, Washington Dulles to Dar Es Salaam via Addis Ababa (January 2014)

Trip Report: Ethiopian Airlines
Washington Dulles to Dar Es Salaam via Addis Ababa 
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

The New Spirit of Africa

Ethiopian Airlines bills itself as the 'new spirit of Africa'.  My family and I recently traveled from the U.S. to Tanzania and decided to try out and see if Ethiopian Airlines lived up to its motto.  Ethiopian Airlines is one of a few African Airlines which travels the world - others being South African, Kenyan, EgyptAir, and Royal Air Maroc. Out of this list, only Ethiopian and South African provide good connections from Europe and America to other cities in Africa (via their hubs). Additionally, Ethiopian has been prominent in competing with Middle Eastern airlines by upgrading their service, expanding to new destinations, and increasing focus on safety and comfort. Ethiopian is part of Star Alliance and is the first African airline to fly the Boeing Dreamliner (Kenya Airways was the second) and is in the process of adding more Dreamliners.  In addition to competing with the Middle Eastern carriers, Ethiopian is also competing with South African on flights from North America.  From North America, Ethiopian flies from Washington, D.C. (in competition with South African) and recently started flying to Toronto, Canada. 

Our trip to Africa started because we wanted to go and see Tanzania and Zanzibar.  Looking at what airlines to both the U.S. and Dar Es Salaam, it was a choice between the Middle Eastern Carriers, Ethiopian, South African, or Kenyan.  Ethiopian had the best travel time and the lowest fare so I decided to go with them.  As they are part of the Star Alliance, I thought I could book travel via United from New Orleans to DAR via United (MSY to IAD) and Ethiopian from Dulles to DAR via Addis.  

I went to Ethiopian's website, which is very nice and easy navigate, and the site provided me the details from IAD to DAR but could not connect to any domestic U.S. cities.  When I called the D.C. office to ask them for assistance, they informed me that even though they are part of the Star Alliance they cannot book tickets partnering with United.  In order to have everything on one ticket, I would have to go through a travel agent.  This is something that Ethiopian needs to work on if it really wants to compete in the international market - especially since Kenya Airways allowed me to book the flights in partnership with their SkyTeam partner Delta (they had to many connections and too many stops so that is why I did not choose them).   

Why go through the hassle of booking everything on one ticket and not two separate tickets - a couple of reasons:

1. luggage - internationally, the U.S. allows 2 bags of 50lbs/23kilos as part of free checked luggage.  Domestically, any checked bags require a charge and two bags can cost about $60 per passenger (and we were 3 passengers total).
2. luggage transfer - if everything is booked on one ticket, then the luggage is booked to the final destination and is automatically transferred during your connections; you do not have to go out, collect your luggage, and recheck them in.
3. if something goes wrong - if you have booked everything on one ticket, and should something go wrong with one of your connections, then the airline will automatically assist you in getting back to your home destination.  For example, if one plane is delayed and you miss your connection then the airline will automatically assist you in getting on the next flight to your destination - booking two separate tickets, while sometimes cheaper, does not avoid these potential headaches.

In the end, I went to an online travel site (cheapoair.com - very reasonable prices) and booked my flight on United from MSY to Dulles, and then connecting to Ethiopian from Dulles to DAR via ADD.  Note - Ethiopian only has one flight from Dulles to ADD, but has many flights from ADD to other destinations to double check your connection times.  After I booked the flight, I emailed the DC office to confirm the flights as well as to confirm seat assignments (they were very responsive and accommodating).

The flight from MSY to Dulles was the night before so I had about 12-hour layover in Dulles (there are many hotels, inexpensive, near the airport) but due to the long-layover my bags had to be rechecked in Dulles as the airline can only keep the bags for 6-hours or less (we arrived at 9pm and flew the next day at 10am).  

Ethiopian flight ET501 was scheduled to depart 10:15am which meant that we had to be at the airport by 7:30am.  When we arrived to the airport, there was a long line of people to check-in (the DC area has one of the largest Ethiopian populations outside of Ethiopia so be prepared for crowds).  It took a while for us to check-in as the lines were long, each passenger had lots of luggage, and many needed to pay extra.  Additionally, each passenger received a color-sticker on the boarding pass to indicate at which time they would board the plane (this took a long time)

After we received our boarding passes and luggage, we proceeded to security and the gate.  There were LOTS of people at the gate and it was very chaotic.  Even though the flight was supposed to depart at 10:15am, we didn't start the boarding process until 9:45am/10:00am (which meant we were going be delayed taking off as well).  Each passenger received a colored sticker on their boarding card and there was a sign as the order in which you were supposed to board -- nobody followed that.  Once they announced the boarding, it was a rush to board the plane (very chaotic and haphazard).  

The plane taking us to ADD was Ethiopian's new Boeing Dreamliner.  This would make the direct flight in 12h30m.  The seating is very comfortable in a 3-3-3 layout (as opposed to the 3-4-3 layout).  The 3-3-3- layout made the plane seem very big and spacious (not as spacious as the A380, but still good).  Since we were 3 people - we got 3 seats together and the seats were nice and comfortable.   Each seat had its own personal tv set, a leg rest (nice touch), a coat hanger, and a usb charging port (also a nice touch.

After majority of the people had been boarded and seated, there was an issue - apparently the same seats were assigned to two different people.  This happened to a number of people on the plane so even as we were pushing back from the gate - not all passengers were seated and not all luggage compartments closed.  My recommendation, get to your seat early in boarding.  Because of the delay in boarding and pushing back, and still not ready as we pushed back, we didn't take off until almost 11:45a/12pm (so almost 1.5hours after the scheduled time).



Once we were airborne, we received complimentary headsets (that you could take with you) along with an amenity packet of eyeshades, socks, and toothbrush - a nice touch.  Once we reached our cruising altitude, everyone adjusted in their seat for the long flight.  We were served drinks, then lunch, then drinks again, along with tea and coffee.  The service was decent and efficient, with the meals also decent.  The entertainment system was also pretty decent.  It's not as nice nor has as many selections as emirates, but it is pretty good and has enough selections and variety to keep you occupied for at least 8-10 hours.   

The new-ness and capability of the plane was well-apparent as the seats were very comfortable, the cabin looked new, and the bathrooms were nice and spacious.  Even though it was a full-flight with over 300+ people on it, the plane did not feel cramped.  Some snacks were served during the flight and prior to landing we were served breakfast, as we were landing around 7:45am in Addis.  Again, breakfast was decent and the service was efficient.  

We landed on time and taxied not to a gate, but rather to a parking stand across the taxiway from the gates & terminal.  We had to deplane via stairs, but then waited on the tarmac for the buses (which were late).  Once we boarded the buses (which looked pretty old) we were transported to the terminal for our 2.5 layover.  3/4 of the passengers were Ethiopians coming home for the holidays (we left in late December) while the rest of us were transit passengers to other parts of Africa.

There is not a lot to do in ADD - the duty free is pretty scarce and there are not that many restaurants or lounges.  There a lot of souvenir shops and other such places, and there is one internet cafe, but that is about it.  If Ethiopian really wants to build up their brand, they should really update their hub airport.

About an 1.5 hour prior to departure, we left the main hall and went through security to get to our holding gate for our departure to DAR.  Ethiopian does a loop from ADD so it goes ADD - DAR - ZNZ - ADD.  You can board at ADD and depart at DAR or ZNZ, or board at DAR or ZNZ and depart at ADD.  We were going to board at ADD and depart at DAR (so the first stop).

After we passed through security, we went downstairs to the holding area for the buses to take us to our waiting aircraft (again, no bridge terminals but buses.  There were bridge terminals there but not used for this flight).  The holding area was very small, cramped, and very hot and there were many passengers there waiting for multiple flights.  This led to a lot of confusion as the announcements were not made over the speaker, but rather yelled out so many people were confused.  We boarded our bus (again, very old bus) to our plane to take us to DAR.  

The plane to DAR - ET0805 was also nice, but an older plane (boeing 737-800) and it was a bit disappointing when coming from the Dreamliner.  The seats were comfortable and the plane decent, but you could tell it was an older plane.  The flight took off late - we were supposed to take off at 10:45am and took off around 11:15am - and there was a lot of waiting inside the aircraft (which seemed to be a theme on Ethiopian).  The flying time from ADD to DAR was 2.45 in which, again, complimentary headsets were handed out and we received lunch.  The food was decent and the service was efficient and friendly on this full flight.  The first stop was DAR so those passengers who were continuing on to ZNZ had to wait for us to deplane, and wait for passengers who were going back to ADD to board the plane.  

We landed at DAR, went through immigration and customs (very hot, very noisy and haphazard, and very cramped), then proceeded to gather our luggage (again very chaotic as bags were thrown everywhere), and then left the terminal.

Our return flight from DAR to ADD and then to IAD was a little different.  First, the flight took off very early in the morning  - at 2:10am - so it was a long day exploring and then a long night waiting at DAR airport (which does not have a lot to do).   As stated earlier, Ethiopian does a loop so ADD to DAR to ZNZ to back to ADD - we had got on on the DAR sector so that meant we had a pretty empty plane to ZNZ, but we had a long wait on the ground as passengers were boarded in ZNZ.  It was only supposed to be 30 minutes on the ground, but it ended up being over 1h20mins on the ground (again -- see a theme).  We landed in ADD and again had to take a bus to the terminal. 

Our flight landed at 7am into ADD and our next flight to IAD was not until 10:15pm - I did not purposely create the long layover, this is what the travel site had given me but I used it as an opportunity to explore Addis. 

Usually, with long layovers, the airline gives you a hotel or accommodation to rest.  Ethiopian had said that because I had chosen the long layover - which I actually was given the long layover - and that they had multiple flights from DAR to ADD that required less layover, they would not provide accommodation.  I had been told this by the DC Ethiopian office so had already arranged accommodation for myself and family.  I looked online and U.S. citizens do not need a transit visa - they can get a visa on arrival for Ethiopia.  I had all this information ready when I proceeded to the immigration counter - who sent me to the transfer desk and thus started the whole process.  

The transfer desk sent me to the visa on arrival, who sent me back to the transfer desk, who sent me back to immigration.  After an hour of going up and down from one place to another (and all this on 2 hours of sleep) I had enough.  I explained to the immigration supervisor what I had been told and what was needed, and he agreed with what I had but said that I needed to get the stamp from the transfers desk.  He went with me to the transfers desk - which was completely full and inundated with people and only one person to help at least 25 people; can we say INEFFICIENT!!! - and explained the situation to the lady but she still insisted I pay for my visa (which was supposed to be free).  As I said, it had been a long day and I was with my family so I just decided to pay $200 for our three visas to get us out of the airport and in a bed (when I returned to the U.S. I had emailed the DC Ethiopian Office, explained what happened, provided the evidence, and 2 months later received a check in the mail for the $200)

We went through customs and immigration and proceeded to our hotel --- we stayed at the Hilton Addis.  Our return flight from ADD to Dulles took a little longer and was not as comfortable as it was on a Boeing 777 instead of the dreamliner (which was still decent but not as comfortable) and because the return flight stops in Rome and has a crew change *passengers do not get out of the plane.  Again, it is only supposed to be an hour wait in Rome but we were on the ground for almost 2.5hours (very inefficient).  The only good thing was that the AC and the entertainment system was on the entire time.  Even though we were delayed, we still made our arrival time into Dulles.  Dulles now has a separate area for international transfers so this made the process a lot easier and smoother.  

Overall, Ethiopian is a good airline but there are little things that need to be improved to make it a great airline - timeliness, efficiency, customer service, and an improved hub airport.  With these updates, Ethiopian could be a great airline.