Never flown United... Tips?

[Simsy85]

Hi All,

Never flown united, but scored some dirt cheap tix to NYC yesterday ($850 return).

Heard all the horror stories - any tips or insider info? Have a stack of VA points that I could convert to Singapore points and do an upgrade?

Look forward to advice.

Cheers

Simsy

 

[Glider_]

Does your ticket include checked baggage? If yes, use it. If not, think carefully about adding it.

It's probably not just United but all US carriers, but my last two international United flights were absolutely chockers with Americans who insisted on taking full sized rolly suitcases as hand luggage and forcing them to fit in the overhead lockers. As such, overhead locker space was gone in an instant, and an annoying portion of boarding time was spent with FA's trying to find space anywhere on the plane to fit more bags, which then also translated to extended de-planning while people tried to get to their bag 20 rows away against traffic.

IMO you're doing yourself a favour by checking your bigger bag, even if its a normal hand-luggage size, and just taking your headphones and tablet etc into the cabin. And bring your patience.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Hi All,

Never flown united, but scored some dirt cheap tix to NYC yesterday ($850 return).

Heard all the horror stories - any tips or insider info? Have a stack of VA points that I could convert to Singapore points and do an upgrade?

Look forward to advice.

Cheers

Simsy

There are horror stories about every airline! UA and the other big US carriers probably get more than their fair share simply because of the massive numbers they carry.

Internationally UA is perfectly ok! Meals, free beer and wine (spirits are charged), IFE:

[h=4]Meals and beverages[/h]

• Complimentary soft drinks, juices, tea and freshly brewed coffee
• Spirits are available for purchase on most flights, and house wines and beer are complimentary on select routes[SUP]2[/SUP]
• Complimentary meal service
• Mid-flight Choice Menu Snack Shop service on select routes[SUP]2[/SUP]
• Complimentary pre-arrival snack or meal on select routes[SUP]2[/SUP]

View additional information on meals and beverages
[SUP]2[/SUP]Applies to flights between the U.S. and Africa, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, China, Europe, India, Israel, Japan, Korea, the Middle East and Taiwan.
[h=4]Entertainment[/h]

• A variety of entertainment options including audio selections, television programming and movie selections
• Complimentary headsets
• A complimentary copy of Hemispheres magazine
• Duty Free shopping on board

If your budget can stretch - getting economy plus seasting is well worth it - 5 inches extra legroom for $150 of something each way (you can select seats in this area and pay through the UA manage booking function). Friend of mine went one way regular economy and one way 'plus' and said the plus was worth it.

Sure the crews might be more 'experienced' but they are generally pretty good.

The old 747s without IFE no longer fly to Australia.

 

[dajop]

Have a stack of VA points that I could convert to Singapore points and do an upgrade?

This won't work, upgrades are only available using Krisflyer points from the two most expensive economy fares - Y & B class - an $850 fare is not going to have that opportunity.

I did my first UA international flight last year - Shanghai to LAX - on a 787.

Seating - legroom was OK, width was quite cramped - as per most airlines economy configurations 3-3-3 in 787. I was however lucky, as I was, along with three others paged (35 mins before departure mind you!), as a "last remaining passenger" to board. I saw one of them ahead of me, the other two just behind me, and therefore went straight to the bank of three empty seats free towards the back of the plane, on a fairly full flight. Three seats to myself was great, although an empty seat beside me would have been enough. They were selling upgrades to economy plus for around $240 USD one way, which is i think about what it costs for SYD-LAX. Also were selling onboard for similar price, but certainly didn't interest me when buying ticket as only centre seats left, and I had aisle allocated.

IFE - Good options, although somewhat limited range compared to the likes of SQ & EK, and of course as you would expect, no real international selection, all US content.

Food - good quality. Quantity rather small. Service was hit and miss with the usual mix of attitude from one FA, and excellent service from the other (almost apologetic for their colleage). Didn't worry too much about beverages in flight, as couple of bottles of water and a can of soft drink accidentally fell into my backpack when I walked past the fridges in the lounge. But I was glad that accidentally happened, easier that way.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Didn't worry too much about beverages in flight, as couple of bottles of water and a can of soft drink accidentally fell into my backpack when I walked past the fridges in the lounge. But I was glad that accidentally happened, easier that way.

Hmmm... not so good from a security standpoint - there's supposed to be a gate check on all US and AU bound flights to remove water bottles - unless that's changed very recently!

 

[burmans]

Double the sleeping pills, have a few drinks, you'll be ok! No, I'm not a fan but that is seriously cheap!

 

[diningdecadence]

Hmmm... not so good from a security standpoint - there's supposed to be a gate check on all US and AU bound flights to remove water bottles - unless that's changed very recently!

haven't been checked going to the states since at least last november on QF.

also interested in this as Mrs has picked up a cheapie too on UA840. thinking the extra legroom in economy plus is definitely a goer.

 

[Simsy85]

Thanks! Good feedback - might look into purchasing the 'plus' option - thinking a double drop of the sleeping pills and snoozing the flight away.

The 787 better for jetlag? SWMBO get's affected by its *really* badly.

Have an Amex platinum so Sydney lounge before we go - i'll grab some drinks then!

 

[UP4014]

UA are fine, people like to bag them out but they do the job you ask of them, that is take you form A to B and if it's the right price for you and accept that's the reason you're flying them you will not have any issues.

I've flown them plenty of times and survived ok.

Matt

 

[exceladdict]

When flying UA, I status matched QF > AS > UA, so as to get free baggage and better seating for the UA flight.

Not sure if it's still available but I would look in to it. UA wouldn't match direct to QF at the time.

 

[Glider_]

The 787 better for jetlag? SWMBO get's affected by its *really* badly.

Do a bit of reading about using Melatonin for jetlag to see if it's something you might like to try.

You can buy Melatonin in the States easily, we bought a pack from Walmart (along with a jar of 1000 ibuprofen tablets for $10!). Make sure you check that it does contain actual Melatonin and isn't pretend holistic natural organic faux-melatonin. Also check the strength of the one you buy, the usual dose is about 1.5-3mcg but the tablets we bought were 6mcg so I cut them into half or quarter and they work well. Just take it an hour before bedtime and make sure you have at least 6 hours before you need to be awake again, just in case.

 

[marki]

The more cynical around here would say don't fly United! But they have changed since the bad times couple of years ago at the height of flying out dated equipment .

 

[UP4014]

The more cynical around here would say don't fly United! But they have changed since the bad times couple of years ago at the height of flying out dated equipment .

Some cynics here also wouldn't fly QF or Virgin, so perhaps doesn't assist much.

 

[marki]

Some cynics here also wouldn't fly QF or Virgin, so perhaps doesn't assist much.

I did say that they have changed and are flying 787's to Australia. So they are forgiven. Don't get me started about Qantas it's a whole other beast!!

Virgin well

 

[jamang1999]

I flew United last year MEL-LAX (787-9) and SFO-SYD (777), as well as a couple of internal flights. The 787 was surprisingly really comfortable, and had great IFE. However, the service and food was terrible. On one of the internal flights my check-in bag got ripped up - if this also happens to you, good luck in your arguments with them . Only advice I have is to try to avoid the older planes - 777, 757, 767. Some of them can be really uncomfortable.

 

[Caversham04]

Do a bit of reading about using Melatonin for jetlag to see if it's something you might like to try.......Make sure you check that it does contain actual Melatonin.......

Seconded - melatonin (to help re-set the body-clock) + mild (non-prescription) sleeping tablet + careful scheduling of the sleep works wonders for me, with very little jetlag even when flying ADL-SIN-LHR and back. As always, YMMV, but this is my trick:

• Flying east-to-west, stay awake until night-time in your destination country.
• Flying west-to-east compresses your day so try to schedule the flight to keep the "daytime" at your destination as long as possible

For example, for my ADL-SIN-LHR return trips work as below (to show the logic) - modify as appropriate depending on where you're flying to:

• ADL-SIN is a north-south-ish daytime flight so stay awake.
• SIN-LHR is deliberately chosen to leave SIN around midnight. Stay awake for 5 - 6 hours (i.e. until late evening UK time), then pop the pills and hopefully get 6 - 7 hours of kip, skipping the airline breakfast if possible, thereby waking up at 6 or 7-ish in the morning (UK time)
• LHR-SIN is generally the 8 p.m.-ish flight as a good compromise between being tired enough to fall asleep immediately after take-off (with the assistance of the pills) versus maximising the time spent awake before getting on the ADL-SIN leg. Ideally, 6 or 7 hours of kip followed by 6 hours of movies plus a further 6 or 7 hours in Changi, then.....
• SIN-ADL; no choice on flight times (23:00 departure or thereabouts), but pop the pills on take-off and kip for as long as possible

 

[dajop]

• LHR-SIN is generally the 8 p.m.-ish flight as a good compromise between being tired enough to fall asleep immediately after take-off (with the assistance of the pills) versus maximising the time spent awake before getting on the ADL-SIN leg. Ideally, 6 or 7 hours of kip followed by 6 hours of movies plus a further 6 or 7 hours in Changi, then.....
• SIN-ADL; no choice on flight times (23:00 departure or thereabouts), but pop the pills on take-off and kip for as long as possible

My preference is the opposite to you, if I'm travelling from Australia to Europe prefer to leave at midnight and arrive late afternoon, and leaving Europe, stay up late and leave around lunch time, then sleep before connecting to day time flight (must stay awake for) down to MEL. Of course that program won't work for ADL!

 

[UP4014]

I flew United last year MEL-LAX (787-9) and SFO-SYD (777), as well as a couple of internal flights. The 787 was surprisingly really comfortable, and had great IFE. However, the service and food was terrible. On one of the internal flights my check-in bag got ripped up - if this also happens to you, good luck in your arguments with them . Only advice I have is to try to avoid the older planes - 777, 757, 767. Some of them can be really uncomfortable.

I think that goes for all airlines, avoid older planes.

 

[UP4014]

The more cynical around here would say don't fly United! But they have changed since the bad times couple of years ago at the height of flying out dated equipment .

I've flown United since 1995, and you know what, they are ok, they do the job you are paying them to do.

Matt

 

[UP4014]

I flew United last year MEL-LAX (787-9) and SFO-SYD (777), as well as a couple of internal flights. The 787 was surprisingly really comfortable, and had great IFE. However, the service and food was terrible. On one of the internal flights my check-in bag got ripped up - if this also happens to you, good luck in your arguments with them . Only advice I have is to try to avoid the older planes - 777, 757, 767. Some of them can be really uncomfortable.

I've always found their service to be be reasonable, not better than perhaps QF but better than other Australian airlines currently flying.

I like the UA double shot when I ask for a scotch, superior to the offering on other airlines.

Matt