Smooth with a salmon starter
Tommy Livingston has the run-down on what United Airlines has to offer if you’re flying to San Francisco.
The route
Auckland to San Francisco nonstop. A 12-hour flight there, it is not the hardest of hauls to undergo. The southbound leg takes a little longer, with a flight time of 13 hours. I may have just got lucky, but flying over the Pacific was relatively smooth.
The plane
For the inaugural flight a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was used.
The loyalty plan
United and Air New Zealand currently have a frequent flyer loyalty agreement as members of the Star Alliance. MileagePlus and Airpoints members will continue to have reciprocal benefits to earn and redeem on both airlines.
Up the back or at pointy end
I was spoiled with the spacious business class. I can’t speak for those further down the plane, but from what I saw they were looked after.
The seat stuff
The seat had the ability to lie flat, which on a 12-hour flight is always appreciated. Comfort wise, it was satisfactory. It was made more bearable with the provided pillow and blanket, which make you feel more at home. Each seat had a pull-out table, which was a little too far away. Overall, it was comfortable and spacious.
The service
The staff in business first were exceptional. I had Ed and Darnell looking after me the whole flight. The food kept coming, the booze kept flowing, and staff were there tending to our every need. There wasn’t ever a time where I didn’t have what I wanted, or what I needed. Ed, who was in charge of all the flight attendants, made a point of introducing himself at the start of the trip. By the time we landed in San Fran, he knew most of us by name – a sure sign of someone who knows how to do their job.
That’s entertainment
I would usually opt for the view over the videos, but all you could see was endless sea and sky. I enjoyed the selections of movies, but some more travelled passengers commented on the lack of recent releases. That said, there was a reasonably large catalogue of films, some great and not so great. The option to listen to music was confusing. All I could find was an assortment of generic podcasts, which nobody in their right mind would listen to.
Feeding time
When you have salmon for a starter, things are going good. There were five choices for mains. I went with the rack of lamb. For aeroplane food it was tasty. The meat was slightly tough, but that’s hardly unavoidable. The vegetables, salad and bread all tasted fresh and flavoursome. It was washed down with a glass of Spanish red wine, followed by a port and a few craft IPAs.
The verdict
The inaugural flight from Auckland to San Francisco was everything it should have been. Comfortable, entertaining and not too long. Improvements could be made to the entertainment system, but that was about it. The food was fantastic and the service was sensational.
Frequency
United Airlines offers three flights per week to San Fran, with daily flights expected to be rolled out in October.