Priority Club has just started their 72 hour Japan hotel sale, good for stays through June 30. They’re cutting the “best flexible rates” in half (although based on FlyerTalk reports, the hotels conveniently jacked up their prices yesterday…. way to go!). See here for a list of participating hotels and to book.
It’s time for a reader photo. Thanks to Hiro for sending in this one.
Correct Answer: Prague, Czech Republic
Winner: FortFun
If you’d like your photo featured, please email it to me at onemileatatime@hotmail.com, along with the correct answer.
Captain Flanagan was featured in today’s “Simple Truths” newsletter, which focuses on great customer service (you can sign up for the free newsletter here). Check it out:
Dear Ben,
When I wrote the book, Customer Love, I shared this story about Captain Denny Flanagan:
As flight cancellations and delays wreak havoc on weary travelers, and planes are fuller than ever, the Wall Street Journal has managed to find a bright spot – United Airlines Captain Denny Flanagan.
On a flight headed your way, there is a pilot who is literally a gift from the heavens. For 21 years now, Flanagan, a former navy pilot, has put the friendly in friendly skies.
With his sense of humor and personal touch, he individually welcomes aboard every passenger on his United Airlines plane.
A father of five, Flanagan has also been known to buy food for planeloads of passengers on delayed flights. He snaps photos of dogs in the cargo hold to show owners their pets are safe and calls the parents of children traveling alone.
“I want to treat them like I treat my family and it works. It’s like hospitality. You stand at the door and you greet people when they come in and you say goodbye on the porch and wave to them,” said Flanagan, who is 56 and lives in Ohio.
His unique brand of hospitality includes sending handwritten notes to frequent flyers and raffling off bottles of wine.
“How ’bout that? A bottled of chilled chardonnay from a pilot,” said a delighted Paul Schroeder, a lucky United passenger.
He has developed quite a following in the air and online. One of the many posts on FlyerTalk.com about Flanagan read: “His effort rubbed off on the crew too, they were great.”
Attitudes are truly contagious, and Captain Flanagan’s is certainly worth catching!
But here, as the late Paul Harvey always said, is…”the rest of the story.”
Not long after the book’s release, I received a call from Captain Flanagan, who said, “Mac, I loved your book about customer service and I just wanted to thank you for including my story.” we talked for about 15 minutes and when I hung up, I knew that Denny Flanagan was “real,” and very passionate about not only being a good Captain for United Airlines, but making a positive difference in the world.
The next day, I sent Denny a signed copy of the book, thanking him for making a difference and here is the letter I got back:
Dear Mac:
Thank you for my personal signed copy of Customer Love. I am honored to be included with the 24 other great stories of customer service. People try to make service complicated, but it’s really not rocket science. The recipe has two ingredients: choose your attitude each morning and anticipate your customer’s needs.
In fact, one of the things that I’ve enjoyed doing over the years is having dinner with my customers during my long layovers. It just gives me the opportunity to know their needs and determine ways we can serve them better. It also allows me to introduce my first officers to our customers, to show them how they can make a difference when they become Captains.
From a dinner with one customer I have now expanded it to having dinner with twenty customers. I frequently get asked by customers how they can book one of my flights. At first, I just let it roll off my shoulders as a silly comment, but when they kept asking, I posted one of my upcoming flights on FlyerTalk.com and 26 people booked it as a result of that post. I guess I’ll need a bigger table for this one!
Denny Flanagan is a wonderful example of customer love. In the book, I share his, and 24 other great customer service stories. My goal is to have you read them, have your team read them, and talk about them together. In fact, you may be inspired to write your own customer love stories while making your service culture all it can be.Also, if you’d like to thank Captain Flanagan for setting the example for the rest of us to follow, his email address is captdennyflanagan@gmail.com. I’m sure he’d love to hear from you!.
For more information on how to receive a free autographed copy of Customer Love or to look inside the book, just click here.
Serve with Passion,
Mac Anderson
Founder, Simple Truths
Travel Commons has an interesting post about the best airlines for transatlantic award travel according to IdeaWorks, a travel consulting company. Look at their findings, which are overly simplistic. Here’s how they did their research:
The Transatlantic Reward Availability Report answers the question, “Which airlines offer the most online availability for transatlantic reward travel?” IdeaWorks made 6,400 booking queries at the websites of five US-based airlines and five Europe-based airlines during the latter half of January 2009. The same sets of travel dates, which spanned April through November 2009, were used for all queries. The queries were made for the largest passenger-carrying routes of each airline.
Fine, fair enough. That information is worthless as far as I’m concerned, but then they go on to say this:
Others, such as US Airways and Scandinavian Airlines, make it very difficult for consumers to receive the benefit of free transatlantic reward travel.
Eh, no, they don’t. They make it very difficult to book awards on their own metal across the pond online. That’s definitely not the same thing as making it “very difficult for consumers to receive the benefit of free transatlantic award travel.” USAir, actually, is probably the best carrier for Star Alliance awards across the pond. Not only do they offer all Starnet availability they can, but they also have a favorable award chart, liberal routing rules, and no fuel surcharges or BS taxes.
The biggest irony here, is that they use the term “free transatlantic award travel.” Iberia, the best carrier according to them, charges substantial “fuel surcharges” and “taxes” which make your award ticket look more like a revenue ticket. Not so free anymore….
Again they are correct with this:
However, the result produced by American’s AAdvantage program may suggest the issue of reward availability is more linked to revenue management than the question of “partners or no partners.” American Airlines offered the best online transatlantic reward availability of any US based airline without the benefit of partner inclusion.
American does have excellent award availability on their own flights, which is something they deserve credit for. Nonetheless, their transatlantic partner options are limited, given that you can’t use your American miles for British Airways flights from the US to Europe, which I’d argue is the European backbone of the OneWorld alliance.
The Transatlantic Reward Availability Report may be ordered directly from IdeaWorks at an early bird price of US$2,250 per copy for orders received by April 15, 2009. The regular price (for orders starting on April 16) is US$2,550. The report is now available for delivery.
I think I’ll pass. 
So while this research is technically correct, it’s just not very helpful to travelers, in my opinion. I hope they didn’t waste too much time on this “research.”
Check out this story by The Consumerist. Basically an airport employee (I’m not convinced it’s “airport security,” as stated there) tells a disabled man that he’s not in possession of his luggage because he’s in a wheelchair. How ridiculous. The original blog post is also linked there.
(Thanks to Peter for sending this in)
Shockingly enough this was the first time I’ve seen this documentary, but it’s a great one! It even has the pronunciation of “schedule” that I love within the first couple of minutes, so what could go wrong? Check it out.
(Tip of the hat to Dan for sending this in)
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: TPA-DFW-YYZ on American, and a fun afternoon in Toronto
Part Three: YYZ-HKG on Cathay Pacific and “The Arrival” in HKG
Part Four: Stay at the InterContinental Grand Stanford
Part Five: Visit to “The Wing” and HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific
Part Six: Stay at the Crowne Plaza Manila
Part Seven: Stay at the InterContinental Manila
Part Eight: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific
Part Nine: Stay at the Marriott SkyCity Hong Kong
Part Ten: HKG-NRT on Cathay Pacific and NRT-JFK on JAL
Part Eleven: Stay at Holiday Inn Express JFK and JFK-MIA-TPA on American
———————————————————————————
We took the AirTrain to Federal Circle, which is where the Holiday Inn Express bus picks up from. It was a rather chilly evening, at least after returning from Manila, and we didn’t have any warm clothes. Fortunately the bus was there, so we made it to the Holiday Inn Express only about ten minutes later.
I should start by saying that we paid about $90/night for the Holiday Inn Express, and as usual, I did it for the points. All the other decent hotels were at least $150, and I’m a firm believe in the “you get what you pay for” approach, so I wasn’t expecting a whole lot.
That being said, the hotel was pretty decent. The rooms were well appointed, and as usual at Holiday Inn Express hotels, there was free wifi, breakfast, etc. My only complaint would be the “lobby,” if I can even call it that. There’s a reason they don’t have pictures of it on the website. It’s hard to describe, but it’s pretty horrific looking. I guess it kind of like a Greyhound terminal in the worst area possible. Furthermore, the elevator can only be accessed from a level down, so in order to get your bags in it you first have to take the elevator down a level.
Our room
The one thing that caught my attention was the “Hospitality Promise” posted in the bathroom. Hampton Inn, for example, has the 100% satisfaction guarantee, where you don’t pay if you’re not satisfied. This “promise,” on the other hand, promises to make the part of your stay you have a problem with right, or else you don’t pay. Could someone explain to me how that works? Last I checked my room bill had one charge under the title “accommodation.” I don’t see it broken down by proper water pressure, correct bathroom amenities, clean bedding, quality breakfast, etc. Anyway, I just found that interesting….
The “promise”
We took the subway into the city, where we had dinner at P.J. Clarke’s with my brother and his girlfriend. At that point we were a bit on the exhausted side, and the cold weather wasn’t helping either. We took the subway back at around 11PM, and were back at the hotel by around midnight. We set our alarm for 4AM, although we ended up hardly getting any sleep, probably due to the time change.
We originally had a four hour layover in MIA, although I noticed online that there was an earlier MIA-TPA flight, which would get us in about three hours earlier. We decided to head to the airport a bit early to try and get on that, since it looked wide open.
We took the 5:30AM shuttle to the airport, and unlike on the way out, we were dropped off at the terminal as opposed to Federal Circle, which saved us quite a bit of time and hassle.
We headed to first class check-in, which is partitioned off and has some fancy indoor plants to make it look special, I guess. While I was born in New York, I typically don’t view New Yorkers as being overly-customer service oriented, at least towards outsiders (sorry Dan). That’s why I was surprised as heck when our agent was overly friendly. Not only did she confirm us on the spot for the earlier MIA-TPA flight, but she also gave us a ticket jacket. I commented to her that I thought they had discontinued them, but she said she was too embarrassed to not have any for her premium passengers, so she keeps a stash with her.
Check-in
Even more surprising was the TSA checkpoint. The agent was once again extremely friendly, and we were through in no time.
On the other end we went to the Admirals Club, where we were once again met by a cheery lady. What the heck folks, it’s before 6AM and we’re in a recession! Why’s everyone so happy?
We presented her with our JAL first class boarding passes and American boarding passes, hoping to get into the Flagship Lounge as OneWorld international first class passengers. While she was friendly, she insisted that we’d have to be on a codeshare flight in order to use the lounge, which was wrong. I explained we also had Amex Platinum cards, which should also get us into the Admirals Club. She suggested we use the nicer lounge closer to our gate so that we could get the “full lounge experience.” She sent us on our way with a “couple of gifts courtesy of Citi,” as she put it. They were leather organizers which were actually kind of nice, similar to what I received a couple of years ago through the Ameniti deal.
Out of curiosity we tried using our JAL boarding passes again, and this time the agent admitted us without asking any questions. It just comes to show you that United’s Red Carpet Club agents aren’t the only clueless ones.
We got there right as the club opened, and it was nicely decorated and had plenty of PC’s, which is nice since they charge for wifi (for non-members). In typical American fashion, the lounge had next to nothing for free, mainly because they want you to buy their food. All they had was cheesy snack mix (which isn’t exactly tempting at 5:30AM), apples, and bagels, although the bagels only had butter or jelly, and not cream cheese. Yar!
Admirals Club
PC’s
Bagels and apples
Snack mix
At around 6:30AM we decided to roam the airport for a while to stretch our legs. We eventually headed to gate 46, where the 767-200 that would be taking us to Miami was parked. by the way, for those of you not familiar with the 767-200′s that American flies, these are the same planes they feature on their Flagship Service from JFK to LAX and SFO. They are configured with three cabins, and on flights other than JFK-LAX/SFO, first class is catered like a normal first class flight, and business class can be reserved by elites for free, although it’s just coach service.
Our plane
Boarding began at around 7:15AM, and onboard we went.
American 1165, JFK-MIA, 767-200
Tuesday, March 17
Depart: 07:45AM
Arrive: 11:00AM
Seat: 3A (First Class)
Ah, reality bites! Unlike Cathay, we weren’t escorted to our seats, and the flight attendants didn’t even acknowlege our presence as we boarded. I snapped a few quick pictures of the cabin.
The first class cabin
Our seats
Business class
Eventually a flight attendant came around to offer us beverages, which seemed to break up the chit chat in the galley. I didn’t see the flight attendant break a smile once throughout the flight. I found it pretty interesting that this flight attendant had a W.W.J.D. (What Would Jesus Do?) lanyard on. Well, frankly, he’d probably care a bit more about his guests….
I patiently sat there with my coat in my lap for the better part of 30 minutes. Of course I didn’t ask nicely that one of them hang my coat, because that might be perceived as rude (according to a Continental flight attendant that once commented here….. he obviously *loved* his job as much as these ladies). Eventually a male flight attendant from coach came by and noticed my coat and hung it. He seemed to be the only crewmember that realized he was there for the passengers, and not the other way around.
As boarding wrapped up I noticed both the captain and the first officer going to the tarmac to look at the left engine. Eventually an SUV pulled up to the side of the plane, which read “Supervisor.” It seemed like about a dozen ground workers were gathering around the engine too. Those blue things in the picture below we’re blowing a lot of smoke at one point, although I didn’t get a picture at the time. Any clue what they do?
Hmmm….
As departure time passed I figured we had a pretty nasty mechanical, but surprisingly enough the pilots were back aboard and everything seemed to be alright. The gate agent came on last minute and filled the two empty first class seats with a lady and her daughter. They were assigned seats on opposite sides of the plane, so the lady asked if the guy sitting next to her wouldn’t mind switching with the aisle seat on the other side of the plane. He commented “I can do that, as long as I get an aisle.” Take note, folks!
We began our taxi and the guy that switched seats earlier in the flight whispered something in the flight attendant’s ear, and then proceeded to get up and use the lavatory. I knew they’d NEVER let a “normal” passenger get up during taxi, let alone during climb out in smooth air at 32,000 feet, so I knew something was up.
I then began to notice the signs. The guy seated across from us in the “Captain Kirk” seat had a backpack right behind his seat. Soon enough we were airborne, and I mentioned to my dad that those two guys were air marshals. He didn’t believe me, but I kept pointing out the signs. Neither of them reclined their seats at all. They both drank just water and coffee. One of them was playing his video game console with an ear bud in one ear and the other one open (which he’s not supposed to do), and as both of them went to the restroom, they gave each other looks, despite not sitting together or otherwise seeming to know each other. Oh, and of course they had the same fancy PDA’s.
Anyway, service was limited throughout the flight. For breakfast we had a choice between an omelet and cereal, and my dad and I both went with the omelet. Other than that the flight attendants weren’t once to be seen. No hot towels. No mints. No pre-arrival drinks.
Coffee and orange juice
Instead I had a bit of my own in-flight entertainment, more specifically with the air marshals. I was sure to stretch my legs every once in a while, walking up and down the short first class aisle. I constantly got stuff from my carry-on. I can’t stand these guys based on an experience I had with their colleagues a few years back, but I won’t get into that. I just find the whole program to be a huge waste of taxpayer dollars, especially when they can be so easily spotted.
Breakfast
The seats were quite comfortable. I’d say they’re a bit better than Premium Service first class seats for lounging, but not quite as comfortable in the lie flat position. We began our descent a few minutes late due to the late departure, but touched down nearly on-time.
On approach
Miami airport is a maze, and as a result our taxi took quite a while. As luck would have it our flight was leaving from the furthest possible gate from the gate we arrived at. Curious about whether or not those two passengers were FAM’s, we observed them as they got off. Yep, they were! Once out of the jetway they started to talk to each other, and guess which gate they went to? Yep, the flight right back to New York!
Miami airport
Boarding began on-time, and on we went for the last segment of our long journey.
American 1846, MIA-TPA, 757-200
Tuesday, March 17
Depart: 11:55AM
Arrive: 12:55PM
Seat: 3A (First Class)
The American 757′s look tired. We were seated in row three, where we took our seats. The load in first class was light, probably only about 50%.
View from our seat
Legroom
Seats across from us
Our flight attendant in first class was attentive. He offered pre-departure beverages of choice. The boarding process was quick, and we were airborne in no time.
After takeoff
Given that our flight time was only 40 minutes, there was no service in coach, although there were several rounds of drinks and snack mix in first class. We even got mints prior to arrival, which we didn’t get on our last flight. Our flight attendant was great, while one of the coach flight attendants sat down in a first class seat and read a novel for the better part of 10 minutes. You’re kidding me, right?
We landed about 10 minutes early, and were sort of happy to finally be back home. I loved the post-landing announcements in which the purser said that “It was a pleasure serving you today.” Yes, while we got a round or two of drinks, what service did those in coach receive? Nada!
Our bag came out almost immediately, and off we were.
Overall we had an amazing trip. Cathay Pacific first class was amazing. JAL first class was somewhat underwhelming, and I’d probably try American first class next time if Cathay Pacific isn’t an option on a OneWorld award. We were happy to have seen Manila, although it’s not necessarily a city that’s on the top of my list as far as places I’d like to return to (like Ho Chi Minh City, Bangkok, etc.). Hong Kong, as always, was incredible.
Anyway, thanks for following along for the ride, and I apologize that it took so long. My next “big” trip will probably be in May, although it hasn’t been booked yet. I’m thinking either Buenos Aires, London, Dubai, or Kuala Lumpur.
Part One: Introduction
Part Two: TPA-DFW-YYZ on American, and a fun afternoon in Toronto
Part Three: YYZ-HKG on Cathay Pacific and “The Arrival” in HKG
Part Four: Stay at the InterContinental Grand Stanford
Part Five: Visit to “The Wing” and HKG-MNL on Cathay Pacific
Part Six: Stay at the Crowne Plaza Manila
Part Seven: Stay at the InterContinental Manila
Part Eight: MNL-HKG on Cathay Pacific
Part Nine: Stay at the Marriott SkyCity Hong Kong
Part Ten: HKG-NRT on Cathay Pacific and NRT-JFK on JAL
Part Eleven: Stay at Holiday Inn Express JFK and JFK-MIA-TPA on American
———————————————————————————
We got to the airport at around 7:15AM for our 9:05AM flight. Unlike last time, first class check-in was packed, and all agents were even busy, although one finished up right as we approached. It took a bit longer to check us in since we were continuing on JAL from Narita. While the agent could check our bag through to JFK, she was only able to print the Cathay Pacific boarding pass to Narita.
Security was a breeze and we were airside by 7:30AM. Conveniently enough we were leaving from gate 65 today, which is right by The Pier. As you may recall, Cathay Pacific has two first class lounges, The Wing and The Pier. Last time we checked out The Wing, so this was a great opportunity to check out The Pier.
Gate 65 is about a 20 minute walk, so we got there shortly before 8AM. This time we went through the correct entrance. I was surprised to see it was under the main concourse level, since most Hong Kong lounges are up a level and boast great views of the airport.
The Pier entrance
We were promptly admitted after showing our lounge invitations, and were actually quite impressed. While The Pier lacks the airy feel of The Wing (and basically all other lounges in Hong Kong), it has a much more elegant feel to it.
The Pier
This lounge also has The Haven (dining area), comfortable couches, a computer area, as well as quiet rooms and showers. The service was attentive with waiters constantly walking around for empty glasses.
I was curious about the whole “Quiet Room” concept, so I went to one of the waiters, who swapped out my boarding pass for a key to one of the rooms. I was assigned room six and had no clue what to expect, but I was damn impressed. It’s basically a private room with a big, comfortable seat and ottoman with a TV screen, music, etc.
The Quiet Room
The cool thing was the screen next to the seat, which had all kinds of options. You could adjust the lighting (making the room totally dark), close the blinds, adjust the temperature, set an alarm, listen to a selection of music, or watch TV. I love this idea, and could probably spend hours relaxing in one of those rooms on my next layover. Given how crowded the lounge was, I was surprised they weren’t all occupied, given that there are only six.
Our time at The Pier quickly came to an end, and we definitely got more of a first class feel from this lounge than The Wing. Our gate was only a short walk from the lounge, where our beautiful 747 was waiting to take us to Narita.
Our plane to Narita
Within a few minutes of arriving at the gate, boarding began, starting with passport checks. We were aboard in no time.
Cathay Pacific 504, HKG-NRT, 747-400
Monday, March 16
Depart: 09:05AM
Arrive: 2:00PM
Seat: 3K (First Class)
As soon as we were greeted at the door I could tell it would be a great flight, despite this being the fullest load of all our Cathay flights (with 7/9 seats being occupied). We were escorted to our seats, 3A and 3K, which are actually about as far apart as they get, given the table in the center of the cabin separating them.
My seat, 3K
View from my seat
Before we could settle down both of our flight attendants, Angel and Candy, introduced themselves. With those kinds of names I wasn’t sure whether I was on Cathay Pacific flight or in a…. well, never mind. Anyway, they couldn’t have done a better job taking care of us. They were by far the most charming and attentive of the crews (and the other crews were charming and attentive as well).
As I sat down I saw an older couple board, both sporting thick Texan accents. As the wife settled down in 1A she proclaimed to her husband loudly that ”this is better than Southwest, honey.” LMAO!
Anyway, we were almost immediately offered menus, pre-departure drinks, hot towels, blankets, pillows, etc. By now I knew the drill.
Pre-departure drink
Pillow and blanket
The Captain came on the PA for a quick announcement, explaining our flight time was 3hr26min and that we should be arriving on shed-jewel, er, schedule. Shortly thereafter we pushed back, where I saw a Cathay OneWorld A340. That was a first for me.
Cathay OneWorld A340
After a long taxi to runway 7R we taxied into position, and after a 58 second roll were airborne. The seatbelt sign came off a few minutes later, at which point we could hear all kinds of noise in the galley as the flight attendants prepared for their service. The in-flight service manager, Anne, came around introducing herself. Shortly thereafter Angel came by to take meal orders. The menu read as follows:
Brunch
Starter
Juice selectionDuck confit and goose liver terrine with roasted vine ripen tomato
Minestrone with pesto
Main Courses
Pan-fried cornfed chicken with rosemary jus, grilled new potatoes, French beans, capsicum and mushroomsAssorted Chinese dim sum
Sautéed prawns with tomato fish sauce, steamed jasmine rice and Chinese mixed vegetables
Dessert
Cheese selectionFresh seasonal fruit
Fruit gateau with raspberry sauce
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
Drink List
Juices
orange, apple, tomatoSoft Drinks
Coke Zero, Coke, Coke Light, Sprite, Perrier water, tonic water, soda water and ginger aleCoffee
freshly brewed coffeeTeas
Fuding jasmine silver fur, Anqi supreme Ti Guan Yin, Ceylon Japanese, Hong Kong style milk tea
organic selection: camomiles, earl grey and peppermintHot Chocolate
Wine List
Champagne
Curvee William Deutz Brut 1998
This charming champagne is crystal clear with a pale gold hue. The rich aromas of baked apples are followed by hints of preserved ginger and nutmeg. It is pure with complexity, which is the hallmark of the Cuvee William Deutz. This is an ideal wine for matching most of the delicate dishes offered onboardWhite Wines
Henri de Villamont Meursault 2005
Meursault is a large village located in the southern part of the Cote de Beaune, Burgundy, France, which produces some of the best Chardonnay wine in the world. The 2005 Henri de Villamont Meursault possesses abundant ripe fruit with an added supple richness and hints of butterscotch. It is elegant with a stylish structure. Fish, poultry dishes with cream sauce and strong ripe cheese will pair wonderfully with this wine.Helen’s Hill Yarra Valley Chardonnay 2006
Helen’s Hill Estate is located in Yarra Valley – Victoria’s oldest wine region. This tempting Chardonnay is a light straw colour. The ripe peach and citrus characters are complemented by an attractive mineral layer, toast and vanilla cream. It has a great length with excellent balance. This is a great accompaniment to roast pork or chicken dishes.Red Wines
Chateau Branaire-Ducru 2001, 4eme Cru Classe
Chateau Branaire-Ducru is an elegant Grand Cru wine from Saint Julien of Haut Medoc, Bordeaux. The 2001 vintage offers beautiful aromas of crushed berries and currants, with hints of violets. It is full boded with lively acidity giving the wine excellent balance. This seductive wine has soft and smooth tannins and a long and caressing finish. It goes perfectly with all kinds of red meat and stewed dishes.Possums Vineyard McLaren Vale Shiraz 2004
The vines for this delicious wine are planted in Blewitt Springs, an elevated sub-region of McLaren Vale, South Australia. The 2004 Possums Vineyard Shiraz has dark purple and vibrant violet hues. It displays intense aromas of blackberry and raspberry, which marry beautifully with the spiciness of the oak. It is full bodied and well structured with supple tannins. This wine matches well with stews and also many Chinese dishes.Terrabianca “Campaccio Riserva” Toscana IGT 2004
This wine is produced from 50% Sangiovese and 50% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. It offers aromas of red fruits, roasted coffee and liquorice with a touch of vanilla note. It is very rich on the palate and silky, with sweet tannins. A delicious wine that goes well with most meat dishes.Port
Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawny Port
Produced from grapes grown in the vineyard Quinta de Ervamoira, this tawny offers all the maturity of an aged wine while still displaying the vigour of youth. It is smooth and full bodied, with aromas and flavours of apricot and plum balanced with vanilla scents from the aged casks.Cloud Nine
A refreshing combination of Vodka, Cointreau and Sprite with a refreshing touch of lemon flavour.Aperitifs and Cocktails
Campari
Martini Rosso
Matrini Extra Dry
Tio Pepe Sherry
Harveys Bristol Cream Sweet Sherry
Gordons Dry Gin
Stolichnaya Russian Vodka
Bloody Mary
ScrewdriverWhiskies
Chivas Regal 12 Years Old
Johnnie Walker Blue Label
Canadian Club
Gentlement Jack Bourbon
Glenfiddich Ancient Reserve Single Malt WhiskyCognac
Tesseron Lot 76 XO TraditionLiqueurs
Grand Mariner
Cointreau
Drambuie
Kahlua
Bailey’s Irish CreamBeer
International selectionCX signature drinks
Oriental Breeze
A sour-plum tea and cranberry juice based non-alcoholic drink with honey and fresh lemon juice and a hint of rose water.
I chose the chicken as the entree and ordered a Diet Coke. I browsed the entertainment selection in search of a movie to watch, since I had seen just about every sitcom by this point. While most people have an easy time selecting a movie from dozens of choices, I don’t. I’m not much into movies as I usually don’t have the attention span, and if I do it better be worth time. For me there’s nothing worse than watching a two hour movie and then saying “why the hell did I just waste my time on that?” Oh, I also don’t like drama movies. There are enough sad things in the world without movies.
That narrowed down the options quite a bit, and I eventually settled on Wild Child, featuring Emma Roberts. It was entertaining enough, despite the rather predictable storyline.
Anyway, I’m not Ebert or Roeper, so I’ll stick to reviewing my flight. Japanese snack mix and Diet Coke were brought out promptly. Seconds were offered, which I accepted.
Snack mix and Diet Coke
Shortly thereafter Angel set my table and also served the appetizer. I’m not really a fan of goose liver, so I enjoyed the cherry tomatoes and orange slice.
Appetizer
Shortly thereafter Angel served the minestrone soupe, which was delicious.
Soup
The main course was also quite good.
Main course
Lastly came the dessert, which was out-of-this-world delicious.
Dessert
As I finished up the meal, Candy insisted on bringing me some pralines, which I couldn’t turn down.
Pralines
My movie finished right around the same time as the meal service. As I was finishing up Angel asked whether I would be willing to fill out an in-flight survey. I agreed, mainly because in-flight surveys usually come with airline pens, and I wouldn’t turn down an opportunity to add to my collection of airline pens.
That being said, am I the only one that doesn’t like these in-flight surveys? Don’t get me wrong, I don’t blame the flight attendant for asking me, as they’re just following orders, but when you have a 3.5 hour flight and are in three cabin first, do you really want to spend 20 minutes filling out a survey? What annoys me even more about the survey is that it’s basically all ratings on a scale of one to five. I’d at least like to have some room to write down constructive comments, as opposed to just contributing to a statistic. I think they should just have online surveys so it’s a bit more voluntary.
Cathay Pacific survey
After the survey I watched another sitcom, and before we knew it we were beginning our descent into Narita.
Descending
As we were descending Angel and Candy both came to each passenger and thanked them for flying Cathay Pacific, especially in these tough times, as they called them. Angel also mentioned how we were the nicest passengers aboard and how she was surprised by how much we said “thank you.” I explained to her that on the airline I usually fly, it’s a requirement if you want service. We thanked both of them again for the great flight, and we slowly approached Narita.
On final approach
We touched down at around 1:40PM and began our long taxi. If I didn’t know any better I’d say we landed in Osaka and taxied over to Narita (yes, on water).
JAL 747
We got to the gate right on-time, and once again thanked Angel and Candy for the great job they did. Since there were no other flights arriving at that time there was no line at transit security, which was a nice change for once. I always enjoy security at Narita. The agents are always friendly and it’s generally a hassle-free experience.
Immediately past security was the JAL transit desk, which is where we picked up our boarding passes for our connecting flight to New York.
JAL transit desk
As much as I love Narita, my experiences at transit desks there are always pathetic. While the agents are friendly, I can’t help but get a wee bit impatient when it takes them 20 minutes to print a simple connecting boarding pass. Eventually the friendly agent handed us our boarding passes and directed us towards the lounge, which wasn’t far away.
The lounge entrance is for both first and business class. As is common at Narita, there were about a dozen agents at the welcome desk. All of them smiled and bowed as we entered, and as they saw our first class boarding passes they escorted us to the first class side, where our boarding passes were checked again.
Entrance to the lounge
Near the entrance was the desk where you book massages, and there was a sign indicating the next available appointment was at 4PM, so we booked immediately. Just so there’s no misconception, this isn’t a Thai Airways Spa experience where you get a 1.5 hour massage. Instead it’s a quick ten minute massage, but it sure is better than nothing given that it’s free! There were three choices to choose from, and I went with the back rub. The agent noted our appointment time on our boarding passes, and we checked out the rest of the lounge.
The main first class lounge area was one large room with plenty of seating, a bar, buffet, computers, etc. Furthermore there was a humane smoking lounge (as my dad put it). It was just as nice as the rest of the lounge, except separated by a door.
Lounge
Lounge
Drink/snack buffet…. those little red things are the smallest Kit Kats I’ve seen anywhere in the world
Buffet
Buffet
Bar
Computers
View from the lounge
Having been to the ANA first class lounge many times, I have to say this was far superior. The massages, the decor, and the food selection were substantially better than what I’ve seen in the ANA lounge at NRT. The one thing I noticed was that this lounge *really* filled up as the afternoon progressed, while the ANA F lounge is usually quite empty.
Given the long day ahead of us and the fact that we’d be meeting my brother for dinner upon landing in New York, I decided to shower. The shower rooms were uber-futuristic, with fancy automatic doors. The shower sprayed water from more directions than I knew existed.
Shower
Sink
After showering I browsed the web for a while via their (fast) wifi network, and then enjoyed the massage chair. I’ve been in lots of massage chairs in Japan, but this was probably the most extreme I’ve ever seen. At first I thought I was on death row, since they basically cuff your hands and feet. Really good, though!
Massage chair
Soon enough 4PM was approaching, so it was time for my massage. I got there at around 3:55PM, five minutes ahead of schedule, and was immediately helped. The guy massaging me was a rather large guy. He asked me whether I wanted my massage firm, medium, or gentle, and I went with medium. Suffice it to say I should have gone with gentle. Unfortunately the massage was only eight minutes, but again, better than nothing.
At this point we decided to check out the American Airlines Admirals Club, just to compare. It’s located less than five minutes away from the JAL lounge, and besides, I want American to get back some of the money they lost from us flying JAL.
Center of the terminal
The Admirals Club is located down one level, and at first we had a hard time spotting it.
Entrance
I was expecting the agent to say something along the lines of “Are you sure you want to use this lounge?” Instead we were welcomed in after about 30 seconds of frantic writing by the agent. It was also interesting to note that the agents weren’t dressed in uniforms, just like the Admirals Clubs in the US. The lounge was quite full, I guess because all of the American flights were about to depart. It was about as nice as the Red Carpet Club at Narita, although designed somewhat differently.
The snack selection was quite limited, although I believe they also have one of the world famous beer machines.
Admirals Club corridor
Admirals Club
View from the Admirals Club
Bar area
Snacks/drinks
At around 5PM we decided to go back to the JAL lounge for a while, since it was nearby. Boarding was only starting at 6:05PM, so there was plenty of time. We hung out there for another 45 minutes, before heading to gate 62 for our flight to New York.
The walk to the gate was interesting, to say the least. We crossed paths with two separate American Airlines crews. They uniformly couldn’t have looked any unhappier to be alive, both in terms of their facial expressions as well as their demeanor. I was happy to be flying JAL.
We got to the gate shortly before 6PM. Our boarding passes stated boarding was supposed to start at 6:05PM, but the monitor at the gate indicated 6:15PM.
Our gate
Our plane to New York
We observed as the eight or so agents stood around looking pretty for the better part of 15 minutes, and at around 6:14PM we got into line to board. We watched as the gate agent literally counted down on his clock till precisely 6:15PM, at which point boarding began for first and business class. We were reminded that no electronic devices may be used on the ground and that all cell phones have to be shut off.
Japan Airlines 008, NRT-JFK, 747-400
Monday, March 16
Depart: 06:40PM
Arrive: 6:25PM
Seat: 2K (First Class)
We boarded through door 1L, where the flight attendants greeted us and pointed us towards our seats, which were located in row two. Japanese airlines (both JAL and ANA) are at a natural disadvantage as far as pre-departure services go, since neither are allowed to serve pre-departure beverages and electronic devices can’t be used either. I find that policy to be ridiculous, but oh well.
The pictures I’ve seen of JAL First make the cabin look futuristic, fresh, and bright. Unfortunately I didn’t get the same feeling aboard our flight. The seats looked rather old and run-down.
First class cabin
I stowed all my carry-ons in the overhead bin, which was a pretty tight fit without the personal closets that Cathay has. The biggest change between this and Cathay was being able to see my dad, who was seated across from me in 2A. On Cathay all the suites were so private that it was impossible to see another passenger.
View from seat 2K
View from seat 2K
My seat, 2K
Looking forward from 2K
Seat controls, remote and side table
The cabin just struck me as being particularly poorly designed. I don’t know who had the idea of making seats cream colored, but the leather was in rather bad shape and had lots of black spots. Furthermore, the orange side table (in the picture above) was probably made by Fisher Price based on the sturdiness.
As we settled down our friendly flight attendants offered us newspapers, magazines, etc. Their English wasn’t nearly as good as most of the flight attendants I’ve had on ANA either. We were then given pajamas, headphones, slippers, and menus. The menu came in a leather case. VERY nice!
As boarding continued an older lady was assisted aboard by about five employees, and she took the seat in front of me, 1K. While I couldn’t understand her, she seemed to be complaining based on her expressions and tone of voice. The whole first class cabin was settled in soon enough, and there were two empty seats, meaning there were a total of nine people in first class. Except for us everyone else seemed to be Japanese.
The one good aspect of the boarding process at JAL is the music. I believe it was this track:
The boarding process was speedy (it better be when you have to board a 747 in 20 minutes!), and the door closed on-time. The captain made his welcome aboard announcement over the PA which I couldn’t understand, not because of his accent but because he wasn’t talking into the mic.
Shortly thereafter the safety video was played on the screen on the front wall, which was more like an arcade game than a safety demo based on the sound effects. Oddly enough the purser came around and introduced herself to each first class passenger during the safety demo! What happened to them being there primarily for our safety?
As the safety video wrapped up we began our taxi. JAL has nose cameras, so it’s pretty cool to see the taxi and takeoff on the front screen. There was a pretty long wait for takeoff at runway 34L, but within about 30 minutes we were airborne.
I was expecting the seatbelt sign to be turned off almost immediately, but it wasn’t. We hit a few bumps on the way out and the flight attendants had to remain seated, I assume. Well, about five minutes after takeoff the older lady sitting in front of me pushes the flight attendant call button. Most people just wait till a flight attendant comes, but not this lady. She turned off the call button and pushed it again (talk about being resourceful). And again. And again. It sounded like a “ding” concert. The flight attendants remained seated (I assume they had to), but this lady didn’t give up. Eventually the flight attendant comes to her seat and apologizes for the wait. As it turns out all this lady just wanted to know how to get her video screen out. You’re kidding me, right?
Since we were airborne I could use my camera to snap some more pictures. As the lady in front of me reclined, I noticed that the seats actually recline into the space of the person behind them. I thought that was illegal in international first class?
Recline
Each seat has a foot well, which is kind of small since it’s the only place to put your feet when you want to sleep. The bottom opens up so you can store your shoes in it.
Legroom
We were then given pillows and blankets, which were rather underwhelming for international first class.
Pillow and blanket
The leather folder had a menu, wine list, immigration form, and note taking us for flying JAL inside of it.
Menu folder
Menu and wine list
And again….
I also snapped some pictures of the Quiet Comfort 2 headsets they provide (with the JAL logo on them), along with the pajamas. The pajamas were awesome. Probably my favorite pair yet, although Lufthansa’s can be a close second.
Pajamas and QC2 headsets
I love the “F”
I changed into the pajamas right away as I wanted to keep my “real” set of clothes clean. The lavatory had to be one of the coolest in the world. No, the lav itself wasn’t that great, but it had music!!! When I unlocked the lav it stopped playing, and when I locked it again it started. Nifty!
When I got back to my seat I snapped some pictures of the 63 pounds of in-flight magazines JAL has, along with the slippers.
In-flight magazines
In the meantime flight attendants were coming through the cabin distributing hot towels followed quickly by snack mix. They then took drink orders. I asked for a Diet Coke.
Hot towel
Diet Coke and snack mix on a fancy plate
Little bags of snack mix were then offered as refills.
More snack mix
And more snack mix….
Snack mix to take home
I then reclined my seat a bit and made myself comfortable. I started watching the airshow. Overall the seat was ok for lounging, although not that great.
Airshow before dinner
Meal orders were then taken. Unfortunately the lady sitting in front of me insisted on doing her duty free shopping right then and there, and she insisted that the flight attendant taking meal orders be present. The flight attendant stood there for at least ten minutes as the older lady browsed the magazine, obviously trying to be polite. Throughout the rest of the service it always seemed to take about ten times as long to serve this lady than anyone else.
The menu read as follows:
Chef’s Recommendations
Amuse Bouche
Steamed “Sakura” Shrimp on Sherry Royal Custard
Caroline of Foie Gras Fondant scented by Rose Confit
Smoked Fish Ceviche on Lemon Jelly accompanied by Pepper Stick Pie
Hors d’Oeuvre (Choice)
Caviar
Parfait of “Ayu” Fish with Onion Pimento Confit served with Balsamico & Basil Sauce
Iberico Pork Raw Ham with Special Grown Salad
Main Dish (Choice)
Seared Fillet of Wagyu Beef Chateaubriand Steak with Chasseur Sauce
Provence Style Loin of Lamb with Tapenade & Herbed Tomato Confit
Steamed Sea-bream Roulade with Seaweed & Walnut, Low Fat Vin Blanc Sauce
Grand Dessert from Escoffier
Almond Blanc-manger with Melon Jelly on Lemon Mousse Cake
Exotic Caramel Cake
Vanilla Ice Cream with Cristal Orange Tuile
served with Custard & Berry SauceBeverages
Coffee
Espresso
Cappuccino
Tea
Herbal Tea
Spring Taste of Japan
Zatsuki
Fried Fermented sea-slug
Japanese Appetizer
Mukouzuke
Fillet of Sea-bream “Sashimi” Style
Tsubo
Braised Hard Clam & “Udo” Salad with Egg Yolk Vinegar Sauce
Shiizakana
Foie Gras in Jelly Orange Cup / Deep-simmered Octopus in Sweet Soy Sauce
Halfbeak Egg Yolk Sushi Style / Baked Squid / Salmon Roll with Cream CheeseKobachi
Mixed “Yuba” Crepe & Soft Fish Roe with Sea Urchin Soy Sauce
Deep-simmered Sea-break Roe & Bamboo Shoots
Poached Abalone with Sweet Soy Vinegar JellyDainomono
Braised Fillet of Sea-bream & Tofu in Kelp Boat
Seasoned Rice with Scallop or Steamed Rice
We are pleased to offer freshly steamed Koshihikari riceJapanese Clear Soup
Japanese Pickles
Sweets
Grean Tea
Liqueur & Spirit
Aperitif / Cocktail
Tio Pepe, Dry Sherry
Martini Rosso, Sweet Vermouth
Martini Extra Dry, Dry Mermouth
Campari
Lejay Creme de Cassis
Plum Wine
Martini
Mimosa
Kir Royal
Kir
Bloody MaryWhisky
Chivas Regal Royal Salute
Suntory Hibiki
BourbonSpirits
Bombay Sapphire Gin
Absolut VodkaJapanese SakeRemi Martin X.O. Premier Cru
Cointreau
Baileys Irish CreamBeer
Brandy / Liqueur
Port Wine
Graham’s Tawny Port 30 Year OldChampagne
Champagne Salon S 1997
Champagne Henroit Brut Millesime 1996White Wine
Domaine Latour Giraud, Meursault 1er Cru Genevriere 2007 (Bourgogne France)
Clos du Bois: Chardonnay 2006 (California USA)
2007 Duerkheimer Hochmess Riseling Spaetlese Trocken (Germany)
Chuo Budoshu Cuvee Misawa Koshu Private Reserve 2007 (Katsunuma Japan)Red Wine
Chateau Smith Haut-Lafitte 2004 Pessac Leognan (Bordeaux France)
Bouchard Pere & Fils Pommard 1er Cru 2004 (Bourgogne France)
Artesa Merlot 2004 Sonoma Valley (California USA)
Haras de Pirque: Albis 2003 Maipo Valley (Chile)High Quality Japanese Sake
Isojiman, Junmai Dai-Ginjyo
Kokuryu
Born Wing of Japan
I went with the caviar and the Fillet of Wagyu Beef, which I’ve heard is excellent.
The service began with the appetizer, which was more pleasing to the eye than the palate, in my opinion, although this is coming from someone that enjoys caviar as much as a bag of Doritos, so take it with a grain of salt. Speaking of grains of salt, the flight attendant was explaining how they used special salt, and recommended I put some extra on the beef.
Appetizer
Then came the caviar. I’m not a huge fan of caviar, but I’ll eat it. It was quite good.
Caviar
The beef, as others have mentioned, was fantastic.
Main course
Then came the dessert, which consisted of a few things. Thank God, because originally I thought I had to choose, and there’s no way in the world I could have done that! My one issue was that the plate was hot so the ice cream was melting faster than Al Gore would like us to think the icecaps are.
Dessert
Overall the service was at a good pace, probably a bit on the fast side for international first, but I actually appreciate that. The meal service was done less than 1.5 hours after takeoff, which meant we had another ten hours to go to New York.
At this point the amenity kits were distributed. This is where JAL shines, especially after Cathay Pacific offering such a disappointing kit. The men’s kit contained Shiseido products and had everything you could possibly want. I also asked for a women’s kit (for my mom), which I was given without a problem.
Amenity kit
Individual bottles of water were then distributed, and I decided to watch a movie. The western entertainment options are probably JAL’s biggest weakness. Not only was the system impossible to use, but the selection was also limited. There were no sitcom options, and the movies were limited to the following options:
MOVIES AND VIDEOS:
Quantum of Solace
The Day the Earth Stood Still
Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa
Changeling
K-20: Legend of the Mask
252: Signal of Life
I’d Rather Be a Shellfish
The Express
Beverly Hills Chihuahua
Disney Channel on JAL
King of Trivia
Key Moments in Japanese History
Sweet November
Addams Family Values
None of the movies interested me even a little, so I went for the most absurd looking movie — Beverly Hills Chihuahua. That’s right, I watched dogs of all breeds and nationalities talk to each other for about 90 minutes, and in the end coming to the rescue of the Paris Hilton of dogs. And ya know what’s even scarier? It wasn’t half bad for an airplane movie….
Bottled water
After the movie I decided to sleep, with about 8.5 hours to go to New York. The flight attendants brought out a duvet for my seat. Let me tell you, it’s tough transitioning from Cathay Pacific to JAL as far as sleeping goes. On Cathay Pacific I had ample space, while I couldn’t help but feel confined in this seat. The rather tight foot well didn’t help either. Nonetheless I managed to get about six hours of sleep, although it was mostly “airplane sleep” and not “real sleep” like I got on Cathay.
Duvet
As I woke up I discovered a pretty cool seat function — personalized mood lighting on the side of the seat.
Mood lighting
Airshow when I woke up
Location upon waking up
I decided to watch another movie. This time I went with Addams Family Values. I have to say, it was actually kind of funny. With about two hours to go flight attendants came around to start the second meal service. The menu read as follows:
A La Carte
Japanese Delicacies
Sauteed Foie Gras with Misco Vinegar Mustard Sauce
Simmered Japanese Butterbur & Small Sardine in Japanese Pepper Soy Sauce
Depp-simmered Beef in Sweet Soy Sauce
“Yakitori” Skewered Chicken Grill
Japanese A La Carte
Soy Sauce Seasoned Short-necked Clam on Steamed Rice
Sea-bream & Shrimp Sushi Logs
Vegetable Curry with Steamed Rice
Japanese Pickles
Western A La Carte
Japanese Beef Hamburger Steak with Demi-glace Sauce
Popular Omelet with Chicken Fried Rice
Everyone’s Favorite
Linguine with Spinach & Pancetta Cream Sauce
Assorted Cheese with Roasted Nuts & Fig Red Wine Compote
Noodle
Chinese “Ramen” Noodles in Soup with “Kagoshima” Pork Fillet
Healthy Menu Selection
Clam Chowder
Special Grown Fresh Salad
Prepared Fresh Fruits
Sweet
Tiramisu Ice Cream
Chocolate
Japanese Tray
Braised Fried Bean Curd Mousse with Vegetable Starch Sauce
Simmered Spring Vegetable with Vinegar Radish Sauce
Steamed Rice
Miso Soup
Japanese Pickles
Western Tray
Mixed Mushroom Quiche
Yogurt
Bread
This is by far the most varied and extensive pre-arrival menu I’ve ever seen. I had a hard time choosing what to go with, since I wasn’t in the mood for breakfast (as I should have been), but I wasn’t in the mood for dinner either. I wasn’t too hungry and knew we’d be eating upon landing. I ended up deciding on the linguine.
The flight attendants did a horrific job with the second meal service. My dad and I ordered around the same time, but his meal was served (and cleared!) before mine was delivered. Once they cleared my dad’s meal I reminded them about mine, and they said it would be out shortly.
Sure enough mine came shortly thereafter. The linguine was good, although the ice cream was melted! Like, completely melted. I ordered ice cream, not a milkshake in a cup!
Meal
As my meal was served my dad ordered an espresso. That was only delivered 15 minutes later, and it wasn’t hot anymore. He brought this to the attention of the flight attendant, and shortly thereafter she brought him a coffee. Considering that half of the cabin didn’t have a pre-arrival meal, I have no clue why the service was so bad.
As we began our descent I changed out of my pajamas and packed all of my stuff, including all three of our amenity kits, the two sets of PJ’s, three sets of slippers, the menu, etc. My bag was definitely a lot heavier than it was when I boarded! The flight attendants came around thanking everyone for flying JAL.
We hit some serious bumps on the way down, probably the worst I’ve experienced in the past year or so. Oddly enough, the seatbelt sign remained off.
As we continued our descent there was plenty of stuff to see. We had a pretty short approach at JFK, probably not more than a four mile final approach.
Anyone know what airport this used to be?
JFK
After a firm touchdown we had a long taxi to the gate, where we parked right next to another JAL plane.
There was no line at immigration, where we had a funny (although far too “America’s-the-best-country-in-the-universe-even-though-I’ve-never-left-it” type) immigration officer. My dad is a German citizen and could get US citizenship, although hasn’t yet. He explained that he likes German citizenship because he’s basically a citizen of 25 countries. The guy asked him “How can you pledge allegiance to 25 countries?” I couldn’t help but be a smartass and make reference to our 50 states. Well, at least it didn’t get us an extra search.
Our bags were out almost immediately, and we were in New York relatively well rested!
While I wrap up my trip report, here’s another reader photo. Thanks to Kai for sending in this one.
Correct Answer: Frankfurt, Germany
Winner: mudba
If you’d like your photo featured, please email it to me at onemileatatime@hotmail.com, along with the correct answer.
For some reason United seems determined to be the best when it comes to the double EQM promotion. On one hand that’s kind of refreshing, since I don’t remember the last time United wanted to be the best at anything, but on the other hand it’s kind of annoying that United can’t make up their mind. Either way, this seems like a logical enough, win-win revision.
They basically matched the good aspect of Delta’s promotion, so full fare and paid business and first class passengers earn a total of 300% EQM’s.
Reader Dave received his monthly e-statement from USAir, which advertised the return of free drinks in coach as well as two free months of club membership when purchasing a 12 month membership. Dave decided to rewrite this email to reflect what it meant to him. Enjoy!
Dear Dave:
Congratulations, we are offering you an extra two free months on a membership to the award-winning US Airways Club, rated one of the best airline clubs in the industry by US Airways Dividend miles members (because they typically only have our offering to choose from). Our Charlotte flagship lounge is a wonderful, large and airy place where you can simply relax, get some business done, or huff down some smokes in-between your segment runs on US. Don’t worry about the smell permeating the main room from our large smoking area, most people don’t even notice it (this is North Carolina, we invented cigarettes, and you know we believe in freedom!) But no matter your choice, remember that you can probably get into our club using your United Red Rug card or a number of other ways, so membership is not always required… and in fact doesn’t even offer you much over the other ways to gain entrance. In fact, if figures tell me correctly, we don’t even offer free internet access to our members. OK, forget about that promotion, but let me tell you more about how exciting US is, especially for our frequent guests.
I notice you have zero miles toward DM Preferred Status. May I remind you that you have the ability to purchase enough elite-qualifying-miles or segments (we’re not sure which–up to you to decide) in order to earn status to any level in our esteemed status program—yes, even up to the level of Chairman Preferred Level (yup-that’s 125,000 mile level) that you can have for not much more than $4500. Yes, that’s right: you can buy what others have worked to earn, and walk right in front of them and seat yourself in our first class cabin with a sense of true pride. Most excitingly, we can guarantee that you’ll be upgraded for free on nearly any of our US Airways flights (due to your donation in-kind, of course, noted above) to our award-winning First or Envoy ™ class service, both of which have been rated shabbily-poor by most–if not all–frequent travelers (except those who only fly US, of course!!). Once you experience first, you’ll never want to go to the back of the plane again. Imagine, one of our friendly folks may come by and offer you a cocktail (—a $7 cost to the schmucks in the back of the plane—) in a plastic cup, or if you’re truly lucky we might even come and toss you a bag of sun-chips. Sure, on some other airlines you may experience items like hot nuts, cocktails in real glass, and hot hand towels; but at US, we consider these to be costly frills that we’ve decided our members really don’t want anyway). But in any case, you can imagine that our seats up front are really, really nice and comfortable (they were built and provided by Airbus, not US, but hey, who really cares??).
For added amusement we have ongoing civil war between our Southern Yankees and the dreadful new Kiddos on the Block (A.K.A. the “Sun Fried Cactus Clan”). We know that for Elite travelers (both those that buy travel and those who earn it), it is a shear joy to compare and contrast the teammates as we merge and celebrate/embrace the extreme weaknesses from both our busted corporate cultures, as well as our colorful differences, during our daily service. Frankly, we should be charging extra when the tension blows through the roof and the front-line battles break loose in front of our customers. Heck, we treat our customers to live theatre on a regular basis—for free—that might even be compared to a live Jerry Springer taping, and by far certainly equals or exceeds the excitement than any of the live shows we transport millions customers to Vegas each year to pay to see. We’re not the least bit bothered by the endless attention we attract for what some may refer to as the sub-par aspects of our front cabin product (Heck, those whiners don’t know what they’re talking about anyway… and for goodness sakes we give it away!)
US Airways and our 36,000 somewhat divided workforce look forward to being your airline of choice in 2009. Whether you prefer our old east coast operations or our newer west cost diggs, we promise to get you there with a smile, some cheer (no, silly, not the detergent) and perhaps even hauling your bags with you to you final destination—delivering them to you on-time AND on the same flight.
Regards,
Doug Parker
CEO, US Airways
(previous chair, America West Airlines)P.S. Did I remind you that we have the #1 on-time ranking of any airline at the Charlotte Douglas International/Regional Airport? We’re quite proud of this (especially since –with a few exceptions– we are the largest and most dominating carrier at this fine institution).
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