After a wonderful weekend in Vienna, it was time for my fiance and me to head home to the United States with British Airways. We were flying to London Heathrow then with an onward connection to Boston. From downtown Vienna, we took the OBB Railjet service to the airport which took approximately 40 minutes.
We arrived at Terminal 1 at 5:50AM, just under two hours prior to the scheduled departure time of 7:40AM. There was a single dedicated Club Europe check-in counter. Thanks to our business class tickets, we also used the Fast Track lane for security. There was a bit of confusion with the Fast Track staff as they were unsure if BA passengers could access the Fast Track lane. I convinced the lady to let us try our tickets and they worked.
Club Europe passengers were given access to the Vienna Lounge located on the second floor of the terminal building.
It was a very nice lounge that felt modern and spacious.
There was a variety of tables and sofas separated into two buffet areas.
Along the windows were individual chairs with nice views of the apron.
The centerpiece of the lounge was the drink island.
There was a variety of medium-self liquors, beer, and sparkling wine available. Sparkling water, juice, fountain drinks, and espresso machines were also available.
Food options included cold cuts, cheese, and a large selection of pastry items. There was also yogurt and cereal.
Hot food options included potato rosti, delicious runny scrambled eggs, and roasted bell peppers. The scrambled eggs were some of the best I have had in an airport. Fresh fruit was also available.
The second buffet area had two large glass containers filled with desserts. There was the famous Vienna apple strudel, cream strudel, and other sweets.
From the lounge, we could spot the A320 taking us to London today. Thankfully, boarding was not going to be done by air stairs.
We headed to the gate ten minutes before boarding was scheduled to begin. Since the UK left the EU, we had to clear customs and leave the Schengen area. This process took just a minute as our passports were quickly examined and stamped.
Our A320, registration G-EUUK, was delivered to British Airways brand new in December 2002.
While boarding was supposed to start at 7AM, it got pushed back 15 minutes without any clear explanations.
The Flight
British Airways offers a total of 180 seats onboard their A320s arranged in a standard 3-3 configuration. As with most European carriers, Club Europe (business class) consisted of a blocked middle seat. The size of business class could be adjusted to go back all the way to row 12, but today business class went to row 8 for a total of 32 seats. Club Europe went out entirely full today with 32/32 seats filled. We were in seats 7D and F.
I appreciated that British Airways placed a small tablet in the blocked middle seat which many other European carriers do not offer.
The B/E Aerospace Pinnacle seats are 17.7″ wide and offer 30″ of pitch. Each seat can recline about three inches.
There was a literature pocket, a simple tray table with a cup holder, and a storage pouch. Each seat also had its own USB port and 110V outlet.
Upon boarding, each passenger was provided a hygiene wipe.
Boarding was completed at 7:40AM, our scheduled departure time, due to us holding the door open for a few late arriving passengers. We pushed back at 7:53AM and took off from runway 29 eight minutes later.
Service began 40 minutes after takeoff with a beverage service. I had a glass of the Nicolas Feuillatte champagne which was served from a bottle. Only a small single pour of lukewarm champagne was offered.
Breakfast was served 10 minutes later from the front of the cabin to the back. Options included an egg omelet or a full English breakfast. The omelets were all claimed by row 5 leaving me with the only choice of the full English breakfast. I found the sausage and egg tasty but the bacon was very chewy. There was a side of fresh-ish fruit and a breakfast bar. For some reason, the crew had also run out of croissants. Having tasted the subpar champagne, I decided to switch to a Bloody Mary which was not too bad.
The remainder of the flight to London was uneventful until we neared Heathrow. Due to congestion, we were to enter a holding pattern for about 15 minutes. Luckily, it was a clear day in London and we had amazing views of the River Thames and London City.
I did have a chance to use the forward Club Europe lavatory which was average. There was Elemis branded hand balm, wash, and soap available.
At 10:10, we were cleared to land and approached Heathrow from the East. The views on the approach were stunning.
We landed at 10:16AM, six minutes late, on runway 27R.
However, after landing, our flight was not over yet. We taxied to the gate for ten minutes only to find an aircraft occupying the gate. The captain came over the intercom and told us the wait would likely be another 30 minutes until we could deplane. Twenty minutes later, we began to taxi again and made our way to a remote gate and deplaned by air stairs.
It took another 12 minutes from the time of the aircraft parking at the remote gate to us being bussed to Terminal 5. This left us with very little time to spare until our flight to Boston would depart. Thanks for the ride!
After a wonderful week in Malta, my fiance and I were headed to Vienna for the weekend before returning home to the United States. We arranged an Uber from the St Julian’s Marriott and arrived at the airport at five in the morning, two hours prior to departure. There was a single business class check-in line and it took a few minutes for us to get our boarding passes.
Security was a breeze and we were soon in the La Valette Club. This is the single lounge at Malta Airport that all airlines contract with for their business class passengers. It is also a Priority Pass lounge.
The lounge itself was on the second floor of the terminal. There was a variety of tables, sofas, and chairs available.
Along the windows were grouped sofas.
There was also an outdoor patio with nice views of the apron.
The buffet was located in the middle of the lounge. Along the wall was the drink selection. There was juice, a selection of medium-tier spirits, soda, beer, and an espresso machine.
Breakfast options included cold cheeses, fruit, and deli meats. Hot options included frittatas and fried pastries.
There was also some dessert including profiteroles, brownies, and muffins.
From the terrace, we had a clear view of the A320neo taking us to Vienna today. She was the same aircraft that took us from London to Malta on our previous fleet, registration 9H-NED.
We headed downstairs at 6:40AM to find the gate area a zoo. There were no organized lines and the area was packed. Boarding commenced at 6:51 and we walked onto the apron to board via air stairs.
The Flight
Air Malta offers 180 economy class seats onboard their A320neos arranged in a 3-3 configuration. As with most European carriers, the business class consists of a blocked middle seat. The size of the business class cabin can also be configured by moving a mobile curtain above the headrests. We were seated in 3A and C this flight, the last row of business class.
The Recaro slimline seats offered 18 inches of width and 31 inches of pitch.
There was a simple tray table with two cup holders, a literature pocket, a pouch, and two USB ports. Both the aisle and window seat legroom was unrestricted.
All of the passengers boarded by 7:07 and we pushed back five minutes later. At 7:19 we took off from runway 31 bound for Vienna.
Service began 15 minutes after takeoff with the breakfast menu. There were no options but I appreciated that there was a description of the food.
Twenty minutes later, flight attendants came through with beverage service. I had a small bottle of below-average Prosecco.
Service was leisurely and halfway through the flight breakfast was served. It was very tasty with scrambled eggs, bacon, mushrooms, and roasted tomatoes. Much better than the first-class eggs I had with British Airways on this trip. The bread was warm, fluffy, and excellent. There was also a side of fresh fruit and yogurt. A warmed croissant was also served.
We began our descent into Vienna and the cabin was prepped for landing twenty minutes out.
I used the forward lavatory which was unremarkable but clean.
We touched down at 9:23AM in a cloudy Vienna on runway 34. The taxi to gate C39 took about eight minutes.
After arriving from Chicago onboard the British Airways A380 in First class, we had a four-hour layover. These two tickets were booked separately and we had to get from Terminal 5 to Terminal 4 during that time. After getting off the A380 at 7:30AM, we cleared customs entered the UK then took the Underground Picadilly Line from Terminal 5 to Terminal 2/3. At Terminal 2/3, we transferred to the Elizabeth Line which then brought us to Terminal 4. This entire journey took us roughly an hour to complete.
The Air Malta check-in counters in Terminal 4 were packed and it took us about 10 minutes to complete the check-in process without any bags to check.
Thanks to our business class tickets we were granted access to the Fast Track security lane which was a complete disaster. There was only one line open and the two agents working it were overwhelmed. Numerous passengers did not have their liquids packed in clear plastic bags or removed from the carry-on luggage and almost every bag that when through the scanner had to be screened. As the agent went to screen the bag, no other bags on the conveyor would move due to the lack of staff operating the scanner. It took us over an hour and twenty minutes to clear security. Multiple passengers tried to cut into the Fast Track line since they were going to miss their flights but the two security agents could not process them fast enough. There was a lot of shouting, frustration, and anger.
We finally made it to the Plaza Premium lounge at 9:51AM, two hours and twenty minutes after we got off our British Airways flight.
The lounge had a decent amount of table seating near the buffet area as well as a few couches and tables arranged along the window with nice apron views.
It a corner of the lounge were comfortable chairs and private desks.
Food options included both hot and cold options.
Hot options included hashbrowns, omelletes, sausages, bacon, baked beans, and scrambled eggs.
Cold options included fresh fruit, yoghurt, cheese, and bircher museli. There was also some bakery items and turkey sausage.
There was also soda and coffee available.
The large windows in the lounge gave us a great view of the A320neo taking us to Malta today. Air Malta has a total of eight aircraft in their fleet, four A320s and four A320neos. The A320neo today, registration 9H-NED, was leased from GECAS in November 2020.
Boarding began at 10:24AM and was incredibly disorganized. No annoucements were made for business class flyers. Instead, agents just began scanning everyone’s boarding pass who made a queue.
The Flight
Air Malta operates their A320neos in the standard European business class configuration of 3-3 with a blocked middle seat. The business class was adaptable and a small cabin divider could be moved forward or backward in the cabin based on the size of business class. Today, there was six rows of business class and 100% full with a total of 24 passengers. We were seated in 5A and 5C. While thin, I found the seat to be satisfactory for a less than three hour flight.
Air Malta has Recaro slimline seats similar to the BL3520 model that can be found onboard many carriers today. Each seat had a simple tray table, literature pocket, and storage pouch.
Between the seatbacks were two USB ports. The window and the aisle seat both had ample legroom without any restrictive boxes.
We pushed back five minutes late at 10:55 and had a twenty minute taxi to runway 27L.
Service began 45 minutes into the flight with a drink service. I went with a Gin & Tonic served with a fresh lemon.
After the drink service, the cabin crew came through the cabin and provided the lunch menu. There was a single option for each course at it was all served on one tray.
The meal was fantastic, tasty, and beautifully presented. The appetizer was a game terrine which was intresting but good. The main course was a Maltese style beef bragioli with mashed potatoes, peas, and carrots cooked well. For dessert there was two profiteroles and a cheese platter with Maltese style cheeses. The “Maltese” fresh bread was warm, soft, and delicious as well.
Throughout the flight, the cabin crew made multiple rounds down the aisle offering re-fills for drinks and collecting waste. Soon, we were cruising down to Almafi Coast of Italy into the Mediterranean.
There was a single lavatory at the front of the aircraft for business class passengers. It was fairly generic.
An hour before landing, I asked for a cup of coffee which was also beautifully presented.
On approach into Malta, we had a sweeping view of the island of Gozo.
We also had a great view of the island of Comino where the Blue Lagoon could be easily identified.
On final approach into runway 13, we had views of the cities of Bugibba, St. Julian’s, and Sliema along the coastline.
We landed at 3:00PM local time and quickly taxied to the gate area where we deplaned by airstairs.
Thanks for the ride!
I was very pleased with the Air Malta business class experience. The seat was as expected for European business class but the catering and food were above average.
My fiance and I were headed to Malta for a week-long vacation in September. After driving from Indianapolis to O’Hare, we parked in Lot G and took a bus over to the newly opened Multi-Modal Facility. From there, a tram took us to the arrivals area of Terminal 5. Check-in was quick despite the First class line being used to check in two families with children. Thanks to TSA Pre-check, we both cleared security within five minutes.
British Airways used to offer a separate First class lounge at O’Hare but it has since been closed permanently. There was a single lounge for First class, Business class, and OneWorld elite passengers.
Upon walking into the lounge, we were greeted by a large scale model of the BA A380-800 and a table-top full of preserved snacks. Behind this snack counter was a variety of sofas and dining tables.
To the right of the snack counter was a small selection of cheeses and fruit.
To the left of the entrance was the bar which was staffed with a lounge attendant. There was also self-serve water and juices. Further along past the door was the main dining room.
The main dining room had a buffet as well as additional tables.
There was a selection of deli meats and cheeses as well as a build-your-own salad bar.
Hot food included a decent taco station with chicken, beef, and fajita veggies. There was also pesto pasta and pork with peas.
For dessert, there was chocolate cake and brie cheese with various chutneys.
At the far end of the buffet was a self-serve drink area with soda, beer, and wine.
A nice addition to the BA lounges introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic was a la carte dining. Each dining table had a QR code to scan which directed you to enter your table number and then you could order from the menu. The drinks were all listed in the online menu as well.
I decided to try the BA Burger which was served with extra-crispy bacon, grilled onions, mushrooms, tomato, and lettuce. This was actually very good and better than the Polaris Burger I had in United’s O’Hare Polaris lounge in Terminal 1.
My fiance had the fettuccine alfredo which was OK. For dessert, we shared both the double chocolate brownie and the cheesecake. I found all of the lounge staff incredibly friendly and nice. Multiple times during our dinner, the chef would come out and ask how the food was and then personally brought out our dessert at the end of the meal. Lounge staff would also constantly move to different tables asking passengers if they needed additional drinks or assistance.
We headed to the gate area 10 minutes prior to the scheduled boarding time of 4:15PM at gate M17. This was in the newly constructed Terminal 5 area as part of the multi-year O’Hare renovation plan. New gate features included biometric scanning and a much higher ceiling compared to the old terminal.
Our aircraft today was a beautiful A380-800, registration G-XLEB, that was delivered brand-new to British Airways in September 2013.
During COVID-19, she was stored from March 2020 until being re-activated in December 2021.
Boarding began 10 minutes late and was done with just two doors.
The Flight
British Airways features a total of 14 First class “suites” on board their A380s arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration on the main deck of the A380. This flight went out with a completely full First class cabin with all 14 seats occupied.
This is the “Prime” first-class seat which was introduced back in 2010 and can be found onboard BA B777s and A380s. Previously, I had flown aboard the BA B747-400s with this same seat in First. I was seated in 4K while my fiance was seated in 3K.
I found this seat design to be very elegant and spacious. Each seat was 22 inches wide between the armrests and 79 inches long.
The seat was well padded and comfortable to both sleep and lounge in.
Due to the width of the A380 fusalage, each seat in First is advertised as having 30% more space than comparable Prime suites on the B777s. There was more than enough space for another passenger to join in the suite without feeling crowded.
The legroom was entirely unrestricted.
A nice feature of this seat is the ability to turn the leg rest into another seat. This seat had its own seatbelt and was also well padded.
The 15.4″ foldable IFE screen was stowed in the wall along the aisle. It was not the best screen as the touch screen function was hit-or-miss and the resolution was average. Club World (business class) seats have an identically sized IFE screen.
Each “Prime” suite also featured two large windows with electronically controlled shades.
Adjacent to the seat was a countertop space where the tray table was stowed. Seat controls were located below. Suite controls included buttons for a reading light, overhead light, the window shade, and a knob to control the seat recline. There was also a headphone jack.
The massive bi-fold tray table was very sturdy.
Behind the armrest was a small storage bin that contained two USB ports, a 110V outlet, IFE remote, and RCA plug. It was a perfect size for storing personal electronics and wallets.
Flanking the seat were two comfortable adjustable leather armrests. Aganist the wall was a small literature pocket.
There was also a small reading light next to the headrest.
Outside of each suite was a large locker that could fit a standard-sized carry-on bag. There was also a clothes hanger and rack for coats and jackets. I appreciate the fact that BA did not install overhead lockers in the center of the cabin which made the aircraft feel airier and less crowded.
Waiting for us at our seats was a small throw blanket and headphones.
The headphones were not the best quality nor the most comfortable compared to my Bose headphones.
A small lounge pillow was also provided. I found the throw blanket to be a good weight.
Within three minutes of my fiance and I taking our seats, the cabin crew serving our row came to introduce herself. She was incredibly friendly, almost bubbly, and offered us a pre-departure beverage. I went with a glass of champagne that was served with a bag of nuts.
Fifteen minutes later, our cabin crew member came back to ask us our pajama sizes and provided us both with a pair of Temperly branded pajamas. We each also got a well-padded and snug pair of slippers.
Next came the amenity kit, of which there was both a male and female version. Contents included a toothbrush, toothpaste, ear plugs tissues, pen, eye shades, socks, Elemis branded eye cream, facial cream, shaving gel, deodarent, lip balm, and facial wipe.
The food and beverage menu was distributed soon afterward.
At 4:50PM, the cabin purser came by to introduce himself. He also took our diner orders and asked if we would like to be woken up for breakfast. Hot towellets were distributed as well.
We were scheduled to push back at 5:05PM but at 5:10PM, the captain came over the intercom to announce that our departure was delayed due to a passenger having left their medications at the TSA checkpoint. Eventually, 20 minutes after our scheduled departure time, we pushed back.
The taxi to runway 27C took almost 30 minutes. At 5:58PM, we took off with a beautiful sunset over the Chicago area.
Service was a bit slow to start with canapes and drinks served forty minutes after departure. I had a glass of the Laurent-Perrier Grand Siecle which paired nicely with the canapes. There was a marinated prawn with horseradish, seared beef tataki with ponzu, and goat cheese wrapped in zucchini. All were delicious.
Our excellent cabin crew never left my champagne glass empty.
I decided to join my fiance in 3K for dinner with me sitting in the leg rest seat. Our table was set an hour after departure with the cutlery nicely arranged. I do believe they ran out of tablecloths as the flight attendant used two business class tablecloths to cover the table. A bread basket was also offered with nice warmed pretzel bread.
It took a bit over 20 minutes for our starters to arrive after the table was set. I went with the “olive oil marinated king prawns” which had no taste at all. It was served with raw mushrooms and slices of lettuce…
My fiance had the antipasti plate with “burrata, prosciutto, olive oil roasted artichokes, green olives, and tomatoes”. The prosciutto was dry and the entire plate also lacked any flavor.
We shared the cream of broccoli soup which was very tasty and one of the better soups I’ve had on a flight.
By this point, I had had more than a few glasses of the Grand Sciele, so the flight attendant offered to leave the bottle at our table.
Thirty minutes after our starters arrived, the main courses were served. I had the fillet of beef which was horrible. It was served with room temperature bok choi, bland sweet potatoes, a cold eggplant, and a lone soggy onion ring.
The beef was cooked incredibly well-done. Terrible.
My fiance went with the “homemade tagliolini” which was equally terrible. The pasta came cold and in the shape of the container in which it was likely stored prior to service. The lemon sauce was congealed and overly salty.
To finish I had the cheese plate with a decent selection of cheeses including manchego, goat, blue, and cow’s milk.
My fiance had the decadent crispy dark chocolate and hazelnut mousse which she loved.
At the conclusion of the rather disappointing dinner service, I went to the First class lavatories at the front of the cabin. There were a total of two lavatories dedicated to First class passengers at the base of the staircase that leads up to the business class cabin.
The lavatory itself was smaller than the business class lavatories upstairs and narrow.
There were a few Elemis-branded toiletries as well as a sanitizer.
In First class, British Airways does offer a turn-down service and I return to my newly made bed. There was a very comfortable mattress topper, comforter, and plush pillow.
The bedding was some of the best I’ve had in the sky. Once in bed, I fell asleep fairly quickly with three hours and fifty minutes until our arrival.
The British Airways bedding is so comfortable that I slept uninterrupted for almost three hours until breakfast was served. Despite being full from dinner still, I decided to give the “Full Breakfast” a try. It was as terrible as dinner was. The eggs came overcooked and in the shape of a tin. Accompanying the eggs was a slice of bacon, pork sausage, potato rosti, roasted mushrooms, and a half-cooked tomato. I tried the “energizing smoothie” of green apple, ginger, and mint which was good. My request for a coffee was forgotten.
The cabin was prepped for landing with 40 minutes until touchdown at London Heathrow.
The weather got cloudier and cloudier as we approached LHR. We touched down at 7:12AM on runway 9L with the typical rain of London.
The taxi to Terminal 5C took about 10 minutes and we arrived at gate C17 at 7:22. Thanks for the ride!
After arriving in Charlotte aboard the redeye service from San Diego to Charlotte, I had an hour before the flight was scheduled to depart at 7:10AM. As I walked from C16 to C8, I had a gorgeous sunrise view of downtown Charlotte.
The A319 taking me to Indianapolis, registration N816AW, was delivered to America West on Halloween Day 2000. She flew for American West until the merger with US Airways in 2006. In April 2015, she was transferred to American Airlines after the US Airways and American merger.
Boarding started at 6:39AM.
The Flight
American Airlines only has a total of eight domestic first-class seats onboard their A319s arranged in a 2-2 configuration. There were also 120 economy seats arranged in a 3-3 configuration behind the first-class divider. This A319 had been retrofitted with American’s Oasis style domestic first seat. The Collins Aerospace MiQ seat offered 38 inches of pitch and was 21 inches wide.
Unlike the newer Kodiak retrofit seats, the “Oasis” MiQ seats lacked a seatback device holder. Instead, there was a literature pocket and a small pouch. The legroom was restricted due to a metal bar.
The large bi-fold tray table was stowed in the armrest. Unlike the newer “Kodiak” seats, these tray tables also lacked a tablet holder.
There was a small tabletop space for drinks on the center armrest. Below was the seat recline button. A small cocktail tray could be pulled out from the center armrest as well.
Underneath the armrest was a storage space which also had a 110V outlet and USB port.
Upon boarding, the first-class flight attendant offered a pre-departure beverage. I went with some orange juice.
Boarding finished at 6:59AM and we pushed back five minutes early at 7:05AM. The taxi to the runway took 12 minutes and soon we were off toward Indy. On the climb out, I had a foggy morning view of downtown Charlotte.
Service began immediately when we reached cruising altitude. The flight attendant came by to offer a round of drinks.
Unfortunately, American’s short-haul mainline food service is still severely lacking. Breakfast consisted of a fig bar served from a cardboard box.
Thirty minutes later we began our initial descent into the Indianapolis area.
There was an average lavatory at the front of the first-class cabin.
Our approach into IND brought us directly over downtown Indy and we had a bird’s eye view of Salesforce Tower.
We looped north over Indy and had great views of the Indianapolis Motor Speedway as well.
We landed at 8:21AM and had a 12-minute taxi to gate B7. Deplaning was quick and I was soon on my way home. Thanks for the flight!
This was an unremarkable quick domestic first-class flight with American Airlines. I appreciated the beverage service and seat. Nothing much to complain about on a short one-hour flight.
After spending a few days visiting family in San Diego, it was time to head back home to Indianapolis. My return itinerary involved a red-eye flight from San Diego to the American Airlines mega-hub in Charlotte, followed by a short connection to Indianapolis in the morning. Upon arrival at Terminal 3, I was met with bustling crowds and long lines for the baggage drop-off and economy check-in areas. Fortunately, my OneWorld Ruby status (Alaska MVP) allowed me to access the dedicated elite check-in line, which was empty. Although TSA Precheck was available, there was still a sizable queue of passengers waiting to get through. Despite the initial hustle, I managed to reach the airside area about 15 minutes after drop-off.
“Our A321, with the registration N157UW, was a seven-year-old aircraft originally delivered to US Airways in July 2013, before the merger with American Airlines in 2015. It had recently undergone a retrofit in November of last year, featuring the newest American Airlines cabins in Domestic First and Main Cabin.
Boarding started at 9:55PM.
The Flight
I was seated in 8A, the first row of the economy class cabin and one of the Main Cabin Extra seats. The Collins Meridian slimline seats in the main cabin were arranged in a 3-3 configuration, with each seat measuring 17.5 inches wide. Main Cabin Extra seats, like the one I occupied, offered an additional three inches of pitch for a total of 33 inches, as well as an extra inch of recline compared to regular seats, providing a more comfortable experience.
The bulkhead seat provided ample legroom, allowing me to stretch out comfortably.
Unlike older cabins, the newest A321 cabin does not feature a solid bulkhead separating first class from the economy cabin. Instead, there was a bulkhead screen that did not restrict my underseat legroom.
However, due to being a bulkhead seat, the tray table was stowed in a rigid armrest that could not be raised. Nevertheless, the bi-fold tray table was sturdy and included a built-in tablet mount, making it convenient to use my iPhone.
Additionally, each seat was equipped with a 110V outlet and USB-A port underneath, providing convenient access to power for electronic devices.
We pushed back at 10:30 PM, ten minutes behind schedule, and took off from runway 27 at 10:42 PM.
Service started a bit slow, with the beverage service beginning 45 minutes into our four-hour red-eye flight. Unlike United Airlines, American offers complimentary alcohol and spirits to all passengers in extra legroom economy (Main Cabin Extra). I was grateful for this and ordered a Woodford Reserve and Coke Zero. The kind flight attendant surprised me with a double pour without me even asking, which was a nice touch. She also offered me a Biscoff cookie, which I gratefully accepted and stowed away for later.
There were a total of three lavatories for the 170 economy passengers on this A321, with one located in the middle of the aircraft and two in the rear.
I managed to fall asleep for almost three hours and woke up as we began our descent into Charlotte with a beautiful sunrise off to the port side.
We landed at 5:57AM followed by a ten-minute taxi to gate C16.
Among the Big Three US carriers – United, Delta, and American – I find that the American Airlines Main Cabin Extra experience offers the most value. Both Delta and American offer complimentary alcohol, which United does not. Additionally, I often find that American Airlines consistently offers cheaper fares as well as more affordable extra legroom economy seats compared to its competitors. While Delta provides seatback entertainment screens, I didn’t find them necessary for this overnight flight. Ultimately, when flying economy, I typically opt for the most cost-effective option to get from point A to point B.
After spending an almost four-hour layover in Houston at the American Express Centurion Lounge, I made my way to the C concourse where my flight to San Diego would be departing from. Just as I got to the gate, I heard a loud crack of thunder, and rain began to pour. Luckily, the thunderstorm passed quickly for an on-time boarding at 4:05PM.
Our B737-900ER, registration N27421, was a 13-year-old aircraft originally delivered to Continental Airlines in April 2008. She was transferred to United in November 2011 after the merger between the two airlines.
The Flight
United Airlines has three different B737-900ER configurations with the difference being between the size of the Economy Plus cabin. Each aircraft has a total of 20 Domestic First seats as well as 159 economy seats. This particular aircraft had a total of 45 Economy Plus seats and 114 economy seats arranged in a 3- 3 configuration.
I was seated in 22A, in the row directly behind the emergency exit. The Collins slimline seats each had 17.3″ of width and a pitch of 30.3″. These seats also featured the old IFE screens in the seatback which I appreciated.
There was a simple tray table as well as literature pocket in the seat back.
We pushed back at 5:15PM and took off at 5:27PM with some views of downtown Houston.
40-minutes after take-off, flight attendants came through the cabin with a snack and beverage service. I ordered a Buffalo Trace with Coke Zero. Small pretzel bags were also handed out.
The rest of the flight was entirely uneventful with smooth cruising at 37,000 feet.
We landed in San Diego at 6:00PM with the classic downtown views on our approach to runway 27.
We pulled into the gate at 6:02PM.
United offers a very standard economy-class service domestically within the United States. I did appreciate the seatback screen and friendly service onboard this particular flight.
Route: Indianapolis (IND)-George Bush Houston (IAH)
Distance: 876 miles
Duration: 1hr 51min
Departure: 11:42
Arrival: 12:33
The Preflight
I arrived at Indianapolis International Airport just two hours prior to my scheduled boarding time at around 9:00AM in the morning. Anticipating a packed airport given the summer holiday, I was surprised to find no one else ahead of me in line to check in. I dropped by two checked bags off without any delay and quickly made my way to TSA Pre-check.
Surprising me again was the lack of any passengers ahead of me in the TSA Precheck line. I was the only one and soon I found myself at the gate a full two hours prior to the departure time. I got myself a coffee from Tinker Coffee in the gate area and set up to do some work on my laptop. Unfortunately, only Delta Air Lines has a lounge at IND and no other airlines offer any lounges.
The inbound flight from Houston landed on time about 40 minutes prior to our scheduled boarding time. Cleaning crews quickly turned the aircraft around and boarding promptly began at 11:05AM.
Our B737-700, registration N23707, was delivered brand new to Continental Airlines back in May of 1998. She was more than 24 years old, but thanks to United’s paint job and cabin refurbishment, did not feel too dated.
The Flight
Onboard their B737-700s, United offers 12 Domestic First class seats arranged in the standard 2-2 configuration across three rows. In the back, there are 114 economy seats between 36 Economy Plus and 78 economy seats arranged in a 3-3 configuration.
I was seated in 3A, the window seat in the last row of the cabin. United’s Domestic First class seats are Safran brand cradle seats which offer 20 inches of width and 37.6 inches of pitch. These seats are United’s newest Domestic First offering which was introduced in 2015. I found the padding to be very comfortable and appreciated the adjustable headrest.
While some United aircraft do not have personal TVs in the seats, the B737-700s feature 13-inch seatback entertainment screens. There were also two literature pockets for storing personal items.
There was an obstructing box in the legroom on all of the seats arranged along the window which restricted my legroom. My laptop backpack did fit nicely underneath the seat in front.
Between the two seats was a granite cocktail table with an additional sliding extension. It had definitely seen better days with numerous scratches and dings on it.
Underneath the cocktail table were a 110V outlet, inflight entertainment control, and headphone jack. There was also enough space to store a water bottle but the area was very dirty with multiple crumbs.
A large sturdy bi-fold tray table was stored in the center armrest.
There was an integrated tablet stand that fit my tablet perfectly.
The armest on the left-hand side could also fold up to reveal a storage bin. Each seat also could recline about five inches.
Upon boarding, each passenger was given a sanitizing wipe. Once the first class cabin got seated, the cabin purser came by and offered each one of us a pre-departure beverage. It was an open bar and I had a mimosa.
We pushed back exactly on time at 11:34 and soon taxied to runway 23R.
We took off at 11:44AM and had a clear view of the flat lands around Indianapolis.
On the climb out, I was able to catch a fleeting view of IND and the FedEx terminal.
Service began fifteen minutes after takeoff with a round of drinks. I had a Bloody Mary which was served pre-mixed and with a few slices of limes.
Another fifteen minutes later and lunch was served. Options included either Impossible Meatballs or Za’atar Chicken. I went with the Impossible Meatballs which were incredibly flavorful and tasty. Our wonderful flight attendant also brought out another round of drinks. There were also sides of fresh fruit and garden salad.
Halfway through the flight, I went to use the first class lavatory. It was fairly basic and nothing special. Thankfully, it was relatively clean.
The rest of the flight was uneventful as we cruised over Lousiana into Texas.
As we neared Houston, I had a cup of black coffee.
The cabin was prepped for landing 15 minutes out.
We landed at 12:33PM (CST) on runway 26L with a smooth landing.
The taxi to gate C3 just took four minutes and soon I was on my way to the American Express Centurion Lounge with a more than three-hour layover in Houston.
I was heading back to San Diego for a few days to visit family and booked two separate trips to get home. I had some leftover Alaska vouchers and United vouchers that were going to expire so I booked United from Indy to Chicago and then Alaska from Chicago to San Francisco to San Diego. The flight up to Chicago was scheduled to depart at 6:15AM and I arrived at the airport around 5:15AM an hour before departure. Check-in was a breeze and I had my printed boarding pass in just a few minutes.
By this time, in April of 2021, the federal mask mandate for COVID had ended and travelers were back with a vengeance. The TSA Precheck line before the sun had even risen was dozens of passengers deep It took me 10 minutes to get through (during early COVID I was often the only passenger).
Our aircraft, an E170, was operated by Republic Airways on behalf of United Express. She was 17.5 years old and originally delivered to Chautauqua Airlines back in December 2004. After a year, she was transferred to Shuttle America and then finally to Republic in 2016.
Boarding was scheduled to begin at 5:50 but was pushed back 12 minutes due to a late flight attendant.
At 6:02AM, we began the boarding process through door 1L
The Flight
There were a total of six first-class seats onboard the United Express E170 arranged in a 1-2 configuration across two rows. There were also 16 Economy Plus seats in a 2-2 configuration and 48 economy seats in a 2-2 configuration.
I was seated in 1A today.
Each first-class seat offered 37 inches of pitch and a comfortable 24 inches of width.
There was a small cup holder built into the armrest along the fuselage while the bi-fold tray table was stored in the armrest adjacent to the aisle.
The boarding doors were closed at 6:17AM with pushback four minutes later.
At exactly 6:30AM we took off from runway 5L bound for Chicago.
There was a single beverage service on this flight served 12 minutes after take-off. I went with my customary Bloody Mary. Snack options were the standard Stroopwafel or pretzels.
We approached O’Hare from the East, flying over the Northern Indiana coastline and then turning westward over Lake Michigan.
Although gray and cloudy, the skies still yielded great views of downtown Chicago.
After just 41 minutes in the sky, we landed on runway 10C at 6:11AM, having gained an extra 19 minutes due to the timezone change from Eastern to Central.
Within 10 minutes we had arrived at gate C3 and I was soon off to check-in with Alaska Airlines for my flight to San Francisco.
This was another run-of-the-mill regional Domestic First class flight with United Express. I was happy for the upgrade but definitely would not pay the extra $100-200 difference between Economy and First for this flight.
Route: Václav Havel Airport Prague (PRG)-Frankfurt Main (FRA)
Distance: 316 miles
Flight Time: 50min
Departure: 7:26AM
Arrival: 8:15AM
The Preflight
After a lovely week in Prague, it was time for my fiance and me to return home to the United States. We would be flying from Prague to Frankfurt to Boston and finally to Chicago. Our flight was scheduled to depart at 7AM and we arrived at the airport around 4:50AM in the morning. The check-in counter opened at 5AM in Terminal 2 which is dedicated to departures to Schengen countries.
We checked one bag through to Boston and the check-in agent also verified our negative COVID-19 tests for returning to the USA. There was a dedicated Business class security lane and we crossed through within about five minutes.
Lufthansa partners with the Erste Premier Lounge to offer their eligible customers access to a lounge at PRG. This lounge also partners with Priority Pass.
The lounge was split between two large seating areas. To the right of the entrance was one brightly lit area with sofas and tables.
The right side also had more sofas and tables.
Food was available on both sides of the lounge. The offerings were identical. Snacks included popcorn, chips, and pretzels.
There was bottled beer available.
There was also a Coke machine as well as an espresso machine.
Alcohol included gin, vodka, additional hard liqour, and wines.
Additional snacks included croissants, Biscoff, chocolate bread, and cereal.
Cold options included sandwiches, cheese and ham, hummus, olives, and eggs.
Hot options included boiled eggs, omelets, and chicken soup.
Boarding was scheduled to begin at 6:40 and we got to the gate a few minutes before it began.
Our A321neo, registration D-AEIK, was delivered brand new to Lufthansa in August 2021.
A friendly message greeted us as we boarded. This was a reflection of how fun and jovial the crew would be for our short flight.
We were seated in row 3 on this flight. Lufthansa features 215 seats onboard their A321neos all arranged in a 3-3 configuration.
As standard for European Business class, there was a blocked middle seat. These seats were worse than American Airlines in Main Cabin…
Each seat had 30 inches of pitch with 18 inches of width. Besides a literature pocket and mesh pocket, there was no other device holders or IFE screen.
There was a small tray table with two cup holders.
Disappointingly, Lufthansa decided to forgo in-seat power even for business class seats. There was no USB port or 110V outlet on board this brand new A321neo.
Upon boarding, we were handed a sanitizing wipe.
The boarding doors were closed at 7:04AM and we pushed back four minutes later. Due to the cold temperatures, our aircraft was de-iced. We finally took off at 7:24AM from runway 24.
Service began the momeny we reached cruising altitude. There was a single choice of cheese and sliced meat with yoghurt. The yoghurt was very tasty but thee sliced pastrami and chicken breast were disappointing.
Breakfast was followed by a beverage service. I decided to have a glass of sparkling wine and water. Flight attendants then passed through the cabin with chocolates and apples.
I went to use the forward lavatory as we began our initial descent into Frankfurt. It was very nice given how new our plane was.
We approached Frankfurt from the West and had sweeping views of the industrial zone around the Rhine River.
Fifty minutes after we took off from Prague, we landed on runway 7R around 8:15AM.
The taxi to gate A25 took about nine minutes. Thanks for the ride!
