Planespotting: Boeing 767, 777 & Airbus A330 differences

July 6, 2017

Bladed tail. Three wheels. No winglets. Slanted cockpit windows. It’s a B777, right? (Image: Wikimedia Commons)

Pilots, planespotters and aviation buffs can quickly recognize nearly every aircraft type from the ground or in the air.

But it’s not so easy for the rest of us. To help TravelSkills readers confidently recognize what they see overhead or out on the runway, we offer a series of posts dedicated to planespotting.

The Boeing 777, 767 and the Airbus A330, three of the most-used, two-engine widebody jets flying around out there look VERY similar to the untrained eye. But there are differences that help make them easy to distinguish.

First let’s look at the largest of the three, the Boeing 777. It’s most distinguishing feature is its size…it’s a big one— significantly larger than the 767 or A330. Its engines alone are enormous- some are as wide as the fuselage on a 737!

Huge engine. Slanted cockpit window. No winglet. It’s a Boeing 777! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Depending on configuration, the 777 carries around 375 passengers. Smaller 767s and A330s fall in the 250 passenger range.

But relative size is not always easy to determine when the plane is alone on a runway or in the air, so you must look for other features.

The distinguishing flat or bladed tail of the Boeing 777 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Another most distinguishing feature of a B777 is its flattened or bladed tail– which is quite different from the conical shapes found on the back end of a 767 or A330.

Winglets? Yes. Square-bottomed cockpit window? Check! Conical tail. Yep! Two wheeled landing gear? Yes! That’s an Airbus A330 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Plus, B777s don’t have winglets, while all A330s and some 767s do.

You can also look at the outer edge of the cockpit windows. On Boeing jets, the windows have a sharp diagonal corner while Airbus windows are more square along the bottom edge.

Two wheels. Check! Conical tail. Check! Slanted cockpit window. Check! It’s a 767! (Photo: Boeing)

And finally, look at the wheels– each of the main landing gears on a big Boeing 777 have three sets of wheels, while A330’s and B767s only have two.

Boeing cockpit windows slant up at outer, lower edge (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Lower, outer edge of Airbus windows are square, not slanted up like Boeing windows. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I must admit that spotting these three widebodies is tough…even for me, and even after writing this post.

Please share your planespotting tips or advice in the comments below! How do YOU tell the difference between a 777, 767 or A330? Please leave your tips or comments below.

Here are our other popular planespotting posts!

Planespotting: MD-80/90 & Boeing 717

Planespotting: A320 family differences

Planespotting: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320 differences

Planespotting: Boeing 757, 767

And don’t miss the TravelSkills Planespotting quiz— 10,000+ readers have taken it! Why not you?

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Planespotting: Boeing 737 vs Airbus A320 differences

May 16, 2017

Can you tell the difference between the 737 and A320 in this shot? (Angelo DeSantis / Flickr)

Can you tell the difference between the A320 and the B737 in this shot? (Angelo DeSantis / Flickr)

Pilots, planespotters and aviation buffs can quickly recognize nearly every aircraft type from the ground or in the air.

But it’s not so easy for the rest of us. To help TravelSkills readers confidently recognize what they see overhead or out on the runway, we offer up a series of posts dedicated to one of our favorite pastimes-Planespotting!

Today let’s look at two ubiquitous planes – the Boeing 737 family and the Airbus A320 family. How can you tell them apart?

The Boeing 737 and Airbus A320 are two of the most popular single-aisle planes flying. They are about the same size and look quite similar to the untrained eye.

See the pointy nose on the Boeing 737? The dorsal-like fin leading up to the tail? (Photo: Colin Brown / Flickr)

See the more bulbous nose on the Airbus? (Aero Icarus / Flickr)

The 737 is Boeing’s most widely produced aircraft and has nine variants flown by almost all major domestic airlines, especially Southwest, which operates only 737s and has 725 of ’em! Delta flies about 150.

The Airbus A320 (along with the similar A318, 319 and 321) is more popular overseas, but in the U.S., they comprise 100% of Virgin America’s fleet and much of JetBlue’s. American Airlines has the largest Airbus fleet in the world, including 384 in the A320 family. United has about 160. Delta has 141 A319s, A320s and A321s.

(This is a blast from the past- a previously popular post we want to share again. Enjoy!)

Note the Airbus nose and windows (PurplePoulpe / Flickr)

Note the pointy nose and angular window in the Boeing (PurplePoulpe / Flickr)

One of the easiest ways to tell the difference between a 737 and an A320 is by looking at the nose of the plane. Boeing jets tend to have pointy noses compared to Airbus noses which are more rounded and bulbous.

You can also look at the outer edge of the cockpit windows. On a 737 (and most Boeing jets), the windows have a sharp diagonal corner while the A320s windows are more square.

Also, look at the tail of both jets. The 737 has tail has small dorsal- like fin that extends at a slight angle from the top of the fuselage to the tail. That’s absent on the A320’s smaller tail. See it? (scroll up)

The A320 also has a larger, more distinctive tail cone than the 737.

When flying the 737 or A320, do you notice much difference? Do you have a preference? Please leave your comments below.

And don’t miss the TravelSkills Planespotting quiz— 7,000 readers have taken it! Why not you?

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Reader Report: United Polaris (new seat) to Hong Kong

May 10, 2017

A window seat in United’s new Polaris business class- but where do you store all that stuff? (Image: United)

Earlier this year I received a query from a colleague who travels to Europe and Asia in business class around twice a year. She had a trip to Hong Kong coming up and was wondering if she should try out the new United Polaris flight (with the new seats). Since the service was brand new, she was concerned that it might not be up to par and had some concerns about flying in a brand new plane over all that water. She was weighing her options for SFO-HKG nonstops that include United, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Air. “Which one do you suggest?” she asked

My reply: “I would have to say go United this time. Based on what I saw at SFO plane is really nice. Avoid the aisles and get a good window seat (per instructions in this post) and I think you’ll be happy. Plus you’ll be one of the first folks to try it, so will have lots of cocktail party material when you get back. As for safety concerns, the plane is brand new, but it’s a B777– a real workhorse and has been around long enough for any kinks to be worked out.”

She took the flight last month, for which her company paid the $5,500 roundtrip fare. Here’s her report with some notes from me…

Well Chris, I don’t think people are going to be too happy with this new plane. Several passengers, on both legs of my journey, were complaining at the end that the seats “weren’t comfortable”– that they are too hard and they really miss the storage space provided in the previous iteration. That was my main complaint too, there’s nowhere to put anything. That small compartment isn’t cutting it, especially with the two blankets and two pillows piled on your seat at boarding. Where are you supposed to put those things if you aren’t using them? I also noticed that window seats no longer have those nice spacious bins under the windows like they did on the 747s. [Note: United recently reduced the number of items left on the seat at boarding. Passengers should now request extra pillows or blankets.]

On the positive side, the blankets were both very nice and felt expensive. They were warm and comforting as was the pillow. The chocolate before and after the flight is a nice touch.

A window seat in United’s new Polaris cabin on B777-300ER- note the long bar (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

These are the window seat storage bins on United 747s – enjoy them while you can! 747s fly away in October (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When it came to the seat, I found the long armrest bar along the window to be strange and I banged my arm against it while sleeping more than one time. It’s the bar they have going across where you can control your seat. It’s strange as it sort of floats at the end of the window.

Click here for images of “old” United BusinessFirst seats

Also the configuration of the seat didn’t allow me to put both arms on the rest at the same time. I felt like I had to lean to the left to the armrest closest to where my drink was, but because it’s sort of angled my arm wasn’t on the other arm rest.

I don’t know, I wasn’t in love with it and the seats felt hard and I couldn’t find the right configuration while just watching a movie to be comfortable. I miss the ottoman that joined with the area where your feet go (on the old planes).

Seating controls include a simple dial for adjusting recline as well as buttons for more specific movements, lumbar support, lighting, and do not disturb light (Scott Hintz)

Am not sure how to describe it all but I felt like the seat wasn’t great and many other people said the same thing. They couldn’t figure out how to control it, as to me the only controls that made sense were the rolling button and the leg lift. When pressing the other buttons I had no idea what they did and if they were doing something but I didn’t feel anything happening.

As for service, on our way out this NEW plane didn’t have wi-fi. People were PISSED in business class. (But they did compensate us with miles in the end– and they offered it to everyone on the whole plane, not just business class. I received 8,750 miles.)

The United Lounge at SFO is under construction and the part that is still open is very crowded and seems like a mess.

Inflight service on the first SFO to HKG leg was terrible. Flight attendants made no personal greeting once we got on the plane (like before) and none of them offered us the PJs or extra cool pillow option (which I read about on TravelSkills). Guess you have to read a blog or your brochure in order to know about it– and ask specifically for it.

Wine flights offered on departures after noon (Scott Hintz)

I tried a wine flight on the way out just because I saw it on your post, but again, the FA didn’t offer or suggest it— they were just pouring wine in individual glasses like before. I saw the three glass wine flights on the bottom of the drink cart and asked for one as did the person behind me. But if I had not asked, neither of us would have been given the option. Plus, the flight attendant knew nothing about the wines we were trying, and could not pronounce what they were. When I asked for a suggestion to replace the Chardonnay (which they were out of), she had no clue what to offer, saying “I know it’s white, but…” So I’m not exactly sure what I was drinking.

MORE: Images of a brand new United 777-300ER with new Polaris seats

I’m not sure the new plane itself is great, either. Every time flight attendants made an announcement a loud ringing happened or you could hear other flight attendants chattering in the background. It just seemed weird and some of the older, seasoned travelers were NOT happy about the new plane. People did like being in their own seat with aisle access, but I heard grumblings of “I wish they didn’t change the seats” and “where is all the storage!” Oh, and the FAs kept telling us the aisles were narrower and that it was difficult for them to reach into our pods to get to the tray tables…so they seemed to be a bit uncomfortable too.

This is what she was expecting, but … (Image: Matthew Klint)

As for food, it was fine– I had the beef shortrib and it was good as always. But get this- on this flight we did not get the standard ice cream sundae bar. Instead they plopped down a Haagen-Dazs cardboard container and said go for it! I asked about the sundae bar and the flight attendant said, “We don’t have that anymore, they took it away last month.” And I was like, “Huh? It’s right there on your menu.” [Note: United is having some teething issues with the new bowls which are cracking and breaking so the lack of ice cream sundaes is likely temporary.)

So I think I will go Cathay next time to check it out!

Have you flown United Polaris with the new seat yet? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

Would you like to submit a Reader Report to TravelSkills? We’d love to hear from you, and so would readers! They are some of our most popular posts! Here are guidelines to submitting a report.

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New: Oakland-London on British Airways

March 28, 2017

British Airways Boeing 777 landing at Oakland International Airport (Photo: Port of Oakland)

Brexit does not seem to be having much impact on British Airways’ plans for the booming San Francisco Bay Area.

Today the airline launches nonstops from Oakland to London-Gatwick. The new flights are in addition to BA’s recently deployed daily 787 Dreamliner nonstop between San Jose International and Heathrow, as well as its two dailies between SFO and Heathrow using an Airbus A380 or Boeing 777.

This means that you can now fly BA to London from all three Bay Area airports- no other carrier offers that. It also means that British Airways now flies about 1,250 seats per day, each way, between the San Francisco Bay Area and London.

The new Oakland flight allows BA to tap into the populous and wealthy East Bay suburbs full of travelers who don’t (or won’t) cross the Bay for a flight out of the more congested SFO. BA is the only carrier at OAK offering lie-flat business class seats to Europe— essential if you want to hit the ground running after an overnight flight!

See a slideshow of BA’s inaugural flight event at Oakland International!

British Airways’ signature forward & rear facing business class seat- now flying from SFO, SJC and OAK. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Checking fares for April and May, British Airways has OAK-LGW for about $500 round trip in economy. Premium economy is running about $1,200. Business class is about $4,000 round trip. Unlike other carriers flying to Europe from Oakland, British Airways does not charge a fee for the first checked bag in any class of service.

Fares available on BA.com & Google flights on Tues March 28 & subject to change. Sale good through March 31

The new Oakland-Gatwick flights will operate four days a week using a Boeing 777-200ER that seats 275 passengers: 203 in economy, 24 in premium economy and 48 in business class. That’s a lot of room for upgrades or award flights! British Airways’ premium economy (aka World Traveller Plus) is in a separate cabin, bigger seats with 38-inch pitch, in-seat power, and choice of meals from the business class menu.

BA Club World (business class) travelers flying out of Oakland receive up to five days of free parking in OAK’s Premier Lot, an added value of $190. They also get complimentary access to a new Escape lounge located in Terminal 1 near BA gates. One-time passes to the lounge go for $45.

Don’t miss! Trip Report: British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner San Jose-London

BA business class passengers now have access to Oakland’s new Escape Lounge (Photo: K Taylor)

On Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays the flight departs London Gatwick’s South Terminal at 10:20am and arrives into Oakland at 1:15 pm. From Oakland, the flight departs at 2:45 pm and arrives London Gatwick at 9:25 am the next morning. On Tuesdays, the flight departs at 11:25 am from London Gatwick and arrives Oakland at 2:20 pm, returning at 3:50 pm with an arrival into London at 10:30am the next morning.

At Gatwick, BA uses the recently renovated South Terminal — recent improvements include a brand new business class lounge, and upgraded check in area, and easier access to the Gatwick Express.

Gatwick Airport (LGW) is 28 miles south of central London but still convenient and even preferred by many travelers. Why? Because the easy 30-minute, approximately $25 Gatwick Express train can whisk you from the airport to Victoria Station in the heart of the city every 15 minutes. London’s Heathrow Express, while speedier, drops you off at Paddington Station, which may not be as convenient. On the flip side, those traveling into Oakland from London can now get to downtown San Francisco via a new BART spur that connects the the airport to the city in about 30 minutes for about $10 each way.

London’s three primary airports. The Gatwick Express train connects the airport with Victoria Station (Image: Visit London)

BA seems to be on something of a roll recently. In addition to the new Oakland flight, British Airways is adding new nonstops to Ft Lauderdale and New Orleans from London this spring.

Do you have plans to fly to Europe this spring or summer? Where will you go and how will you get there? Please leave your comments below!

–

Disclosure: Thank you for reading TravelSkills! We will periodically create posts or send out messages like this one from commercial partners about topics relevant to frequent travel. Our sponsors’ support, and yours, help us keep TravelSkills a free publication.

Reader Report: United Economy Plus on new B777-300ER

March 13, 2017

United’s Economy Plus on the new Boeing 777-300ER packs ’em in at 10-abreast (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

United has done a great job promoting the posh Polaris business class product on its brand new Boeing 777-300ER jets. But what’s going on behind the curtain in economy class is probably more important to a larger group of flyers.

This week we heard from a TravelSkills reader who flew Economy Plus between Newark and San Francisco on the new bird and sent us some thoughts on the experience.

First a little background: United currently has two Boeing 777-300ERs and says it will put a total of 14 of its new 777-300ERs into service during 2017. The aircraft will be configured with 60 Polaris business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout; 102 Economy Plus seats in a 3-4-3 layout; and 204 regular economy seats also in a 3-4-3 layout. Yes, that is 10-across, which seems to be the emerging economy class standard on new B777s at many carriers, including Air France, American, Cathay Pacific, Emirates, Qatar, and SWISS, among others.

United is rumored to be considering a “true” premium economy seat since both Delta and American have announced their intentions to do so. But there is nothing definitive from United so far. For now, Economy Plus on United is an economy seat with three extra inches of legroom.

If you have not read it already, here’s our first look at all three classes on United’s B777-300ER.

First three rows of United Economy Plus on a B777-300ER- does not appear that bad when it’s empty (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Between now and May 4, United will fly a B777-300ER between San Francisco and Newark six days per week. Late last month it deployed a second B777-300ER on SFO-Newark which means there are now two flying the route (but only through March 8). On March 25, the aircraft will replace a 747-400 on the very competitive San Francisco-Hong Kong route (also serve by Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines).

Here’s United’s B777-300ER on Seatguru.com

So, what’s that Economy Plus section like? Here what our reader (who asked to remain anonymous) had to say:

I’m a regular reader of TravelSkills based in SF (thanks Chris for the interesting and helpful columns!) and after your post, I decided to try to new 777-300ER for a flight from EWR to SFO [5-6 hours]. Business class looked great, but I flew in Economy Plus, so here’s my review from the cheap seats.

Pros: The lighting is great. The seats are new and outfitted well (including power at every seat). Wifi actually worked pretty well on this flight.

Economy Plus on United’s B777-300ER has 34 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)

Cons: The economy seats are just too narrow, making the flying experience miserable. I’m not a large person, and I’ve generally enjoyed UA E+, even on long trips. (For example, I flew on a UA 787 Dreamliner SFO-SYD last month in E+ and thought it was actually quite nice.) But my experience in E+ on the 777-300ER was awful.

I found it very difficult to work, and my neighbors and I got to know each other much better than I think any of us would have wanted. You are literally pushed up against the next passenger. Admittedly, my flight was full, and I expect that it would have been a very different experience with an open seat next to me. But with high load factors these days, you can’t count on an open seat next to you.

34 inches of pitch in United Economy Plus- 31 inches in regular economy (Chris McGinnis)

Bottom Line: I understand that United is going to add these planes to its SFO-Hong Kong route and other long haul flights. I flew SFO-HKG on a UA 747 last year, and I thought it was fine (although a bit aged and admittedly not nearly as nice as United’s 787). But I absolutely would not fly a UA 777-300ER in E+ on a long route [14.5 hours] like that.

In fact, based on my experience yesterday, I will actively avoid the UA 777-300ER in E+ on any route and would pay a premium to take a different plane, make a stop, or take another carrier to avoid these absurdly cramped seats.

Economy Plus rows 19-22 just behind business class and in front of a bank of lavs (Chris McGinnis)

Thanks for your Reader Report! If you would like to contribute a Reader Report to TravelSkills, check out our Reader Report guidelines.

If you have not read it already, here’s our first look at all three classes on United’s B777-300ER.

Have you flown in a 10-abreast configuration on a B777 yet? Would you fly in United’s? Please leave your comments below.

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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First look inside United’s newest jet: The Boeing 777-300ER [PHOTOS]

February 14, 2017

United’s brand new Boeing 777-300ER arrives at SFO for the first time (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

This week United put its newest bird, the Boeing 777-300ER, into service. Starting Thursday, February 16, the new 777 will fly domestically between SFO and Newark. With a United fare sale that started today, you can try out the new plane for as little as $252 round trip in March (that’s cheap!), but you’ll pay about $3,000+ in business class.

Right now, there’s only one United jet flying with the Polaris seats— the one you’ll see pictured below. While United has begun marketing all its business class tickets as Polaris, you’ll only find the seat on the B777-300ER for the time being. United will get 14 of these birds from Boeing this year.

A window seat in United’s new Polaris cabin on B777-300ER (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Note the staggered configuration of window seats on United B777-300ER- best seats are closest to windows on odd numbered rows (Chris McGinnis)

Bulkhead center seats (rows 1 and 9) are the best choice for tall travelers- 80 inches long in full recline! (Chris McGinnis)

If you are on another type of aircraft, you’ll get United’s old business class seat, even if your booking and boarding pass say “Polaris” which has been confusing to many TravelSkills readers. That’s because you are getting the Polaris “soft product”- which in airline terms means the food and beverage service (such as the wine flights or bloody mary cart), pillows, blankets, new amenity kits and white teddy bears (currently selling on eBay for $80!)

Passengers on the first Polaris flights get cute teddy bears along with new amenity kits (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The “hard product,” meaning the reconfigured cabin and new Polaris seats will roll out slowly. Between now and May 4, United will fly the B777-300ER between San Francisco and Newark six days per week. On February 22, United gets another new B777-300ER which it will also deploy on SFO-Newark through March 8– which means there will be TWO Polaris planes flying the route for a short period of time.

Interested in flying on the new plane? When booking your SFO-EWR flight on United, click on “Detailed View” or “Details” and look for “Boeing 777-300ER.”

On March 25, the new aircraft will make its international scheduled service debut, replacing a 747-400 on the very competitive San Francisco-Hong Kong route, where United’s Polaris seat and service compete with two of the best in the business: Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific.

TravelSkills was at SFO to welcome the shiny jet and its payload of travel media invited along to try out the new Polaris business class seats. This flight operated as a charter and was not available for purchase.

A few observations about the B777-300ER after my brief tour and chat with a few of those on the media charter:

>Length of seat and comfort vary in the new Polaris cabin. Window seats offer the most privacy and best views, although with some neck craning, you can get a view out the window from some window-side aisle seats (even numbers). Due to the staggered configuration, an odd-numbered window seat should be your first choice. See B777-300ER layout on SeatGuru here.

>The bulkhead center business class seats (rows 1 and 9) are a remarkable 80 inches long in full recline— that’s enough room for a 6’8″ passenger! I’m 6 feet tall and had to point my toes to touch the wall in a regular mid-cabin window seat. The seat feels a little narrow, but in the few minutes I was in it, I was comfortable, and I’m sure I’d sleep well on my side snuggled in with a bear, a big pillow and a Saks Fifth Avenue blanket (plus eye shades and ear plugs!)

Chris lying flat in a new United Polaris seat (Photo: J Guerin)

>Economy class is configured 10-across while United’s other 777s offer 9-across seating. I was prepared for the worst when I ventured beyond the curtain, but when I tried the premium economy seat, I was impressed with the seat legroom (34 inches pitch). Granted, I was seated alone in a center seat, but it just did not seem that bad. Time will tell what it’s like to be jammed into a center seat with two large passengers on either side. But the seat, the access to power, the seatback screen and knee room all seemed okay to me.

>There’s a clubby Economy Plus section (rows 19-22) just behind business class, the first row (19) of which are probably the very best economy seats on the plane due to the legroom. Plus this cabin is protected from the larger economy class cabin by bank of lavatories. Economy Plus row 24 offers a lot of legroom, too, but proximity to the lavatories could be a problem, and there’s a limited view out the window and no storage space for take off and landing.

Club-like Economy Plus rows 19-22 just behind business class and in front of a bank of lavs (Chris McGinnis)

10-abreast economy class on United’s new B777-300ER- that’s a LOT of middle seats! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

>You can tell where Economy Plus ends and regular economy begins by looking at the color scheme of the seats, as well as the placards in the overhead bins. Regular economy was pretty tight (31 inches pitch), but I had a couple inches in front of my knees when the seat in front was not reclined. That would disappear as soon as the person in front reclined. (See below) Out of 10 seats across four are middle seats, six are windows or aisles.

Knee room – 31 inches- in regular economy class on United B777-300ER (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Knee room – 34 inches- in Economy Plus on United B777-300ER (Chris McGinnis)

Economy Plus on United’s B777-300ER has 34 inches of pitch. Seats are 17 inches wide (Chris McGinnis)

There are two crew rest areas on this plane. One is upfront for pilots, the other is accessed by a secret door by the rear galley and contains six soundproof sleeping berths for flight attendants. This get-away-from-it-all space is cherished by crew, especially on those 12-15 our transpac long hauls!

United said it expects to put all 14 of its new 777-300ERs into service during 2017. The aircraft will be configured with 60 Polaris business class seats in a 1-2-1 layout; 102 Economy Plus seats; and 204 regular economy seats.

So what do you think about this big new bird? Please leave your comments below!

–Chris McGinnis

ICYMI, see the 25 most recent TravelSkills posts right here

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Popular: United’s new jet + Nowhere flight + Hilton bonus + Airport trains + Rain

February 12, 2017

United’s first Boeing 777-300ER with Polaris seats goes into domestic service this week (Photo: United)

TravelSkills’ 10 most popular posts over the last week (descending order):

1 Ugh! United’s 4-hour flight to nowhere

2 Time to pave the Bay? Why SFO suffers so during rainy weather

3 Better watch out Someone’s spying on your strange airport behavior

4 Here come the Vikings….again Ultra-cheap transatlantic fares for 2 new cities

5 Check out where this reader went after his Qantas flight: Reader Report: Best economy seat on Qantas A380

SUNDAY UPDATE: United adds NYC airports to Feb 12-13 winter weather waiver

The new Denver Airport rail station is under the Westin Hotel. (Image: Jim Glab)

6 Best & worst airport-to-city trains– some great comments! Thanks 🙂

7 Simmer down! Emirates says Delta tantrum led to a six-hour flight delay

8 Dirty birds How often are planes washed?

9 Routes: Delta, Frontier grow Cincinnati + Southwest, Alaska, Spirit

10 70 readers have done this– you? How to get $200 for booking on Upside before Feb 28

Don’t miss this! An eagle snatches a drone out of the sky in military exercise

We’ve found a new “favorite place” just 20 minutes south of San Francisco: Pacifica. Step back in time and enjoy seafood and salt air at Nick’s Rockaway— or take a hike along the new Devil’s Slide trail!

Seafood, salt air & cocktails at the beach! #sf #travel #pacifica #restaurant
A photo posted by Chris McGinnis (@chrisjmcginnis) on Feb 10, 2017 at 9:59pm PST

Links to stories from other sources that we thought you’d like to read:

Another Hilton promo: get 500 extra points for booking via Honors app– all year!

Emotionally distressed United pilot removed from SFO jet

Airports? Nah! Uber envisions new “vertiports” for flying cars

Air Canada’s got a classy new black-white-red look– like it? We do! But as usual with new liveries, there are a lot of naysayers.

Air Canada’s new black, white and red livery on a B787 Dreamliner (Image: Air Canada)

Regional carriers worst for mishandling bags

Ski train serving Denver-Winter Park with slopeside service

$200

Get $200 when booking your next trip: Use code: TS!

Major airlines’ new “basic economy” fares hitting Spirit hard

Alaska says decision on Virgin America branding is coming next month

Why are airline computers crashing so much these days?

Dealing with work emails after hours can be bad for your health

Schiphol tests new scanner that lets passengers keep their shoes on

Singapore Airlines orders 39 new widebodies from Boeing

China plans to scan fingerprints of foreign visitors

Delta has designs on its tray tables- this is one of my favorite of the 12 works. Yours?

One of several new tray table designed on a Delta jet- thoughts?

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Inside look at Virgin Australia’s refurbed B777 (Photos, Streetview)

July 25, 2016

Media scramble up the red carpet leading to a Virgin Australia B777 parked at LAX (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

When we wrote about Virgin Australia’s fabulously re-furbed B777 in May, only one of five planes had undergone the transformation. The carrier put off the “official” launch until this week, hosting a big to-do in Los Angeles to which TravelSkills was invited.

As of this month, three of Virgin’s five B777s are re-done and the two remaining will be finished by September, said CEO John Borghetti at a press conference onboard one of the big birds parked out by the beach on the western edge of LAX. Virgin flies its B777s between Sydney, Brisbane and LAX and also on Sydney-Abu Dhabi.

What’s really nice about this refurb that Delta customers can earn and burn SkyMiles on when flying on this gorgeous bird. Rates can be freakishly high (or non-existent) when redeeming SkyMiles for Virgin Australia business class. Economy class roundtrips on Virgin go for around 90,000 SkyMiles. Virgin America Elevate members can also earn and burn points when flying Virgin Australia. Roundtrips go for 40K in economy, 60K in premium economy and 80K for business class.

Fares: Checking September roundtrips today, business class flights between LAX and Sydney (or Brisbane) are running around $5,300, premium economy is $2,100 and economy is $973.

Read: Virgin Australia’s “new” B777

The large mirrored emblem on the bulkhead is one of many visually striking features on Virgin Australia’s B777 (Chris McGinnis)

What I found most interesting about this look-see was the emphasis Virgin Australia puts on making a good visual impression— something that you see across nearly all Virgin brands.

At the onboard press conference, Borghetti described how Virgin’s design team strives to make a striking visual impact as soon as the passenger boards. He said that if the plane is pleasing to the eye right off the bat, and that there’s a certain “wow factor” when boarding, it puts the passenger in a positive “head space” which is likely to carry through the rest of the experience. See what he means when you see the Google Streetview below.

Take an interactive spin through the new cabin right here:

While we included most of the key details of the B777 in our previous post, this event provided the opportunity to get up close and personal with what Virgin says is now best in class among carriers serving the U.S.-Australia market.

Virgin was happy to spout plenty of superlatives about its new business class. For example, they said the seat is the widest (28 inches) and among the longest (80 inches), and its video screens are the biggest (18 inches).

Every seat offers aisle access. Regrettably, these planes won’t have onboard wi-fi until mid 2017.

New “The Business” section configured 1-2-1 on Virgin Australia’s B777 transpac flights (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In addition, we noticed plenty of easily accessible nooks and crannies for in-seat storage and a large flat workspace. An unusual electronic touch screen controls recline. Flight attendants provide memory foam mattress covers and turn down service while passengers change into pajamas in the lavs. Plus there’s a Nespresso coffee maker in the galley. Even better- there are 37 business class seats in the new configuration. Previously, there were only 34.

Unusual touch screen controls seat recline (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In addition to business class, Virgin offers three more seat types:

Premium class
Space+ economy
Regular economy

The new premium cabin offers 24 seats with 41 inches of pitch, two dedicated lavatories, “business class inspired” food and beverages served on china and glass. Seats are configured 2-4-2. This cabin also has its own self service snack bar and refrigerator.

Don't call it premium economy! On Virgin Australia, it's just "Premium" (Chris McGinnis)

Don’t call it premium economy! On Virgin Australia, it’s just “Premium.” 24 seats with 41 inches of pitch configured 2-4-2 (Chris McGinnis)

Economy Space+ seats on Virgin Australia in a 3-3-3 configuration offer a few extra inches of knee room in the first five rows of economy section (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Here’s a look at the knee space in Virgin’s Space+ Economy section with 36 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)

Economy class on Virgin Australia configured 3-3-3 with 32 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)

Another interesting nugget from this news conference: Virgin’s B777 has more lavatories per passenger that any other plane in the market– a ratio is one lav per 12 passengers, which is important on those 14-hour LAX-SYD slogs. Both business and premium cabins have two each.

This plane also offers a “ladies only” lav, with a smart leather bench that folds down over the toilet where one can sit while changing into or out of the pajamas Virgin supplies to business class passengers. There’s is also a full length mirror in the ladies-only lav.

In business class, there’s a ladies-only lav (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

In the ladies-only lav, a leather bench folds down over the toilet (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

And finally, here’s a look at the layout of the new version of Virgin’s B777-300ER

-Chris McGinnis

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Trip Report: Turkish Airlines Business Class to Istanbul, Athens

June 24, 2016

Checking in for a 6:10 p.m. departure from San Francisco to Istanbul (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I’ve dreamed of jumping on Turkish Airlines ever since I first began seeing images of its unusual business class lounge in Istanbul and hearing about its over-the-top inflight service. Most people who have flown Turkish said, “Get to Istanbul airport early so you can enjoy the lounge for a few hours before your flight.” Or, “Don’t eat for a day before flying Turkish- you won’t believe how much food they serve on the plane!”

Those dreams came closer to reality when Turkish started nonstop service between San Francisco and Istanbul last year. My interest was heightened even more when it launched nonstops from Atlanta last month because many TravelSkills readers hail from there.

Regrettably, unrest in Turkey has resulted in a decline in visitors to the country. So when Turkish offered to fly me from SFO to Istanbul (IST) for a TravelSkills Trip Report, I asked if I could fly to Athens instead and report on the experience using IST as a connecting airport, which I thought would be a much more likely scenario for our readers. Currently, about 60 percent of its passengers are transiting IST instead of starting or stopping trips there, and that number could rise.

As would be expected, flight attendants pass trays of Turkish delight candies during each flight (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

As you might expect, flight attendants pass trays of Turkish delight candies during each flight (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Since neither SFO or ATL have nonstops to Athens, connecting to Greece via Istanbul (IST) is an easy and convenient option for those headed there or to the popular Greek Isles. (Plus, Turkish and other carriers have deeply discounted business class roundtrips a few times this year to as little as $1,500 round trip, so set up your fare alerts and grab one if you can!) For September trips, business class fares run about $4,000 round trip. Economy is about $1,100. There is no first class or premium economy “comfort” class on the SFO flights.

Turkish is a member of the Star Alliance, so United Mileage Plus members can redeem miles for Turkish Airlines trips.

My trip to Greece and back was quick…just four days on the ground there, plus two days flying. The flight from SFO to IST runs about 13 hours. From Istanbul to Athens is a short hop– only about 90 minutes. So the entire journey, including a quick 90-minute layover in IST was about 15 hours.

Highlights of this Trip Report include:

Diverse, delicious and copious inflight dining that dazzled my eyes and filled my belly
The best and worst seats on the plane
Unusual touches like candle-light dining (see the gif!), hot towels served on small plates
Overheated cabins
Young, energetic and professional crew
Issues around booze
Two different B777s on the route
That lounge. Oh, that lounge! (Included in Part 2 of this report)

Check in at SFO was smooth and easy at about 4:30 pm. There were only three people in the business class line and a very friendly, talkative agent wearing a hijab checked me in and told me to proceed to the United Club on International Concourse G.

Flight 81 departs SFO at 6:10 pm, so the club was very busy since several flights depart at around this time. Good news: United has upgraded the food station in the club, offering a broad selection of cheeses, sausages, vegetables, hot soup, bread, crackers and cookies. Plus the spread now has a nice view! Other than that, the United Club has not changed much since my last visit.

Newly expanded food offerings with a view at SFO International Terminal G (Chris McGinnis)

When I’m flying to write up a TravelSkills Trip Report, I usually ask if I can board a few minutes early to get some good photos of the cabin before passengers board. Thankfully, Turkish obliged and I snagged some great shots of both business and economy class cabins. I was unable to get an good image of the plane (a Boeing 777-300ER) from the gate area, so I’ve used one from the inaugural arrival at SFO in April 2015.

Turkish Airlines inaugural flight with San Francisco mural arrives at SFO (Chris McGinnis)

Turkish Airlines inaugural flight with San Francisco mural livery arrives at SFO (Chris McGinnis)

Business class seats are configured 2-3-2. Since you get outstanding views of North America and nearly the entire continent of Europe during this flight, a window seat is my recommendation. Plus it’s quieter and less likely to be disturbed by movement in the aisle if you are sleeping– and that’s the main upside to the dreaded “middle seat” seen below. Those are the “E” seats.

Seats are comfortable and spacious, and the cabin is nice and open…but there are 7 middle seats that you’ll want to avoid if possible (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Business class is split into two sections on this plane. What you see above is the forward cabin, which has four rows. The aft cabin, behind the galley, has three rows.

What I really liked about this cabin is its open floorplan. Low seatbacks make it very social and fun compared to other layouts which cocoon passengers in their own little worlds. Plus, in this cabin style, I could watch flight crews as they went about rolling out the elaborate inflight meal service. If you are like me, and like to watch what is going on, book a seat near the rear of the cabin. If you want to sleep or work, go for one near the front.

Big bright seatback touch screens, leather ottomans, plenty of nooks for storage (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

There are miles of legroom between the seat and seatback. It’s tough to use those nice leather ottomans as footrests due to the distance, but it’s a perfect place to sit and visit with friends or colleagues face to face. Note the storage space for shoes and other items underneath the ottoman. When the seat is in full recline, the ottoman becomes part of the lengthy bed.

Nice: Each seat comes with a lumbar support pillow (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Gigantic overhead bin space easily accommodated my carryon bag (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Economy class on the Turkish B777 configured 3-3-3 with rainbow colored leather headrests (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Unlike other Turkish Airlines B777 flights, the planes on the SFO run do not have a premium economy or “comfort” section.

32 inches of pitch between economy class rows (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Economy class on the Turkish 777 is 3-3-3. Each seat has a large IFE screen plus USB power.

See: Turkish Airlines B777-300ER V2 on SeatGuru.com

Okay, let’s get back up front and take a look at the service and the seat in business class. First thing you should do before boarding a Turkish flight is learn how to say THANK YOU in Turkish. You would not believe the big, surprised smiles you get from the crew when you say Tesekkurler when they help stow your bag, offer you a juice or help make your seat into a bed. It’s pronounced something like Teh-shay-koo-lahrd. Here’s how to say it! Just do it!

Fun, friendly flight attendants offer 3 types of juice or water while boarding. Want champagne? Ask for it (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

I’ve heard over the years that getting a cocktail on Turkish Airlines is complicated. That’s mostly due to the country’s (and current government’s) Muslim roots. For example, Turkish recently stopped offering alcohol on its domestic flights and on several international flights to other Muslim countries.

So for those who’d like to imbibe, here’s how it seems to work: During boarding, flight attendants pass through the business class aisles offering fruit juice and water from a silver tray, but no champagne, a common offering on most other airlines. If you ask for champagne, the flight attendant is more than happy to go get you a glass, but it’s not on the tray. I noticed the same thing during meal service, if you ask for wine with your meal, you’ll get it, albeit a relatively small pour. Flight attendants do not offer you more unless you ask for it– which is quite different from U.S. or European flights where flight attendants wander the aisles with bottles, looking for empty glasses 😉

Business class recliner control (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Seats are comfortable, but I never really understood this recliner control. I still don’t know what the MR and M+ buttons do! Similar to what I experienced on Qantas (See our Qantas Trip Report), a flight attendant will make your seat into a bed at your request, covering the seat with a fitted quilt, offering a large pillow and a blanket. Turkish does not offer business class passengers pajamas for this 13-hour flight.

Flight attendants make seats into cozy, quilt-covered beds at passenger request. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

One this B777 flight, there were 15 crew members, including three chefs and four flight attendants in business class.

A small but very classy touch that I noticed: Hot towels are served on a china plate, not handed to you with tongs (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Elaborate menus in English and Turkish are like menu origami– unfolding into beautiful shapes (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

3 chefs onboard our SFO>IST flight- this one is taking our dinner orders and explaining how each dish is served. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

On SAS, “Chefs” are really flight attendants who change clothes to serve meal. (See our SAS Trip Report) But on Turkish, these guys are dedicated to meal service throughout the flight– there were three onboard in both directions.

A nut mixture that include pistachios, almonds, macadamias and hazelnuts– not a peanut in sight! Note the parsimonious pour of wine. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Prior to the full meal service, the chef and flight attendants wheel out a tiered cart full of all kinds of unusual and delicious appetizers– passengers can choose from about eight options that include: Prawns, smoked trout with horseradish cream, grilled crab cake with sweet chilis, avocado tomato salad, spiced chicken breast, beet & goat cheese salad, hummus, deep fried eggplant with green pepper and tomato sauce, romaine salad with cherry tomatoes and creamy tomato soup! (Sorry I don’t have good photos to share of this course.)

And that’s just the starters! After that, the main courses come. Thankfully, the beautifully orchestrated service takes a while, so it gives you time to assimilate all the food. And I can’t think of a better way to pass the time on a 13-hour flight that departs at dinner time. But I know that a lot of folks would rather just eat quickly and go to sleep and if that’s the case, you can order a open-faced salmon sandwich and cheese cake at any time.

Even the bread plate is elaborate on Turkish Airlines (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

My experience on Turkish was replete with those “small things” that really make a big difference. For example, bread is served in a special cloth pouch to keep it warm and moist– have you ever noticed how fast bread dries out while flying? Not here. Also note that you get both butter and olive oil for your bread, and a small dish of Turkish spices in addition to real salt and pepper shakers. And get this…. they are magnetized so they stick to the plate!

Magnetic salt and pepper shakers! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

By far the most noticeable small touch are the votive candles in tiny bags placed on each dining tray. While these are small electronic votives, they flicker just like the real thing, and add a warm and welcome ambience to the meal service. It’s quite a nice sight to see the entire cabin filled with these flickering lights. Good job!

Main dishes included grilled salmon with parsley butter and zucchini, filet of beef with arugula and roasted potatoes, or mushroom ravioli with leeks, tomatoes and parmesan.

Mushroom ravioli on Turkish Airlines (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Steak option on Turkish Airlines (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

After the main course, there is even more! A dessert and cheese cart including several baklava-type Turkish desserts plus apple pie, chocolate mousse and strawberry ice cream. Phew! I agree with the advice I’ve received from others: Do not eat at all before getting on the plane. You’ll regret it!

Chef is back with the cart (for the fourth time) with a broad selection and explanation of tea blends and coffee (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Turks are really big on tea, and the tea selection was endless, including an anti-jet lag blend of melissa, camomille, sour cherry and lavender. For digestion, there’s a fennel, anise and caraway blend. And to help “resolve the edema, reduce the swelling,” there’s a blend of green tea, cherry stalk, cornsilk and close. For stomach relief, you get a cold blend of mint, fennel, lemon and date syrup. Seriously!

When was the last time an airline served you tea like this? Talk about elaborate service! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

After a cuppa tea, it was time to start thinking about cooling off and bedding down for the rest of the flight. But the cooling down part was tough. Turkish, like most other European carriers, tends to keep cabins way too warm… to the point of feeling stuffy. Maybe it’s just an American thing, but to me, a cool cabin promotes sleep and is just more comfortable. I inquired about turning the temperature down a bit, but flight attendants pushed back, stating that they are instructed to keep the cabin at 23C – about 75F, and showed me the thermostat. But the cabin sure felt warmer than that, and as you can see below, fellow passengers slept in mostly uncovered. This is not the first time I’ve suffered through an overheated flight, and probably won’t be the last, but is it just me? Or do you feel like some airlines keep the heat up too high? Please leave your comments below.

How do you know a cabin is too warm? When sleeping passengers don’t use their blankets! (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Despite the warmth, I was able to get about six hours of sleep on this flight and woke up in late afternoon, Istanbul time, for a hearty breakfast that included a small greek-like salad, cold cuts, and eggs with potatoes and spinach, coffee. Then I took a walk through the plane cabin, and had some fun with the crew just before our 5 p.m. arrival.

One of many small touches that impressed me: Fresh flowers in the galley corridor (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Even breakfast included appetizers– a cheese and tomato salad and sliced turkey (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Breakfast main: omelet with spinach, tomato and potatoes. Plus a smoothie, not pictured (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The fun, young crew on this flight having some fun with me posing for a selfie (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Inflight wi-fi was free for business class passengers... but the connection was relatively weak, allowing for texting, email and light surfing, but I was unable to upload photos, or access photo-dense websites.

Seatback inflight maps and exterior cameras for views (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Istanbul Ataturk Airport has clearly outgrown its space. How do I know? Every Turkish Air flight I was on parked at a remote pad, and passengers were bussed to and from the terminal. After a 13-hour flight, a 15-minute bus ride to the terminal is unwelcome, but did not take too long. Due to the growth, Istanbul is now laying plans for one of the largest airports in the world, to be called Istanbul New Airport, the first phase of which is to open in 2018.

My connection from Istanbul to Athens was only about two hours, so I hightailed it to a place I’ve been waiting to see for years, the famous CIP Lounge. It turned out to be everything I’d dreamt of, and more… and my only regret is that I did not have enough time to really soak up all it had to offer! Like pool tables, olive bars, fresh pizza, a driving range, two grand pianos and more!

This post is already long enough, so stay tuned for Part 2, which will include a good look at the lounge and my trip from Greece back to San Francisco. Thanks for reading this far!

Have you flown Turkish Airlines before…or dreamt about it? Please leave your comments below.

Here’s a sneak peak at the stunning and unusual CIP lounge in Istanbul. Stay tuned for a full report about my experience there! (Photo: Chris McGinnis

–Chris McGinnis

Disclosure: Turkish Airlines covered the cost of Chris’s airfare to Athens. TravelSkills paid for hotels, transfers, meals and other incidentals related to this trip.

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Secret spaces on planes you’ve never seen before

June 1, 2016

The secret staircase at the back of a Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

After a long holiday travel weekend, and yet another hot, crowded summer ahead, it seems time for another look at some of the secret spacious spaces we’ve recently discovered onboard planes.

Back in 2012 I had the chance to ride on one of Cathay Pacific’s brand new Boeing 777-300ERs from the factory in Seattle to Hong Kong. We created a video of the crew rest area during that flight, which caused an internet sensation.

To this day, it is by far the most popular video we have produced, snagging about 700,000 views so far.

A brand new Boeing 777-300 ER at the factory in Seattle (Chris McGinnis)

I took the video on a “delivery flight” from the Boeing factory to Cathay Pacific’s HQ in Hong Kong, so there were only about 80 passengers on a jumbo jet that can carry about 350. While the seats and service were fine, I was curious to see the large crew rest area on this plane.

Since long-range aircraft like the Boeing 777 can fly nonstop for 16-18 hours, airlines are required to offer rest areas for inflight crews who work on shifts.

On the Cathay Pacific 777, the rest area is located above the economy class section at the rear of the plane. It’s accessed via a non-descript door in the galley area. There’s another rest area (which I did not see) for pilots at the front of the plane.

One of eight sleeping pods for flight attendants on a Cathay 777 (Chris McGinnis)

So go have a look— it might be the only time you’ll ever see a crew rest area since visits by passengers on regularly scheduled flights are forbidden.

Your TravelSkills editor enjoying a quick lounge in the crew rest area on a Cathay Pacific 777 (Chris McGinnis)

Luckily, that was not the only time I was allowed inside one of these secret spaces. Read on for more recent visits….

A brand new Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 at the factory in Seattle (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

We were also invited up to Seattle to see Singapore Airline’s newest B777 in 2013 to prepare this report and slideshow, and to grab this image of the peach pink confines of its crew rest area:

We also stepped inside the peachy pink confines of Singapore Airlines B777 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

You may recall that I recently flew on a Qantas 747 from San Francisco to Sydney in March. Well, minutes before that flight departed, I was allowed onboard to photograph the interior of the plane.

View from the QANTAS jaw-dropping first class lounge in Sydney. Wow! Stay tuned for a trip report! (Chris McGinnis)

View from the QANTAS jaw-dropping first class lounge in Sydney. Crew rest area is located behind the windows on the bubble. (Chris McGinnis)

While doing so, I noticed flight attendants entering the secret staircase to the crew rest area and asked if I could slip in for a quick video, and they obliged! See below look at that!

A look inside the crew rest area on a Qantas 747-400 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Here’s how we described the experience in that TravelSkills.com post: Due to my status as a travel writer, I received a special favor– I asked if I could board five minutes early so I could get some good photos of the plane before it filled up with passengers. At the last minute my wish was granted, so I scrambled on board, up the “stairway to heaven,” threw my bags down and took off with flight attendant Jerry for a quick tour of the plane INCLUDING a look at the secret crew rest area in the aft section of the “bubble” with access via a special stairway from the main deck. See that video here (or below). This big bird has a crew of 14 flight attendants and four pilots and on a 14+ hour flight, they need a place to hide!

So as we all prepare to depart on packed flights this summer, it’s nice to know that there are some spacious seats somewhere onboard! Have you ever seen one of these spacious spaces? Please leave your comments below.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s newest, longest flight + Tipping Uber drivers + Qantas 747 Trip Report + Confusion over PreCheck policies + No-fee earlier flights

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All Etihad, all the time, at SFO, JFK

April 26, 2016

Etihad’s shiny new B777 replaces leased Jet Airways planes this week (Photo: Peter Biaggi / SFO)

Ever since it started flying to San Francisco from its Abu Dhabi home base more than a year ago, Etihad Airways has been using a 777 leased from India’s Jet Airways on the route instead of one of its own planes.

Instead of seeing the aircraft pictured above, Etihad customers saw this when they arrived at the airport:

Etihad uses a Jet Airways 777 on its new SFO-Abu Dhabi run (Photo: Aero Icarus / Flickr)

Etihad used a Jet Airways 777 on its SFO-Abu Dhabi run for over a year (Photo: Aero Icarus / Flickr)

The move lead to snickers that the service should be called “Jetihad” instead.

But those snickers will soon turn into smiles: Effective this week, Etihad will replace the Jet Airways plane used on SFO-AUH with the real deal: Its own 777-200LR.

It has also been using a Jet Airways 777 on one of its two daily New York JFK flights (EY 101/100), but on June 1 it will replace that aircraft with its own 777-300ER. The other JFK flight will continue to use an A380 super-jumbo.

Business class on Etihad (Photo: Etihad)

The new San Francisco aircraft will be outfitted with eight first class seats, 40 in business class and 191 in economy for a total of 239 seats. Its larger 777-300ER on the New York run will have eight seats in first, 40 in business and 280 in economy for a total of 328 seats. Both planes have onboard wi-fi whereas the Jet Airways plane did not.

Over the last few months Etihad had been using its own planes periodically on the SFO and JFK runs, but now (or on June 1) it will run all Etihad metal, all the time.

Just last week, we received this comment from a TravelSkills reader who flew on the leased Jet Airways flight from SFO: “They ran out or snacks with another four hours to go and a bunch of us were irate and hungry and had to wait for the meal service an hour later. The toilets were super small. The attendants wouldn’t pay attention to the light and just ignore you. The seats were definitely way different from the flight I took from Europe last year. Disappointing.”

Link to Etihad’s business class page

Etihad has made a big splash recently among frequent flyers by rolling out a new three-room cabin onboard its A380 last December. The Residence includes a “living room,” private bathroom with shower, a bedroom with a double bed and a suited, London-trained butler. The Residence is one of many firsts Etihad has brought to the premium flying experience in recent years.

Etihad recently cut the ribbon on a new premium lounge at New York JFK — its second in the U.S. after Washington Dulles. The 7,000 square foot facility for first class and business class passengers has showers, a bar, a sitting area, and floor-to-ceiling windows. In San Francisco, Etihad passengers have access to Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific’s stellar, and recently expanded, lounge at SFO.

Etihad also operates daily flights to Chicago, Washington Dulles and Los Angeles, and three weekly flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

All passengers flying to the US clear customs and immigration in Abu Dhabi, which means they arrive in the US just like domestic flights. Recently, Etihad added a special first and business class lounge for passengers waiting to board after clearing customs in Abu Dhabi.

Have you or do you plan to fly Etihad one day soon? Please leave your comments below.

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Deal alert: $499 roundtrip to Asia on Singapore Airlines

February 11, 2016

Singapore Airlines' new Boeing 777 can't fly to Singapore from the US (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Rock-bottom rates on flights to Seoul & Singapore on a B777 like this (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Say what? Round trip across the Pacific for less than $500? On Singapore Airlines?

Yep, and you found it here…and it’s only here on the TravelSkills.com blog: SFO to Seoul for $499, SFO to Singapore for $699.

TravelSkills has teamed up with Singapore Airlines on private sale that includes one the lowest transpacific fares I have ever seen: Just $499, including all taxes and fees, for roundtrips between San Francisco and Seoul on Singapore Airlines.

$499 for an 11,320-mile round trip. That works out to just four cents per mile!

And you are flying on one of the top-ranked airlines in the world to one of the world’s coolest, hippest, most up-and-coming destinations. (I’ll be writing more about the Seoul’s burgeoning food and hotel scene later this week!)

And the deal doesn’t end with SFO-Seoul. You can fly all the way to Singapore for just $100 more each way, so a total of just $699 roundtrip from SFO. Wait, what?

Get this special deal here

Taking a look at the infinity pool atop the famous Marina Bay Sands hotel in Singapore (Chris McGinnis)

I was in Singapore a couple years ago for BBC, and here’s what I saw– quite an amazing place! Hotels, like the Marina Bay Sands (pictured) are built to knock your socks off. The food scene, especially the outdoor “hawker stalls” are fun, healthy and super-diverse. If cold weather’s got you down, you’ll warm up in Singapore as its equatorial location means warm, tropical weather year-round. And Changi Airport itself is worthy of a trip! See this to find out exactly what I mean.

Seoul reminds me a lot of Tokyo— super modern and efficient. Wealthy. Clean. Gorgeous new hotels. A chic fashion-and-design-forward and super friendly population. Unusual food. And a nice climate in the Spring, which can range from 45-75 degrees F on average in March and April. Plus, Korea’s Cherry Blossom season in early April rivals what you see in Tokyo!

Get this special deal here

Unbelievable sights, sounds and flavors at Seoul’s indoor/outdoor food markets (Chris McGinnis)

A trip to either of these destinations would be an awesome way to spend a spring break vacation!

UPDATE Feb 18: Response to this sale has been enormous, and many flights are now sold out. But if you are flexible with dates, you can still grab the deal.

Details of this exclusive offer are available to anyone using this link to our private sale:

Only available in economy class
The $499/$699 deal is only available via links found on this page
Book between now and February 21
Travel between March 1 and April 14
Not available on Fridays or Saturdays on outbound portion from SFO
Tickets are booked in K class, which earns 10% of miles flown in Singapore’s KrisFlyer program. K fares do not earn United MileagePlus or other airline miles

What’s so great about Singapore Airlines? It’s famous inflight service, of course! It also has more spacious 3-3-3 seating in economy class while others have moved to a tighter 3-4-3 configuration. And there’s an unending supply of inflight entertainment via the Krisworld seatback system. (Don’t miss our Trip Report about Singapore’s renowned business class.)

Here’s a good video showing what it’s like to fly in economy class on Singapore Airlines between SFO and Seoul.

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Is the Boeing 747 nearing its end?

January 22, 2016

Boeing’s iconic 747 is gradually flying off into the sunset. (Image: Jim Glab)

The Boeing 747 has been a popular intercontinental aircraft since its first commercial passenger flight in 1970, but now the iconic jumbo jet’s days may be numbered.

Boeing said it plans to cut back production of the four-engine 747 from 12 a year to just six starting in September, not only because airlines continue to prefer more fuel-efficient twin-engine planes like the 777 and 787 for their long-haul needs, but also because a slowdown in global cargo demand has hurt orders for 747 freighters. The same trend has restricted orders for Airbus’ rival jumbo, the A380.

Major global airlines have been phasing the 747 out of their fleets for several years, with more to come. Just this month, Air France celebrated the final flight of its last 747 after flying the plane as the mainstay of its intercontinental fleet for almost 46 years.

According to Airways News, other airlines that retired all their 747s in recent years include Air New Zealand, Air Canada, All Nippon, Cathay Pacific, Japan Airlines and Singapore Airlines. Delta and United are phasing out their remaining jumbos as well.

But 747s will continue to be seen at airports worldwide as some carriers still find them useful for their needs. Lufthansa recently started flying the newest version of the aircraft — the 747-8 — on some U.S. routes; Korean Airlines last year started flying its first new 747-8 and has several more on order; and British Airways last summer started to refit the interiors of a number of its 747s to keep them going for the immediate future.

Newly refurbished economy section in a British Airways 747. (Image: British Airways)

Readers: Where does the 747 rank on your list of preferred international aircraft? Will you be sorry to see them go?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United packages Economy Plus with amenities + Ride-sharing firm goes out of business + Bucket list for air travelers + Useless travel gadgets + ‘Uber of the Skies’ dies

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Etihad upgrades aircraft on San Francisco, New York routes

January 6, 2016

An Etihad Boeing 777-3FX (Photo: Etihad)

This Etihad Boeing 777-3FX is similar to the one soon to be deployed at SFO (Photo: Etihad)

But those snickers will soon turn into smiles: Effective April 25, Etihad said it will replace the Jet Airways plane with the real deal: Its own 777-200LR.

It has also been using a Jet Airways 777 on one of its two daily New York JFK flights (EY 101/100), but on June 1 it will replace that aircraft with its own 777-300ER. The other JFK flight will continue to use an A380 super-jumbo.

The new San Francisco aircraft will be outfitted with eight first class seats, 40 in business class and 191 in economy for a total of 239 seats.

Its larger 777-300ER on the New York run will have eight seats in first, 40 in business and 280 in economy for a total of 328 seats.

Link to Etihad’s business class page

Business class (Photo: Etihad)

TravelSkills reader SP commented, “I’m happy to see that it’s the same plane they fly to LAX, which is a great product. I was hoping maybe we’d get the 380 to rival Emirates, but that was probably wishful thinking! Still, I’m very happy to see real Etihad service finally coming to the Bay Area. It’s a great option for the AA loyalists of us around here.”

Last month, Etihad cut the ribbon on a new premium lounge at New York JFK — its second in the U.S. after Washington Dulles. The 7,000 square foot facility for first class and business class passengers has showers, a bar, a sitting area, and floor-to-ceiling windows. In San Francisco, Etihad passengers have access to Oneworld partner Cathay Pacific’s stellar, and recently expanded, lounge at SFO.

Etihad also operates daily flights to Chicago, Washington Dulles and Los Angeles, and three weekly flights to Dallas/Ft. Worth.

Have you or do you plan to fly Etihad one day soon? Please leave your comments below.

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SWISS schedules brand new Boeing 777s (photos)

July 9, 2015

First class seats on SWISS’s new 777-300ERs have 32-inch video monitors. (Image: SWISS)

Lufthansa subsidiary SWISS will make a big upgrade to its long-haul fleet next year with the delivery of nine new Boeing 777-300ERs. San Francisco and Los Angeles are among the routes where the planes will first be deployed.

SWISS said the new widebodies will start flying from Zurich to both West Coast cities when its summer 2016 schedule takes effect; it currently operates A340-300s on both routes. The new 777s will carry 340 passengers, with eight seats in first class, 62 in business and 270 in economy.

First class seating transforms into a private suite with a 32-inch video screen, electrically-adjustable window blinds and a “personal wardrobe,” the airline said. Business class seats convert into a fully flat bed six feet seven inches long and have cushions whose firmness can be set to the passenger’s preference. Economy class will get new seat cushion technology and big touch-screens.

Economy class is fitted with 10-abreast seating arranged 3-4-3, a tighter but increasingly common configuration on new B777s.

Business class seats recline to fully flat beds. (Image: SWISS)

“In addition to the regular cabin service, all SWISS Economy guests will be able to make use of a self-service kiosk offering a wide range of drinks and snacks,” a spokesperson said. And the new 777s will have Wi-Fi throughout.

In addition to its LAX and SFO routes, SWISS will operate the new 777-300ERs to Hong Kong, Bangkok, Sao Paulo and Tel Aviv. A SWISS representative told TravelSkills that the SFO-Zurich route will initially get the new plane three times a week, offering an A340 on the other four days, while the 777-300ER will fly the LAX route seven days a week .

Passengers will also get the benefit of SWISS’s incredible in-flight cuisine. See our recent Trip Report on what that’s like. And scroll down to see more of the interiors on the new 777-300ERs.

A first-class dining experience in first class. (Image: SWISS)

Economy class on SWISS's new 777-300ER. (Image: SWISS)

Economy class on SWISS’s new 777-300ER configured 3-4-3. (Image: SWISS)

Another view of business class seating. (Image: SWISS)

Here’s a video fly-through of the nice new bird:

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Upgrades on United + TripAdvsior punked + Hotel resort fees okayed + 80,000 Marriott points + More!

Trip Report: Japan Airlines Sky Suite 777

June 9, 2015

Business class onboard Japan Airlines Sky Suite 777 (Photo: RP)

Business class onboard Japan Airlines new Sky Suite 777 (Photo: RP)

Back in 1954, Japan Airlines launched trans-ocean international service by connecting SFO to Tokyo Haneda International Airport. Those first turbo-prop flights, carrying 18 passengers, stopped at Wake Island and Honolulu for fuel to complete the journey.

The trip’s a bit faster now: 10.5 hours nonstop to Japan and 8.5 hours nonstop to SFO. And it’s way more comfortable, especially in JAL’s new Sky Suite 777 introduced on Tokyo-San Francisco flights late last year.

Earlier this year, JAL invited TravelSkills on a round trip flight between San Francisco and Tokyo-Haneda to check out the new Sky Suite. We sent correspondent Richard Pelton on the trip and here’s his report:

Premium economy on Japan Airlines Sky Suite 777 (Image: JAL)

I flew to Japan in premium economy in a reclining easy-chair seat onboard JAL flight 001 and returned in business class on flight 002. I don’t usually sleep well on airplanes. But thanks to flight 001’s scheduled 1:45 a.m. departure from SFO, I grabbed some zzzzzs shortly after sampling the good-to-really-good fare on offer. (Details on JAL’s premium economy fare.)

The plane landed on-time at the crack of dawn: 5:00 a.m. Tokyo time. The early arrival is designed to help road warriors connect at Haneda to destinations elsewhere in Asia. That early arrival could be awkward, but wasn’t for me. The formalities in nearly empty Haneda International were a breeze, and my Tokyo hotel room was ready even before sunrise.

On the return flight, I flew in business class- seat 7D on the aisle in the center-cabin section. This is one of 49 business class seats on the four-class, 244-seat aircraft. There are 147 seats in economy, 40 in premium economy and eight in first class. See configuration on SeatGuru.)

Settling in, I used my biz-class coupon for complimentary high-speed Internet service, web-surfing on my iPhone, and using the seat-side AC power outlet to recharge.

Lie flat business class seats on JAL’s Sky Suite 777 (Image: JAL)

The Sky Suite 777 business class cabin has a staggered 2-3-2 seat configuration. I gazed with envy at the three windows gracing each window seat across the aisle. The overhead bins appeared larger above the windows, too. They are the best seats in business class, no question.

That said, my carry-on suitcase fit neatly into my overhead, and I easily stashed a briefcase under the seat in front of me. This area accommodates the end of the flat-bed seat when it’s fully extended. The flat-bed, 25.5 inches wide, is comfortable, but at 74 inches long, it’s tight for tall travelers.

Related: New Tokyo Haneda Option

Shortly after the scheduled 12:05 a.m. take-off from Tokyo, I ordered an apparently bottomless flute of Delamotte Blanc de Blanc Champagne, and grazed on turnip pottage, a tasty crabmeat canapé and sliced sections of chicken and pickled plum burrito. A premium Kaku Rei Junmai Daiginjo sake served chilled rounded off the light, late-night meal.

Slipping on provided slippers and a seat-side headset, instead of sleeping I sampled snatches of Hollywood and Japanese movies on a humongous, 23-inch, high-def seatback screen. I dipped into bouncy J-Pop followed by rock, classical and jazz. Suggestion: JAL could provide more complete albums in place of themed compilations.

A delicious curry dish (Photo: RP)

Midway through, I scanned the Anytime You Wish menu and ordered Tokyo Curry Lab’s onion and chicken curry with fluffy white steamed rice and a robust 2013 Pinot Noir Reserve from Terra Mater Vineyard, in Chile. This curry, meaty and mild, is better than many I’ve had on the ground.

This culinary highlight surprised me: It’s the nine-dish Japanese breakfast served before landing. Beautifully presented moist chicken teriyaki and soft sesame tofu with shrimp are delights, but the topper is steamed savory egg custard with mild icefish (lower left in photo above). It provided a winning, lingering taste of Japan as the plane began its slow descent toward SFO, touching down at 4:45 p.m. Pacific, the day before we left Tokyo.

More: JAL’s new Sky Suite 777

— Richard Pelton

Disclosure: Pelton was a guest of Japan Airlines on this round trip flight.

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: First class summer fare sale + Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants

Factory flight + Drenched flight attendant talks + Star Alliance fast lanes + Best coach food + Frequent flyers fed up + more

May 10, 2015

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis flew SWISS to Madrid this week! Stay tuned for several reports (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis flew SWISS from SFO to Madrid this week! Stay tuned for several reports (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

TravelSkills’ 12 most popular posts over the last week… plus a few newsy nuggets we missed.

1> Not many flyers get to experience this: From factory to Hong Kong on a brand new B777

2> Yuck. Just yuck: Drenched in raw sewage at the airport- twice Flight attendant Tina Brock (the one who was drenched) emailed us with this comment– we have not verified its authenticity, but assume it is legit:

Dear Chris – I personally would like to thank you for writing your report – I would like the media to know that I only asked for an apology and my medical bills to be covered – after 2 years – no one did so – They wanted to shove it under the rug – Other reports mention that I sued due to lack of sex with my husband – these people are very sick who twist things around – you did not do so and I appreciate you as a wonderful human – The media can be very cruel – My insurance company says that workers comp should pay my medical bills – workers comp refuses to pay – I have had to pay all of my medical bills out of pocket for almost 3 years – The real reason for my personal lawsuit was due to no apology and not covering my medical bills – I want to save and fight for others who get abused by the system – People blog such horrible things – These people have no clue what we are going through and have no respect for other humans – I strongly believe in Karma – Thank you for telling the real story without trying to hurt the ones that hurt most – I admire and appreciate you – Tina Brock.

3> Special treatment for Stars: Star Alliance adds fast lanes

4> What’s notably missing? Airlines with best economy class food

5> Why do we keep going back for more? More frustration with frequent flyer miles

6> Now that’s a long flight: Boston to Hong Kong now 16 hours nonstop

7> Can’t beat this bonus- won’t last: United’s 50,000-mile bonus is back

8> We all love more room, right? Roomier widebodies on domestic flights? We hope so

9> Nice new additions New routes: Aer Lingus, SWISS, Air France-KLM, Air China, Turkish

10> Two new Hyatts plus more: 5 shiny new hotels in Washington, DC

11> Hotel size suite on a plane: The most outrageous luxury suites in the sky

12> American gets a big new plane: A big news day for American Airlines

Our favorite reader comment this week:

Note the double arm rests between seats in Cathay’s premium economy (Cathay Pacific)

From reader C.C. regarding Cathay Pacific’s premium economy section: “Did you notice the nice double armrests in premium economy? Delta PLEASE give us those on the long hauls!!!”

Juicy nuggets of news from other sources that we missed on TravelSkills this week:

These airports make arriving a pleasure

Air Canada adds PreCheck

Hawaii’s Island Air sputtering

Profile: How does TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis like to travel?

New Godzilla themed rooms in Tokyo

SF taxi driver video: What it’s like to compete with Uber

United sued for not disclosing wi-fi limitations

New York Times special business travel section

–Chris McGinnis

Trip Report: Factory to Hong Kong on a new Cathay Pacific 777

May 6, 2015

(Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

Do you ever wonder how an airplane makes its way from the factory to the airport? Well, we found out recently when Cathay Pacific invited TravelSkills aboard the “delivery flight” of its fiftieth Boeing 777-300ER aircraft flying from the factory in Seattle to Hong Kong.

The sneak peek flight was a special experience for invited media, travel agents, and top Cathay customers to sample the carrier’s products while also witnessing an important milestone for both Cathay Pacific and Boeing.

With the largest fleet of 777s among Asian carriers (67 in total), and the second largest in the world (behind Emirates), Cathay Pacific is an important Boeing customer. In fact, Cathay Pacific launched its newest route from Hong Kong to Boston on the day after the delivery flight.

The ceremonial handing over of keys from Boeing to Cathay (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

All airlines handle their delivery flights differently, and Cathay wanted to make this a special occasion given this was their fiftieth 777-300ER. Also parked nearby during the ceremony was a Lufthansa Boeing 747-800 aircraft and a Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300ER. Both planes were making their own delivery flights that day, but with decidedly less fanfare.

It was especially interesting to learn that new aircraft are delivered to airline customers almost daily, sometimes two or three per day. That’s why Boeing built this special Boeing Delivery Center building with two jet bridges, numerous meeting and banquet spaces, and a Boeing collectibles shop. The space is often the location for celebratory events, and full catering facilities are in place.

Before boarding, a Boeing executive thanked Cathay Pacific for a strong partnership over the years and spoke briefly to the crowd waiting to board the plane. With the giant Boeing 777-300ER in the background, Boeing gave Cathay executives a ceremonial key. More like a car or house key, the symbolic gesture signals the official ownership by the airline.

Economy class on Cathay Pacific’s new B777 (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

On the tarmac, all those that were traveling aboard the flight gathered around for a ribbon cutting ceremony. Most unique was that all received boarding passes with the city name “Boeing Paine Field” to Hong Kong.

With only about 50 passengers on board a plane designed for 330 people, the delivery flight was like having your own personal plane. Following a tarmac tour of the plane and plenty of photo opportunities, passengers went through a security check.

The Boeing Delivery Center is equipped with two short jet bridges making the experience similar to an airport, but far more festive.

Related: Sadly, 747s are flying away

Business class on a brand new Boeing 777-300ER- with that “new plane” smell (Photo: Ramsey Qubein(

All of us were seated in the herringbone-style business class cabin, which features enormous entertainment screens and flat-bed seating. The back of the plane was empty, almost eerie to see, but everyone was free to wander around the aircraft at any time.

Cathay has had strong success with its new premium economy cabin, and after testing it out, it is clear why. The recline is almost double that of the standard economy seat, and since it is situated in its own mini cabin behind business class, it seems quieter and more intimate.

Cathay’s premium economy seats are located in a small, intimate section behind business class (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

Other than the free reign that travelers had on board, everything else was standard procedure. The safety video played as the aircraft taxied to the runway with Boeing employees standing on either side of the taxiway to wave goodbye.

Cabin crew, specially selected to work this important flight, were as gracious and hospitable as can be. And that is not easy on a flight like this one where passengers spend hours wandering up and down the aisles, enjoying cocktails and wine while chatting with other passengers, and poking around all parts of the plane in exploration.

Many passengers donned Cathay’s pajamas distributed prior to take off, which was a special treat since they are typically reserved only for first class passengers.

Cocktail service from two tiered cart (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

Cathay began the first meal service with cocktails delivered from a two-tier cart and warm cashews. This is followed with an appetizer and salad tray. The main course is served from the same two-tier cart with all of the options on display. This is a really nice way to allow passengers to choose their meal since they can see what everything looks like before ordering. A cheese and fruit course follows with cordials and chocolates.

Business class meal on Cathay Pacific delivery flight (Photo: Ramsey Qubein)

Throughout the flight, snacks were available from the menu, and two hours before landing another hot meal was served. Many passengers enjoyed themselves so much that the 13-hour flight passed too quickly– with only a few frequent naps and snacks in between.

Since this was a special experience, Cathay allowed us into the cockpit during flight to chat with the pilots and get a birds-eye view of the Pacific Ocean on this mostly daytime flight. Photos were not allowed, but on landing, passengers were permitted to snap photos of the crew bunks. They are located in the back of the plane up a steep climb of stairs. Having to duck down to pass through the narrow corridor, there are nearly a dozen bunks with curtains for privacy.

Cathay’s crew rest area located over economy seats at the rear of the B777 (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Upon arrival in Hong Kong our shiny new 777 pulled up to a standard gate on arrival, and passengers deplaned like any commercial flight.

Cathay Pacific really impressed us with the detail they took to make this iconic delivery a special experience for everyone involved.

–Ramsey Qubein

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Star Wars invade DEN + United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Secret stash of hidden hotel deals + Big new carrier for ATL+ Roomier widebodies on domestic flights!

Roomier widebodies on domestic flights? We hope so

May 2, 2015

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: United’s new 50,000 mile bonus + Secret stash of hidden hotel deals + The most outrageous luxury suites in the sky +Virgin’s new LAX Clubhouse!

A United 777 takes off from LAX (Photo: Eric Salard / Flickr)

I nearly always book Delta’s big wide 767s for the 4-5 hour nonstops between SFO and Atlanta even though the planes are old, overhead bin space is out of the 1980s, and flight attendants refer to the planes at “Ghetto 767s.”

I love the big wide ride. Delta knows this, too and nearly always charges a premium for those 767 flights.

The continuing popularity of our recent post How to find roomy domestic wide body flights is clear evidence that we’re not the only ones who prize a big wide rides on transcontinental flights.

And luckily, it seems that United is going to add more twin-aisled aircraft to its domestic route map. Is this the start of a trend? We can only hope so.

United said last week that it will take 10 Boeing 777-200s off international routes and deploy them domestically.

While it’s yet to be determined how United will configure these birds, one good thing is sure to come of it: Twice as many seats with aisle access on its transcons. Plus, in the current 9-abreast configuration on United’s 777s, economy seats are 18-inches wide– about an inch wider than those one its narrow bodies.

I’m so tired of flying United’s sad old fleet of 757s across the country (hello SFO-BOS!). They just feel so overcrowded and claustrophobic. Once you are in your seat, it’s tough to get up and move around, while it’s relatively easy on a widebody.

Seasoned travelers prize widebodies “because they offer a smidgen more room to spread out and the promise of a faster getaway on landing. Aisle seats, especially at the front of the cabin, are among those that full-service airlines reserve for elite-level frequent fliers and passengers paying the most expensive fares,” according to a report in Crain’s Chicago Business. It said, “Big jets fell from favor for U.S. operations in recent years as airlines focused on more-frequent jaunts with smaller planes.”

United’s 777s have space for over 300 passengers– nearly twice as many seats as the 737s and A320s United regularly uses for transcons.

United’s chief revenue officer Jim Compton said that the move could help United consolidate three San Francisco-to-Chicago departures on smaller jets that now come within a 90-minute span.

Do you go out of your way to fly on domestic widebodies? If so, on which routes? Please share your secrets below.

United revamps fleet- for the better?

April 25, 2015

United is giving up on 10 new 787-9s it had ordered.

United is giving up on 10 new 787-9s like this one it had ordered. (Photo: Jeffrey S./Flickr)

In announcing its quarterly results last week, United Airlines revealed plans to make some major changes in the makeup of its fleet.

For starters, the airline will swap out an existing order with Boeing for 10 787-9 Dreamliners to 10 777-300ERs instead. United also said it will extend the lifespan of 21 767-300s that had been slated for retirement by adding winglets to them to save fuel; those aircraft will replace some 757s on medium-haul international routes. As nice as a new 777 is, they don’t come with those nice big Dreamliner windows and curvy wings.

Also, 10 of United’s existing 777-200s will be pulled off international service and overhauled to fly regularly scheduled domestic routes — something you don’t see very often with twin-aisle aircraft. (That’s good news for domestic flyers– wider is almost always better.)

And like its rivals, United will continue to pull 50-seat jets out of its United Express fleet — 130 of them by the end of this year — as the industry trend to larger regional jets continues.

ALSO…According to Airlineroute.net, which tracks planned changes in airlines’ route networks, United will switch from single-aisle 757s to twin-aisle 767s on four Europe routes out of Newark, including Berlin starting in June, and Hamburg, Madrid and Barcelona effective October 25 …

>>Take a peek at what you may have missed on TravelSkills.com this week! <<

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Turkish Airlines pinging Silicon Valley (VIDEO)

April 17, 2015

Turkish Airlines inaugural flight with San Francisco mural arrives at SFO (Image: San Francisco International Airport)

This week, San Francisco International welcomed Turkish Airlines inaugural Boeing 777 flight from Istanbul, and TravelSkills was there on the runway to capture the moment. (I was there broadcasting live using the new Periscope app in my iPhone. Are you on it yet? If so, be sure and follow me!)

Turkish is pushing hard for the Bay Area tech crowd, and even created a special livery (above) to commemorate the new flight. The B777 on the route sports a colorful mural of San Francisco in the left side of the plane, and a similar mural of Istanbul on the right side.

The right side of Turkish Airlines B777 is a mural of Istanbul (Chris McGinnis)

>Clearly hoping to appeal to techies, Turkish created a clever riff on HBO’s Silicon Valley TV series with a video (see below) and a sponsored post on BuzzFeed about why SF and Istanbul are two long lost sister cities.

Recent: Is United’s food getting better?

>San Francisco is the carrier’s seventh U.S. destination. It also flies to: Boston, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, and Washington DC. Atlanta is rumored to be its next destination, and it did not go unnoticed on us that the carrier’s newly appointed PR company is located there.

>Turkish is fast growing, with a modern fleet and easy (but crowded) hub in Istanbul. It’s an excellent new option for travelers headed to Greece (one stop SFO-Mykonos!), or elsewhere in Eastern Europe. It’s also competing with the big UAE carriers like Emirates and Etihad for tech travelers headed to India. For example, it competes with Etihad and United for the shortest flight times (21-23 hours each way, one stop) between SFO and Mumbai..

Recent: Brand new(ish) hotel brand in New York, San Francisco

>The flight time between LA or San Francisco and Istanbul is around 12-13 hours depending on winds. From the east coast, flight time is around 10-11 hours.

>On its Boeing 777-300ER serving SFO, Turkish offers 300 economy seats, and 49 flat bed business class seats, but no premium economy, as you’ll find on LAX-IST. All seats are leather and have individual on-demand video entertainment screens at every seat on its 777s. Plus there’s wi-fi onboard and it’s free in business class.

>Turkish is a member of the Star Alliance. Business class passengers get access to United’s business class lounge at SFO’s International Terminal G.

Here’s our previous TravelSkills report on Turkish Airlines in the US.

Have you flown Turkish Airlines yet? What did you think? Please leave your comments below.

–Chris McGinnis

Best photo + United meals + Bid for Virgin upgrades + Delta downgrade + New Asian nonstop for SJC

January 24, 2015

A mesmerizing look at a Delta jet from a window of ATL's Concourse E (Photo: AP Gouge Photography)

A mesmerizing look at a Delta jet from a window of ATL’s Concourse E Delta Sky Club (Photo: AP Gouge Photography)

AIRLINES

Hot mushroom soup and a pretty fruit/chicken salad on a recent SFO-ATL lunchtime flight (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

United improves front cabin meals. February 1 is United Airlines’ launch date for upgraded meal service in United First and United Business cabins on North American mainline flights of at least 800 miles. Transcontinental and Hawaii flights will get a new multi-course meal service with “heartier entrees,” United said, while flights of four hours to five hours and 19 minutes will offer three entree options instead of two. Meal flights of less than four hours will provide breakfast options like French toast souffle or steel-cut oatmeal with yogurt and fruit, and dinner choices like tandoori chicken instead of sandwiches. Also new on certain flights: Cookies baked fresh on board. Starting in March, United said, United Express premium-cabin travelers on flights of at least 800 miles will get fresh meals served on china instead of snack boxes; international long-haul economy flyers will see a new multi-course meal service; and new premium cabin menu choices will be introduced on p.s. transcontinental flights.

Best Photo! Thanks to TravelSkills reader Tony Gouge who responded to the request for plane photos in our recent 6 Tips for Better Plane Pics post– one of our most popular “how to” stories so far this year. Tony said that he used a technique called HDR on this (High Dynamic Range) to get the effect you see in the photo at the top.

Just in: Bomb threat leads to evacuation of Delta and Southwest jets at Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta Airport. Developing story.

Bidding for upgrades on Virgin America. Over the last few months, Virgin America has been quietly rolling out a new program inviting certain Elevate members to bid for upgrades to unsold Main Cabin Select and first class seats about a week before departure. We have learned that Virgin is experimenting with a service called Plusgrade that several other carriers have utilized. Here’s a quick video showing how it works on Air New Zealand. Sounds like a nice idea, but don’t sit around waiting for that email asking for a bid. A Virgin spokesperson told TravelSkills that the program is available in some markets for select flyers only and, “We are testing to see how travelers react to it first before instituting a broader program.” At present there is no way to get on the email list. Have you been asked to bid on an upgrade on Virgin America? Did you make a winning bid? Leave your comments below.

Double points on Virgin. Members of Virgin America’s Elevate loyalty program who register online will earn double points — or 10 per $1 spent — for travel from January 20 through March 31.

A big green Aer Lingus A330 at SFO (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Aer Lingus enhances SFO service. Bay area travelers will be the first to experience Aer Lingus’ new business class service starting January 28 on the carrier’s A330 non-stops to Dublin. The new cabins are coming this year to all of Aer Lingus’ A330 U.S. routes, including New York, Boston, Chicago and Orlando. You can check it out in this Youtube video. Meanwhile, the Irish carrier plans to boost SFO-Dublin service to daily frequencies (from the current five a week) on May 1, and to launch new Washington Dulles-Dublin flights four times a week on the same date.

American Airlines’ new baby. On Friday, American Airlines flew its first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (N800AN) from the factory in Everett, Washington to Dallas/Ft Worth. As part of a massive (and much needed) fleet renewal program, AA has firm orders for 42 more of the efficient widebody. American expects its first 787 to enter revenue service in the second quarter, flying domestically between American’s hubs for several weeks before being launched on international flights.

Delta downgrade? A blogger who specializes in scrutinizing Delta’s SkyMiles program says that Platinum elites are no longer eligible to request upgrades on the airline’s JFK-Los Angeles and JFK-San Francisco routes. The unannounced change would mean that only Diamond-level members can ask for upgrades on those plum routes. Anyone else encountered this new downgrade? Please leave your comments below.

United eyes new aircraft type. United Airlines is reportedly considering switching some of its existing orders with Boeing to an aircraft type not currently in its fleet: the 777-300ER. The carrier is said to be thinking about adding 10 of the planes — Boeing’s largest twin-engine model — possibly in place of some 787s currently on order. United was the launch customer for the original Boeing 777 back in 1995; the company already has dozens of Airbus A350 widebodies on order. What’s your favorite long-haul aircraft type? Why? Post comments below.

20 different biz class seats in 1 room- PHOTOS

A Hainan Airlines Boeing 787 like could find its way to San Jose this summer (Hainan Air)

New China service from San Jose, Dallas. Silicon Valley workers might not have to go to San Francisco International to get a non-stop to China starting in June. That’s when Hainan Airlines plans to begin non-stop San Jose-Beijing 787 flights five days a week, subject to government approval. The airline already flies to the Chinese capital from Boston, Chicago and Seattle. Meanwhile, the trade journal Travel Weekly reports that Hainan has also filed for U.S. approval to begin non-stop service to Shanghai from Seattle and Boston … American Airlines has received Transportation Department approval for its planned Dallas/Ft. Worth-Beijing service, which will start May 7. AA will use a 777-200 for the daily non-stops. (Meanwhile, American is offering double miles for flights to Asia on AA and its partner Japan Airlines, for travel from now through March 20. Online registration is required.) Related: Did you see our story on the new high speed rail line between Beijing and Moscow?

And finally… we bet you’ve never seen a 747 that looks like this one! Take a peek and let us know what you think!

Back tomorrow with more of TravelSkills Weekend Edition!

6 tips for better plane pics

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4 comfortable classes on JAL’s Sky Suite 777

December 2, 2014

Check out the knee room in economy class on Japan Airlines' new Sky Suite 777 (photo: Chris McGinnis)

Check out the knee room (34 inches) in economy class on Japan Airlines’ new Sky Suite 777 (photo: Chris McGinnis)

Japan Airlines is making a big push to win back the hearts and wallets of frequent travelers, and in the US it is deploying its slick new Sky Suite 777 to do so.

Just this week, it added the newly configured aircraft to the busy San Francisco-Tokyo Haneda run, replacing the Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route. JAL also flies the newly configured B777-300ER Sky Suite to New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles.

When I first heard that JAL’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner being pulled off SFO-HND, I thought a downgrade was in store. But in fact, JAL’s new four-class, 232-seat Sky Suite 777 offers much, much more on this lucrative transpac route. JAL’s 186-seat B787 only offered only two seats: an unpopular angled lie-flat seat business class and a standard economy seat.

I learned all about this when JAL threw an elegant reception last month to introduce the new plane to San Francisco business travelers. Under a big tent at the Hyatt Regency near the airport, JAL had seats from all four classes on display.

Here’s what I saw:

JAL’s new business class Sky Suite offers direct aisle access from every seat. This is what you’d see if peering in the window. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

The best part about this new service is JAL’s business class Sky Suite. The 2-3-2 configuration is staggered allowing direct aisle access from each of the 49 seats. This means that the middle seat is now probably the BEST seat on the plane– it has two access points to either aisle, lots of space to spread out and work in near total privacy. (These are the E seats in rows 5-12) Business class seats have big 23-inch entertainment screens and Panasonic noise canceling headsets. There is also On-Air wi-fi throughout the plane. Business class fares between SFO and Tokyo are currently at about $6,000 round trip for December trips.

If $6,000 is too much for your travel budget, you can now opt for Sky Premium economy class. This new class offers an extra four inches of seat pitch, plus seats have fixed backs and slide forward to recline, so you don’t have anyone reclining into your space. (My photos of this seat at the event did not turn out well, so here are JAL’s photos.) Sky Premium economy passengers get airport lounge access (nice!) and priority check-in lines. There are 40 premium economy seats that are selling for about $2,500 round trip on SFO-HND for mid-January trips.

Helpful: How to get from Haneda Airport to Tokyo

JAL’s new Sky Wider economy class seat feels a lot more comfortable than it looks in this photo (Chris McGinnis)

I was very impressed with JAL’s economy class– the new Sky Wider seats feel a lot better than they look in this photo– they are wider than average at 18.5 inches, and offer 34 inches of pitch– roomy by current standards. I’m six feet tall and you can see how much room there is between my knees and the seat ahead in the photo at the top of this post. Entertainment screens are 10.6 inches across (12.1 in premium economy) and there are USB ports for charging mobile devices. Economy roundtrip fares for mid-January trips SFO-HND are currently about $1,200.

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JAL’s spacious leather and wood trimmed first class sanctuary (Photo: JAL)

With the up-gauging of aircraft, JAL brings back a nice first class product on the route. From what I saw at the event, the JAL Suite is a nice wide, leather and wood trimmed sanctuary– one of the largest I’ve seen and with a humongous entertainment screen and Bose noise canceling headsets. But you’ll pay dearly for these seats: On JAL’s website, first class roundtrip fares on SFO-HND are about $20,000 for mid-January trips.

In addition to the new plane on SFO-HND, the schedule has changed. Now, flights depart both San Francisco and Haneda at around midnight– which is great for those hoping to get a good night’s sleep on the flight.

JAL 001 departs SFO at 12:35 a.m. and arrives at Tokyo Haneda at 5 a.m. the following day. What’s nice about this is that flyers can now easily connect to a bank of JAL flights headed to other Japanese or Asian destinations. Plus, if you can get a good night of sleep in on the overnight flight, you’ll be good to go for business meetings in Tokyo on the day you arrive.

JAL 002 departs Haneda at 12:05 am and arrives SFO at 4:15 pm a day earlier– just in time for an early dinner and bed if you don’t get a chance to sleep well on the flight. Or if you are like me and you’d rather stay awake on the flight, enjoy the service and enjoy all the bells and whistles of the plane.

Have you flown Japan Airlines recently? Would you choose the new Sky Suite 777 over nonstop service from other airlines? What’s your preferred airline when flying to Japan? Please leave your comments below.

–Chris McGinnis

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How to find roomy domestic widebody flights

September 16, 2014

Economy class on a United 767 (Photo: United)

Check out all that space in economy class on a big, wide United 767 (Photo: United)

Are the golden days of flying domestically on spacious widebody, twin-aisle aircraft gone? Not necessarily, if you know where to look.

All four major US international airlines — American, Delta, United and US Airways — still operate a handful domestic widebody flights. These big birds are either providing a lot of seats on high-demand routes, positioning planes from hub to hub, offering premium products on valuable flights, or adding temporary capacity for special events. Sometimes widebodies are deployed for short periods of time, like Air Canada’s positioning of a Boeing 767-300ER on SFO-Toronto for four months this winter. Hawaiian Airlines flies only widebodies from the mainland to Hawaii.

Whatever the reason, it’s a bonus for passengers, since widebodies tend to give you more room (or at least the perception of more room) than single-aisle narrowbodies, no matter where you’re sitting in the plane. And internationally-equipped widebodies often offer more robust on-demand entertainment, power outlets, USB sockets, bigger bins and other bells and whistles.

Delta's domestic first class section on a 767-300 (Photo: Delta)

Delta’s domestic first class section on a non-Business Elite 767-300 (Photo: Delta)

Up front on a widebody, you could find a fully flat bed seat à la international business class to stretch out — usually for no extra fee over domestic first. But not all domestic widebodies offer big new seats up front… notably, US Airways’ 767-200s have older cradle-style sleeper seats, and Delta’s domestic 767-300, coded as 763s, have standard domestic first class seats (see photo).

But how do you find them? Savvy travelers know where they are, but the airlines don’t make it easy when hunting for a flight.

One good tool for finding widebody flights is Routehappy, the half flight search, half data source startup that matches aircraft types to flights and scores them by comfort and amenities. (Disclaimer: an author of this post used to work there.)

We asked Routehappy to show us all the widebody planes jetting around the US on a given day: October 1st, in this case. Here’s what they found. Note that the big birds are on not on every flight, every day– just a chosen few. Also, there are no consistent trends showing that airlines price widebody flights higher than narrowbody flights.

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American Airlines

AA’s domestic widebodies are almost exclusively hub-to-hub.

You’ll find DFW-LAX and Miami-SFO flights using a 767-300ER.

LAX-Miami has a variety of 767-300ERs and 777-200s.

And passengers on Miami-Orlando get a nice, wide 767-300ER for the one-hour ride across the Everglades.

Delta Air Lines

Delta’s 767’s flying between LAX and JFK sport Business Elite seats up front. (Photo: Delta)

(Note: Delta recently stopped allowing Routehappy to display its inventory on the site, which is too bad. But we’ve located a few here anyway…)

Delta is the sole remaining airline to fly 767 widebodies (76w) on its transcontinental flights between New York and LAX and upfront on that route you’ll find its Business Elite seats. There’s also a 767 between JFK and Detroit with Business Elite up front.

You’ll also find Delta 767s (with domestic first class) on flights between Atlanta and Las Vegas, LAX, Orlando, Portland, San Diego, Seattle, SFO, Salt Lake City and Tampa. Atlanta to LAX passengers can also hop on the ultra-long-haul 777-200LR, which positions to LA from its ATL home for the Sydney flight.

Hawaiian Airlines unusual front-of-the-plane setup on its A330s has first and premium economy in the same cabin (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Hawaiian Airlines

Hawaiian Air flies both Airbus A330 and Boeing 767s between the mainland and Hawaii– a standout as several carriers are now sending their single aisle planes down to the islands. Hawaiian’s A330s offer domestic style recliners in first class, as well as premium economy (“Extra Comfort”) seating in the fore cabin of the plane. Note: Hawaiian has single aisle Airbus A321s on order that will eventually replace some widebodies from the west coast.

United Airlines

United is the only airline to fly the Boeing 787 Dreamliner within the USA. You’ll frequently find those on flights between Houston and Denver, LAX, and SFO. (The Houston-LAX flights will even get the brand new stretched 787-9 Dreamliner!)

United 767-300ERs jet between Houston and Washington Dulles, Newark and Chicago O’Hare. You can also find them between Newark and Dulles or SFO.

Serendipity intervened last week when TravelSkills editor Chris McGinnis went out to SFO last week expecting to board a United 757 for the four-hour flight to Houston, but ended up in a internationally configured 767 with an upgrade to Business First. 🙂

US Airways

Before US Airways and its rather elderly 767-200 planes disappear — it’s the only US carrier still using the stubby little widebodies — you can find them between Charlotte and Orlando or Philadelphia, and on Orlando-Philadelphia, but less frequently than the other airlines.

What’s your favorite domestic widebody flight? Which ones did we miss in our quick round up? Please leave your comments below!

–John Walton & Chris McGinnis

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British Airways to spruce up its 747s

September 10, 2014

A British Airways 747 prepares for takeoff at San Francisco International (Photo: Angelo Angelo – Flickr)

Good news for passengers used to flying British Airways’ Boeing 747 jets from San Francisco, New York and elsewhere. BA is helping the “Queen of the Skies” age gracefully with plans to outfit eighteen 747-400s with new entertainment throughout, and upgrade seats in the economy and premium economy cabins.

BA admits these “much-loved” planes, which “have a special place in the heart of many of our customers” need sprucing up to compare favorably with the draw of younger birds, such as its big new A380s, 787 Dreamliners, or its shiny new 777s like the ones recently put into service on the Atlanta-Heathrow run.

The big news for passengers, especially those whose travel budgets don’t stretch to the airline’s business class cabin, is an upgrade to the entertainment and power systems on board. BA’s “next-generation” entertainment system will offer twice as much content and a brand new tablet-style interface. BA’s introduced its unusual forward-and-rear-facing business class seats in 2000, but the current version dates to 2006.

Most of BA’s 747s have seen refurbs of the first class section in recent years, and the airline isn’t currently selling the “old” First cabin as First Class. Instead, lucky high-status business class flyers will get to sit in what used to be first class, though they’ll see the business class service. British Airways confirmed to TravelSkills that the very small number of 747s that still carry the “old” first cabin will be withdrawn from service next year.

British Airway’s inflight entertainment getting an upgrade in coach (Photo: John Walton)

British Airways has been concentrating on its inflight entertainment recently, with the addition of content from HBO and the Discovery Channel, with new programming like a “paws and relax” section for the pet lovers, or a video showing the relaxing monotony of the sights you’d see on a Norwegian train journey.

Also in the cards: a full universal (UK, US, EU, etc) power outlet in premium economy, and a USB socket in economy. That’s a big step up from the annoying (and aged) EmPower port in premium economy and a big fat nothing down the back.

As for the seats, unfortunately there’s no upgrade planned to bring the seats up to the standard set in BA’s newer A380 or 777-300ER planes — see here— although the airline will try to make them look similar.

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BA’s premium economy seats (British Airways)

They’ll still be the same seats, but “new seat foams will be installed in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus to increase customer comfort and new style seat covers fitted to improve appearance and match those on the A380 and 787,” BA says.

The refurb is going to take a while: British Airways says 18 refits won’t begin until August 2015, and will be completed a year later, in August 2016. Unfortunately, since the seats are a like-for-like refit, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to tell if you’ll have a refurbished bird when booking.

The airline has nearly 50 747s still in use, though as more Airbus A380, Boeing 787 and particularly Airbus A350 aircraft reach the fleet the older planes (which date back as far as 1989) will be retired. According to Flightglobal, BA will speed up the retirement of older planes as larger 787-9 planes and the bigger A350s start arriving from 2017.

In the meantime, hope is not lost for a more modern experience on British Airways, which has finished taking delivery of a fleet of 12 Boeing 777-300ER planes with new seats and all the mod cons. These new planes started flying on BA’s Atlanta flights just this month. And of course, there’s BA’s new A380s from LAX, soon from Washington, Dulles, and from San Francisco next April.

-John Walton

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Spring Break Warning + United in London + Air New Zealand upgrade + TripIt hack

March 12, 2014

Spring in Portland (Photo Ian Sane – Flickr)

SPRING BREAK. Cold, dark winters back east nearly always lead to very busy, crowded and expensive spring breaks. For example, advance bookings for the rest of March and April at Best Western’s 2,100+ hotels in North America are up 10.4% compared to this time last year. The good news about this year’s spring travel season is that it is spread out over a six week period. That’s because the peak of collegiate spring break will last from now through about March 22. Then there’s a nice long lull until Easter, which comes relatively late this year on Sunday April 20. A late Easter means you’ll find a spring travel “sweet spot” during the first two weeks of April when the college kids have gone home (for the most part) and families have yet to embark on Easter trips. That’s when you’ll most likely find the best last minute deals and smallest crowds.

UAL AT LHR. United says that it will consolidate all operations from London Heathrow (now spread between Terminals 1 & 4) to the brand new Terminal 2, “The Queen’s Terminal” on June 4. The big, bright new terminal will sport a state-of-the-art 22,000 sq-ft United Club and United Global First lounge with floor to ceiling windows, a big spread of complimentary food and bevs and free wi-fi. Eventually, all of United’s Star Alliance partners will move in, too.

Air New Zealand’s SkyCouch seat finally coming to SFO! (Photo: Air New Zealand)

MORE ANZ AT SFO. Air New Zealand will bump up its 7x week service between SFO and Auckland to 10x per week during peak season (Dec-Mar) later this year. The double daily service (Wednesdays, Fridays & Sundays) from SFO-AKL on Air New Zealand will begin on December 12 and conclude on March 4, 2015. Aircraft will be a mixture of the new 777-300 and refurbished 777-200 (when when the current 747 flies away). You’ll only find the popular Premium Economy Spaceseat and Economy Skycouch on the newer 777-300. The 777-200 will offer the Skycouch, but not the Premium Economy Spaceseat. To determine which plane you’ll be on, click on “view full itinerary” when booking on airnewzealand.com.

Lufthansa’s new Premium Economy seat (Photo: Lufthansa)

NEW LUFTHANSA SEAT. Lufthansa is rolling out a new premium economy seat on its long haul fleet. Starting this May, the seat, which offers 50% more space than standard coach, will be available only on Lufthansa’s 747-8 (which does not serve SFO). However, the carrier says it’s entire 106-aircraft long haul fleet (including the A380 serving SFO) will have the new seat by the end of 2015. Upgraded services include meals served on china, headrests and larger personal video screens. With the new seat, Lufthansa hopes that more passengers will upgrade from coach to premium economy versus downgrading from business to the new seat. What would YOU do?

NEW TRIPIT HACK. Mobile travel organizer TripIt is offering a new way for TripIt Pro members to track frequent-flier miles for the four airlines (American, Delta, Southwest and United) that were temporarily unavailable in Point Tracker. To do so, all you have to do is forward your monthly or quarterly points statements from these carriers to points@tripit.com. Using the same proprietary technology behind its itinerary creator, TripIt parses the data from those emails.

DELTA RELEASES AWARD CHART. Delta’s biggest public relations mistake in the rollout of the new rules for 2015 was that it only offered us half the equation. Initially, Delta only told us how much we’d earn… but it did not tell us how much we’d pay for award travel. Irritatingly, Delta said it would release a new award chart – but not until this fall. After a thorough lashing on that point, it released the chart last week. Much to everyone’s surprise, the chart is not much different than before. Instead of three tiers, there are now five. And the best news is that Delta is finally going to offer one-way awards starting at 12,500 miles. It still remains to be seen how easy it’s going to be to get a round trip for 25K or a one-way award for 12.5K. Our guess is that the true lowest tier is will be Tier 2, with lowest domestic round trips at 35K (coach) and 65K (first) and Europe at 75K (coach) 160K (Biz).

PLEASE, RECRUIT YOUR FRIENDS. If you like TravelSkills, would you please tell your friends and colleagues about it? The ONLY way we grow is via word of mouth from happy readers. Like every online publication, we need more eyeballs and appreciate your support. Here’s something you can copy and paste into an email TODAY!

Have you ever heard about TravelSkills—TravelSkills– for frequent travelers? It’s a free local travel blog that I subscribe to. It’s full of helpful news and advice for frequent travelers who live in the Bay Area…just like us. I think it’s definitely something you could use. See “Subscribe” in the upper right margin of the blog, or just sign up right here. Thanks! [ADD: *Your signature*]

–Chris McGinnis

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Boeing 747 flying away from SFO?

March 6, 2014

A United 747-400 enroute to Osaka (Photo: InSapphoWeTrust / Flickr)

Do you love watching elegant Boeing 747s lumber over the Peninsula or the Bay as they approach SFO? Maybe you’ve been lucky enough to occasionally ride upstairs in “the bubble” in business class on the way to Asia or Europe?

Well, enjoy it while you can. As more airlines worldwide opt to retire their 747s and replace them with 777s, SFO will see fewer of this iconic aircraft. The phasing out is already well underway…

Air China is the latest to delete the 747 from its SFO schedule. Last month it replaced the big bird with a 777 on the SFO-Beijing run. It now flies the 777 exclusively between China and the US.

Cathay Pacific has scheduled its last 747 flight between SFO and Hong Kong for August 31, to be replaced by three-class 777 service (economy, premium economy and business, but no first class).

Air New Zealand is scheduled to fly its last 747 from Auckland to SFO in September, having phased in the 777.

EVA Air’s 747s flew away from SFO in 2012 (Photo: Danny Fritsche / Flickr)

EVA Air’s 747 flights flew away in November 2012. And of course, we lost QANTAS’ daily red tail 747 flight back in 2011 when the carrier moved the flight to Dallas Ft Worth.

United, whose SFO-based 747 fleet dominates other carriers’, is on a similar bandwagon. In 2012 the airline announced it would shift its 747 focus to SFO. However, after a year or so, it did an about-face and schedules show it replacing many Asia- and Australia-bound routes with other aircraft.

For example, a new 787 Dreamliner is coming to United’s SFO-Osaka run. On March 27 United will deploy newly refurbished three-cabin 777-200ERs on SFO-Sydney, replacing the 747s it currently uses. (Photos of 777-200 interiors here) The best news about having 777 on SFO-SYD is that coach passengers will soon have individual seatback screens for the 14-hour haul…something the 747 sorely lacked. For the time being, United will continue to fly 747s from SFO to: Beijing, Frankfurt (2x/day), Hong Kong, Shanghai, Seoul and Tokyo-Narita (2x/day).

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A couple of airlines are taking the opposite approach and going big. Lufthansa will fly the A380 from SFO beginning in April and plans to use it year-round…not just seasonally.

Previously the German carrier alternated between a 747 and A380 on the route. And Air France will bring back the behemoth double-decker aircraft for seasonal service on SFO-Paris, April through October.

Business class up in the nose of a Boeing 747-400- coming to SFO this month! (Photo: KLM)

Business class up in the nose of a KLM Boeing 747-400- coming to SFO this month! (Photo: KLM)

But it’s not all bad news on the 747 front. KLM will replace its A330 and MD-11 jets on SFO-Amsterdam with a 747-400 later this month. The very best news is that the 747 will have KLM’s new lie-flat business class seat. A KLM spokesperson told TravelSkills that the 747 would remain on the route “until at least the end of the summer.”

By year’s end, it looks like SFO’s 747 flights will be limited to United, British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Philippine Airlines and China Airlines.

The 777 is seen by airlines as being right-sized for Asia and west-bound markets from the Bay Area due to its combination of capacity, range and fuel efficiency. The 747 family seats 400-500 passengers, depending on airline configuration, while the 777 family’s capacity is in the 300-390 range. The 747, with its four engines, is a fuel hog, and airlines have found it’s more profitable to fly smaller aircraft like the twin-engine, fuel-efficient 777 more times per day if necessary, than a single mega-aircraft flight.

There are other factors to consider in the complex world of route/aircraft strategy, too. When a United route executive was asked why the company was not investing in the new 747-8 to update its 747 fleet, he noted (off the record) that the aircraft is so large that its resale market is limited. If the aircraft/route does not pan out, there is limited opportunity to unload the aircraft in the secondary market. (Likely the same reason United is not buying A380s.)

First class onboard on of Pan Am’s first 747s (Photo: Tim Graham / Flickr)

Boeing’s 747 “Jumbo Jet” made history at its inception in 1970: it was the world’s first widebody aircraft. The manufacturer allowed Pan Am, its inaugural customer, to have significant input in the aircraft design, and the plane’s commercial debut was a Pan Am flight from New York to London Heathrow on January 22, 1970. Since then its distinctive design and upper deck have captured the imagination of passengers. Will Bay Area travelers lose access to this iconic aircraft? Only time will tell.

Does the 747 hold a special memory for you or a preferred experience? Please leave your comments below.

–Nancy Branka

BAT contributor Nancy Branka

We are pleased to welcome Nancy Branka as a contributor to TravelSkills! She’s covered the business travel beat for years as managing editor of Executive Travel magazine and is now turning her talents toward helping keep TravelSkills Readers informed. Nancy lives in the East Bay and primarily flies out of Oakland International– we’ll rely on her to expand our coverage on that side of the Bay! Today she’s jetting across the country on American Airlines’ brand new A321T and will provide a report on her trip next week. –– Chris

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Another spin on the frequent flyer merry-go-round

SFO by the numbers

Shoes + New STL flight + New A321T + Where’s the luv? + T3E cities + Free ice cream

Bikini-clad safety video

Stormy weather slowing you down? Here’s why

What’s next for SFO?

United biz class giveaway + New Chicago flight + MileagePlus deadline + Southwest overwater + Rocketmiles

First look inside United’s new terminal at SFO

New Year. New credit card?

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A look inside Singapore Airlines newest jet (SLIDESHOW)

September 21, 2013

First look at a brand new B777-300ER at Boeing’s slick new delivery center (Chris McGinnis)

Last week Singapore Airlines (SIA) invited TravelSkills up to Seattle to a look inside its new Boeing 777-300ER as it rolled off the assembly line. In the airline industry, this is known as a “delivery.” And when an airline spends $200-$300 million on a new plane, Boeing makes sure that the delivery is a big deal. As a matter of fact, Boeing just opened a brand new, multi-million-dollar, 180,000 square foot “delivery center” for the sole purpose of showing off its jumbo birds at the moment the keys are turned over to its airline customers.

The Boeing name plate inside the front door of a brand new 777-300-ER (Chris McGinnis)

Singapore Airlines flew us up to see the first of eight new Boeing 777-300ERs that are outfitted with its new interiors– everything from seats, lights, lavs, seatback video screens, fabric and trim is “new generation.” Seeing this plane was especially exciting to me because SFO is one of just two cities in the US served by Singapore’s fleet of 777s– the other being Houston. (Its other US gateways are served by A380s.) That means it’s likely that SFO will be the first airport in the US to see this posh new plane in service.

Alas, the beautiful bird I saw was bound for Singapore, and later this month deployed on the lucrative Singapore-London route. And although Singapore officials were coy about my direct questions regarding exactly when SFO will see a next-generation B777-300ER, my hopes are high that it will be sooner than later. Currently, Singapore has eight of the new planes on order, so we’ll see!

On Singapore Air’s B777-300ER there are eight first class seats, 42 business class seats, 228 economy seats, and 8 cozy sleeping berths in the crew rest area (see the slideshow for a peek at this hidden cabin!).

For a full look at this big bird, see the slideshow!

Singapore Air’s new first class seat in chocolate brown leather trimmed in bright pumpkin orange (Chris McGinnis)

Highlights of new first class:

When folded down into a bed, the new seat is a lengthy 82 inches long.

The new seat (designed by BMW Group/DesignworksUSA) is tricked out a sexy chocolate brown leather with a classy diamond-patterned stitching, which is brightened by pops of bright pumpkin orange in the trim, pillows, and inside the multiple cubbyholes used for storage of person items. I loved that!

Inflight entertainment screens seem impossibly large at 24 inches across. In first as well as other cabins, a new notification system is used to communicate flight info to passengers, reducing the need for intrusive onboard announcements.

For a full look at the seat, see the slideshow!

BAT editor Chris McGinnis testing out Singapore’s new business class seat

Business class:

When folded down into a flat bed, the new seat is 78 inches long and 35 inches wide.

Inflight entertainment LCD screens are huge at 18″ across. A new feature on Singapore’s KrisWorld system is the ability to rate the movies you are watching, and see how other SIA passengers have rated them.

Each seat has power, USB, eXport and HDMI ports.

Key for long haul flights is the abundance of personal storage space in various areas in the seat area.

For a full look at the seat, see the slideshow!

Economy class seats have 11.1 inch LCD screens (Chris McGinnis)

Economy class:

The pitch in economy class is the standard 32″. (No premium economy seats.) Seats are made in cool fabric with adjustable leather headrests.

New seatback video screens are giant a 11.1 inches across, plus they are touch screens for easier entertainment selection and viewing. Economy class passengers have access to over 1,000 on demand entertainment options– the same choices found in business and first class. Nice!

Each economy seat has a thoughtful makeup mirror built into the tray table, and special nooks in the mesh seatback pocket for smartphones, tablets and water bottles.

For a full look at the seat, see the slideshow!

While this new 777 was built for Singapore Airlines, it’s important to see because so many other major airlines take their design and comfort queues from SIA. So eventually what you see here is what you might see on other carriers in years to come…

I NEED YOUR FEEDBACK: Do you like the Google+ slideshows I have been posting recently? Is this a good way for me to deliver photos to you? Or would you rather have a standard embedded slideshow? Please let me know which one you prefer!

—Chris McGinnis

United shifting some 747s away from SFO

August 21, 2013

United 747-400s departing Sydney’s Kingsford-Smith airport (Aero Icarus)

United could be watering down its strategy of making SFO its Boeing 747 hub, based on summer 2014 schedules released earlier this month.

For example, starting April 1, 2014, United will switch out its aging 747-400s on the SFO to Sydney and Melbourne flight and deploy newly refurbished, three-cabin 777-200ER’s on the route. It’s also taking the 747 off the SFO-London Heathrow route and will use only 777s. And it’s replacing the 747 on the SFO-Osaka route with SFO’s first scheduled United 787 Dreamliner.

Economy class on United's refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

New economy class Recaro seats on United’s refurbished 777 configured 3-3-3 (Chris McGinnis)

AUSTRALIA: The switcheroo on the Australia flights is good news for economy class passengers who suffer through the 14-hour odyssey to Oz at the back of the plane on United’ old 747’s from both SFO and LAX. The newly refurbished 777’s are more comfortable at the back with a 3-3-3 configuration (vs the 747’s 3-4-3), and individual seatback video screens. United says that the 777s will offer its new satellite-based wi-fi and in-seat power outlets, too. (See this BAT post for a slideshow of the refurb and updated 777 interiors.)

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For those flying in business and first class, the switchover will not be as dramatic– the flatbed seating on the 777 is similar to the 747. But it will be sad lose those nice biz class seats upstairs in the bubble of the 747. That’s one nice ride up there, especially for long overnight flights.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

Upstairs in biz class on United’s 747 (Transworld Productions)

The move represents a significant reduction in capacity on the route—those big ole 747s hold 374 passengers, while the 777s only carry 269, with eight in first class, 40 in business, 117 in Economy Plus and 104 in economy.

With Qantas gone, and United reducing capacity, brace for some painful price hikes for nonstops from SFO to Sydney and Melbourne. Currently, roundtrip economy fares on SFO-SYD are in the $1,500 range, business class is running close to $9,000 and first is around $17,000. Fares typically run cheaper if you are willing to stop in LAX on the way down.

Where are those 747’s going to go? Well, some are going back to Chicago, where United will run the big birds nonstop from O’Hare to Frankfurt, Shanghai, Tokyo-Narita starting next spring. United will also deploy two 747s per day on the SFO-Tokyo (Narita) run. (H/T to Routes Online)

What does this mean for United’s recently announced strategy to make SFO its 747 hub? That seems a little murky at the moment. When TravelSkills asked, a spokesperson would only say: “Most of our 747 flights will continue to operate to and from SFO,” but would not comment on whether these moves represent a shift away from the 747 hub strategy.

Which aircraft would you prefer for the long flight down under… the 777 or the 747? Why? Please leave your comments below…

—Chris McGinnis

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Which Cathay Pacific flight is right for you? (Photos)

May 30, 2013

[pb_slideshow group=”6″]

Cathay Pacific now has a Boeing 777-300ER and a Boeing 747-400 flying between San Francisco and Hong Kong every day. TravelSkills reader AG emailed us for some help on choosing the right flight.

>>Please click thru the slideshow above- click on white circle with arrow on right side of photo<<

Dear Chris: I’m a long time reader of your travel articles on SFGate & TravelSkills. You provide some great insider knowledge of travel all over the world and I look forward to each new story that you post. I was wondering if you could do an update to the story you originally posted about Cathay Pacific’s updated long haul cabins.

In particular I was wondering if you could do an update on their plans on completing the swap out of their fixed shell economy class seating. When will that be finished for the SFO to Hong Kong route?

Cathay Pacific’s fixed shell economy seat onboard its Boeing 747-400 (Tom Mascardo 3)

I am not sure if you are aware how horrible those seats are in long haul economy. There is no recline in the seat shell. This helped keep your personal space as the passenger in the seat in front of you couldn’t recline into your space. But the sacrifice with this design is that when you push the recline button, the seat slides down into the shell pushing your legs out and putting all the pressure in your lower back. Long haul flights in these types of seats are a nightmare for me and plenty of others have complained in reviews that can be found all over the internet.

I’m a frequent flyer on Cathay and I was elated when I heard that they were swapping out those seats.

The question I have is when are they going to swap them out for their twice daily flights out of SFO to Hong Kong and back? I read the Cathay website for information on the new Economy Class and I am even more confused. Some say only the Boeing 777-300ER’s are getting the new seats. But which ones? The ones flying out of SFO to HKG?

I have a trip planed for August and if they still have the old seats, I think I’m going to flip over to Singapore Airlines as my back will not be able to tolerate those old Cathay economy seats on another international flight.

Thank you very much. — AG

Thanks for this note AG! I think you’ll be pleased with the quick response from Cathay Pacific regarding recent aircraft changes on the SFO-HKG route—it now sounds like you have a choice between the fixed shell seat and the newer, more standard model. I’ve heard both sides on this issue… some folks love the protected personal space offered by a fixed shell. But it’s uncomfortable for others. I guess it just depends!

>>Please click through the slideshow above which illustrates the difference between cabins on the 777 and 747.<<

In any case, here’s what I heard from Cathay’s spokesperson Julie Jarratt:

Cathay Pacific now has the new long-haul Economy seats on our Boeing 777ER, which is operated on the night flight from San Francisco (CX873).

A brand new Boeing 777-300 ER at the factory in Seattle (Chris McGinnis)

Regarding the 747, which is our daytime departure flight from SFO (CX879), we are not planning to replace it this year, and it will likely fly next year as well with the current Economy seats your reader refers to.

While we do understand your reader’s frustration, many customers do appreciate the fixed shell back, which generates extra space by preventing the passenger in front from reclining into your personal space.

The 747s serving SFO have been updated with a new personal TV content, a new Premium Economy cabin and refreshed business class product, but will retain the Economy seat for the foreseeable future.

Our recommendation to your reader would be to book CX873 to experience the new Economy seat.

Jarratt added that both Cathay flights from SFO to Hong Kong now have Premium Economy cabins.

—Chris McGinnis

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More United 747’s coming to SFO

December 22, 2012

A United 747 (Photo: United Airlines)

Starting in April of 2013, United plans to turn its San Francisco International Airport base into a 747 hub of sorts.

In an internal memo obtained by TravelSkills, United tells employees it’s doing this to concentrate all the 747 parts, tools and spares at one hub, resulting in a more reliable 747 fleet. Maintenance for United’s internationally configured 767s and 777s will be consolidated at Chicago, O’Hare.

This means in addition to current 747 flights from SFO to places like Sydney, Hong Kong or Tokyo, it will soon be all-747s-all-the-time between SFO and Frankfurt, Heathrow, Osaka and Taipei (starting in Oct). United’s new flights to Paris, which begin April 11, will use a B767.

It also means using 747’s on its Honolulu-Tokyo NRT flight. The 747s on the LAX-Sydney route will remain in place.

While some fliers may consider the 747 the “Queen of the Skies,” many airlines have begun to dump the plane recently in favor of the more fuel efficient Boeing 777 and 787. For example, Singapore Airlines, which at one time operated more 747’s (37) than any other airline, retired the big bird last Spring.

Japan Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Korean Air and Malaysian have already or will soon phase the 747 out of their fleets. British Airways is now the largest 747 operator, with 55 in its fleet. Among US carriers, only United and Delta operate the 747. Delta recently did a nice job re-doing interiors (business and coach) on its fleet of 16 747’s.

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At an average age of 17 years, United’s 747 fleet is getting a little long in the tooth. For business and first class passengers, seats have been upgraded to true lie-flat seats — and it does not get much better than a nice lie-flat seat upstairs on a 747 (see photo above).

But the situation is a bit different at the back of the plane– Unlike its revamped 777s and 767s, there is no seatback entertainment in economy or premium economy classes on United’s 747s. Even United CEO Jeff Smisek has said that economy class on United’s 747s is “unacceptable.”

Brett Snyder, who runs the Cranky Concierge service told TravelSkills: “The good news is that having the 747 operation focused on SFO where maintenance is will help improve reliability. The 747 fleet isn’t exactly the best operational performer for United, and I assume that’s why they’re making this change. The bad news is that coach still sucks. They still have overhead video screens back there and the 3-4-3 configuration isn’t going to be a favorite for many. They say they are putting in some wireless streaming video that people can use on their own devices, but good luck finding a device with a battery that will last all the way to Hong Kong.”

What do YOU think about United’s fleet of 747s? Is a 747 base at SFO a good thing…or not? What’s your preferred bird for transoceanic flights? Why? Please leave your comments below.

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United: 2 new long-haul routes from SFO

July 10, 2012

BusinessFirst seats configured 2-1-2 on United’s 767-300ER

This morning United Airlines broke news to TravelSkills that it will add new nonstops from San Francisco International (SFO) to Paris and Taipei starting next April.

PARIS:

United has not offered nonstops between SFO and Paris-CDG since it shelved the route in October 2005.

“The Bay Area is doing very well right now and we’d like to capitalize on that good fortune, and the Paris route is a good example of how we are doing that. Our corporate clients have been asking for this service,” said Greg Hart, United’s SVP of Network.

Starting April 11, 2013, United will deploy Boeing 767-300ER aircraft in a two-class configuration on the 11.5-hour, 5,600-mile flight to Paris. The revamped 767-300 will offer 30 true-lie-flat BusinessFirst sleeper seats, 49 Economy Plus seats and 135 standard coach seats, but no first class.

Passengers will enjoy United’s new AVOD system, which offers individual seatback video entertainment systems in both business and coach, with hundreds of choices of movies, TV shows and games. All business class seats on the 767 have electrical and USB outlets for charging personal electronics. There’s one electrical outlet per row in coach.

“All of these 767’s were originally configured for mainland-Hawaii and hub-to-hub flying. With the reconfiguration currently under way, the airplanes are getting new seats, new (and larger) overhead bins,” said Hart.

Currently, only Air France offers year-round nonstops between San Francisco and Paris. XL Airways offers summer seasonal flights. Interestingly (and perhaps not coincidentally) just last week United announced that it would shelve its Houston-Paris nonstop in October, which observers say is part of an ongoing spat United has with Houston’s city leaders.

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TAIPEI

United will begin daily year-round nonstop service to Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in Taipei on April 9, 2013, its eighth nonstop Asian destination from SFO. Currently, United flights from SFO to Taipei stop over in Tokyo for about two hours making for a grueling 15-to-17-hour journey.

The new nonstop flights will operate using Boeing 777-200ER aircraft with 269 seats – eight in first, 40 in business (both front and rear-facing, true lie-flat), 104 in Economy Plus, and 117 in coach. As in the recently revamped 767s flying to Paris, all seats in all classes get their own seatback entertainment system on this 777.

There are 40 front and rear facing business class seats on United’s 777-200ER (Photo: Chris McGinnis)

Currently there are two carriers, China Air and Eva Air, offering nonstops between SFO and Taipei. Neither of these carriers are members of the Star Alliance, so United will have a strong competitive advantage among hard-core Mileage Plus fans on the 6,500 mile, 13-hour route. [Update: EVA will soon be a full fledged member of the Star Alliance.]

Have you had a chance to fly on one of United’s revamped B777s yet? If not, take a peek at what TravelSkills saw at SFO’s maintenance base where these 11-13 year-old 777’s are getting their makeovers.

In related news, United announced this week that it will take delivery of its very first Boeing 787 Dreamliner this September, but has yet to divulge a specific inaugural route.Unfortunately, Hart told TravelSkills that there are no current plans to deploy the much anticipated Dreamliner at SFO this year.

Where would YOU like to see United fly nonstop from SFO?? Please leave your comments below.

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20 different biz class seats in 1 room- PHOTOS

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