United Airlines

[larus]

Why anyone would choose an American Liner is beyond me, Flown US, American, Continental and Delta, with the exception of Delta they were all poor.

The Merger may help improve things...

That's a relief. I'm flying Delta on Sat (luckily, I've wangled business class with a flat-bed). Out there for about 3 weeks for work. There was a big jump in costs from Virgin to Delta; maybe different if I'd booked earlier.

 

[GingerBeerMan]

We used to fly Delta from Atlanta down to our place in Orlando & never had any trouble with them (maybe this was because it was internal?). The staff were especially good the year our son threw up all over me just before takeoff; the stewardess helped clean him up with my wife, & an off duty stewardess gave up her seat for me to sit in instead of a puke covered one. While I was changing my t shirt the pilot even came down to see if we were all ok & took my son up to the cockpit for a few minutes (pre 9/11 this was)
United & AA though are an entirely different matter.....

Out of interest what's the policy of identification for internal flights in the USA? Do you still need your passport or is any form of ID ok? Also how did 9/11 effect internal flights in terms of security controls? Thanks

 

[Munkfish]

I have ploughed into two Virgin Stewardesses this year already. Both absoulte sorts.

I would fly with them for this reason alone, might even be upgraded. off to Vegas next year for a friends stag doo. Fingers crossed the best men do the decent thing and book virgin flights.

 

[hart's shirt]

Flew Emirates yesterday to Houston from Dubai.

16 hour flight - 4 seats in the middle row to myself (the unofficial economy class bed) - excellent ICE (Infomation Communication Entertainment) system - great airline food - economy price luxury.

Having made the trip return trip twice before this year with Emirates, I'd never consider a US carrier.

 

[Wardy]

The plus side of having more senior crew on North American Carriers: In a potential emergency situation, who would you rather have taking care of things? Those who have years of experience under their belts or one of Bransons young trolly dollies?

Out of interest how many emergency situations do you think they have? I am not sure what the length of service someone as is going to do to help if my plane is about to crash land.

 

[Raleigh Chopper]

Flown United twice. Heathrow- Chicago- Vegas
Heathrow- LA- Hawaii.
Both times was absolute crap. Nothing worked (except the plane) the food was awful and the staff rude.
Hawaii back to blighty is a long time on a crap flight.

 

[Peever]

Never done long distance flight with an American carrier though done plenty of national flights and had little issue. When I fly long haul I book with Canadian airlines or international carriers and things are good. My parents flew AA to Australia a few years back and it was terrible. Still had the PULL DOWN movie screen for everyone......thats how old the plane was lol

 

[Arun1664]

I work for a US company who insist we book with US carriers & United are their preffered option. United start with a poor offering and then take it to a whole new lower level by providing crap service on top, why anybody would spend their own money with them is beyond me. They treat their economy customers as SLF. All of the US Carriers I have flown with are poor, United are the worse, bloody glad I dont travel so much now.

 

[Kinky Gerbil]

I have ploughed into two Virgin Stewardesses this year already. Both absoulte sorts.

I would fly with them for this reason alone, might even be upgraded. off to Vegas next year for a friends stag doo. Fingers crossed the best men do the decent thing and book virgin flights.

Yeah, I work for virgin. Absolutely the perk of the job

 

[omgitsjames]

yeah United sucks. Though when I flew virgin, the IFE didn't work during the flight there and back.

There are some good US airline companies but the domestic (flying within the USA) experience will always suck.

 

[Jim in the West]

Booked flights to LA recently - American was over £100 cheaper than BA or Virgin. There's a reason for that! (PS: I did NOT take the cheap option).

 

[The Lemming Stomper]

I have ploughed into two Virgin Stewardesses this year already. Both absoulte sorts.

I would fly with them for this reason alone, might even be upgraded. off to Vegas next year for a friends stag doo. Fingers crossed the best men do the decent thing and book virgin flights.

 

[TWOCHOICEStom]

Flew American Heathrow-Dallas and it was similar. The plane looked like it was 1985 which is about when the stewardesses might have been moderately attractive. Not a patch on Virgin.

 

[Dave the OAP]

American Airlines are no better either packed in, woeful entertainment and you have to pay for everything and as for the stewardesses horrible.

Really? I have flown American a few times and have no complaints at all

 

[Seagull58]

Out of interest what's the policy of identification for internal flights in the USA? Do you still need your passport or is any form of ID ok? Also how did 9/11 effect internal flights in terms of security controls? Thanks

I flew several internal flights in the 2 or 3 years after 9/11 and without fail I was pulled for the "random" security check at the boarding gate. Non US citizens have their boarding cards marked with SSSS (or at least they did at the time) and the policy was to "randomly" check all foreigners. Caucasian Brits are much more likely to be terrorists than US citizens, don't you know?

 

[Racek]

im confused WTF has it got to do with nurses?

American Airlines are fine. Its just you being a prick.

 

[Arun1664]

Flew American Heathrow-Dallas and it was similar. The plane looked like it was 1985 which is about when the stewardesses might have been moderately attractive. Not a patch on Virgin.

For the geeks among you the old MD planes and Airbusses seem to have sort of VIN plate in the front door surround that has the date of manufacture on it, I used to fly NW quite a lot & the age of some of their planes was scary. Never worked out where the Boeing one is.