Sydney Kingsford Smith

I decided to make a quick visit to the RCC to see if it is already closed or still open. But it was closed and we were told to use the Air New Zealand Lounge. This off course is the nicer lounge. Unfortunately this means it is a lot more crowded at this time, when the flights to the west coast leave. So the lounge was really full. A representative of United was on duty in the lounge and took care of the passengers flying United. She exchanged the boarding passes of NZ to this of UA. I took a seat, enjoyed a cup of cappuccino and a glass of water and relaxed. The two United flights were right below the windows of the right part of the lounge and UA 840 to LAX left some minutes after I entered the lounge.

As boarding time had passed a call was made and requested the passengers to board the aircraft. It seems they majority of the Economy passengers had already boarded the aircraft as there no queues and not that much passengers anymore in the gate area. Luckily there was no such a restrictive additional security check before we could enter the gate area than in August 2006. There was and additional check of passports and tickets, but and I saw passengers get randomly selected for an additional check of hand luggage. 

21 February 2008
SYD – SFO
[Sydney – San Francisco]
UA 870 (United); Boeing 747-400 (N177UA)
Gate 56
16:15 – 10:35 [effective 16:05 – 10:40]
Business Class
Seat 17 A

I entered the plane through the first door, since they used only one bridge in Sydney to board the aircraft. I was greeted and told that my seat was on the upper deck. I passed the lower Business Class cabin and headed to the stairs. The most seats in the upper deck were already taken and I stored the things I would need during the flight in the seat pockets and the compartment between seat and window. A flight attendant took my carry on and stored them and also took my jacked to hang them in the wardrobe. A pre departure drink was offered, a selection of orange juice, water and sparkling wine.

Amenity Kits, blankets, pillows and headphones were lying on the seat, while menus were distributed after all passengers had taken their seat on the upper deck cabin.

The safety demonstration was done by the flight attendants right at we pushed back. We had to wait some minutes on the tarmac after we were pushed back and before we taxied to the runway. During this time we were asked for our main course and the second choice if the first one was no longer available. We were addressed by name on this flight.

Finally after we taxied quite a bit we reached the runway and wheels were up in the air at 16:15 and we climbed into the cloudy sky above Sydney.

Seat belt signs remains turned on a little bit longer than on NZ, well quite some five minutes or so and we were told to buckle up all the time during the flight. The captain expected some minor turbulence during the flight and would turn on seat belt signs on again if necessary. He expected an on time arrival in San Francisco.

Pre dinner drinks were offered twenty minutes after we took off and I opted for tonic water. A selection of hot nuts was offered as well. I chatted a bit with my seat mate, who was a helicopter pilot and fire fighter. He commutes between Australia, California and Greece, depending on the time of the year. He was now returning home, which was California as far as I understand him.

After an hour flight time meal service started and our tray table were laid with linen. This time it was laid, we do not have to do these ourselves. The meal service was done beginning at the end with the rows 18 and than down the upper deck. It had been the other way on the flight to Sydney, where they started with the front at went back in direction of the stairs.

Here is the written menu on this Transpacific flight to SFO

The first course was served on the tray. The selection of rolls was wider than on the other flight, since we could have garlic bread, French rolls and rolls with. Wine or other alcoholic beverage was offered. I had a glass of the Californian Chardonnay. I had asked which white wine was available and was shown the two choices of the Californian wines. I am not sure, if one of the other two white wines from France were available was well, I did not ask, since I wanted to try the Californian anyway. I was offered to try both, but I decided to go with the Chardonnay. But this crew was probably better than the crew from my flight out of Los Angeles. I was addressed several times by name and they were in general more attentive during meal services. Refills of wine were done frequently and the most time they remembered which wine we had.

I had the chicken as main course. The food was okay, also better than on the flight out of LAX. The portion was of medium size, but I am not that hungry on a flight, especially since I had another three course meal only three hours ago.

For dessert I went with the hazelnut meringue, which was a bit disappointing, since it was really small and did not taste that much like hazelnut. A glass of port and a cup of coffee were offered together with dessert.

The trays were cleared after roughly 70 minutes and after a quick visit to the lavatories I reclined my seat and listen a bit to the music. Channel 9 and also Channel 10 were not available during the flight. The other channels were a bit disturbed. Compared with the other flight, the quality of the entertainment system was better. Okay, one could not compare with SQ, NH or even the newer TG planes, but better than nothing. It is only a bit disappointing when the already limited selection is more limited by some programs not working or working properly. So I read a bit in my book and then decided to try to get some sleep.

Unfortunately I did not really sleep well and got altogether only three hours of sleep in intervals no longer than 45 minutes. So I finished at least one book and read a bit in the Australian Newspaper. During the flight glasses with water were distributed, but not in that frequency than on the night flight out of Los Angeles.

The lights were turned off during the flight and we were requested to close the window shades.

The flight itself was a bit bumpy and seat belt signs were turned on quite often during the flight.

100 minutes prior to landing the light were turned on again and it was time for the breakfast. I had smelled the scent of coffee some minutes earlier.

Tray table were again laid with linen and we were asked what our choice for breakfast was. I decided to go with the fruit instead of the omelet. The fruits were indeed okay, but I did not feel that hungry and skipped the (packed) yoghurt. Coffee and Tea were available, but I noticed passengers requesting alcoholic beverage and as far as I notice got them. The passengers, who opted for the omelet got them brought by another flight attendant, they came not with the tray.

The crew was again very attentive during breakfast service. Trays were cleared after app. 45 minutes individually, meaning the flight attendants took the trays away if one had finished.

The crew prepared the cabin for the landing, brought us our jackets. The captain came with a last weather update and we touched down in a rainy and cloudy SFO at 10:28 local time. We had to taxi quite a bit to reach our gate at the international terminal. So I got some nice views on an ANA 777 and other planes.

We reached our gate at 10:35 and could deboard the plane through the front door. I headed for immigration, where the lines for visitor were empty and no one was queuing, so I was trough immigration and the usual questioning quite fast and headed for the terminal. I asked for the arrival lounge and got opposite to some other flyertalkers a quite good description how to reach it.

I was asked for some sort of card, but did not have them. So she reconfirmed and took my boarding pass and I was in the shower just seconds later.

I hurried up a bit, since my flight was about to board at 11:40 and I had to pass security once again. As I was back in the lounge, I asked to put my paper ticket on the newly printed boarding pass in SYD. I was told my flight was delayed but should go up anyway. I was issued a day pass for the RCC, although I was more than sure, that Star Gold on LH got me access without this permit. Anyway, I thanked and went for security.

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