United 777 SEA-NRT First Class

Opening—My friend and I wanted to go to ICN for Spring Break. We were going to non-rev on United out there out of SFO. A week before the trip, the loads just were so erratic, we decided to go for DXB or NRT that weekend and decide last minute.

It seemed out of IAD they were the best open and that gave us both options, IAD-NRT or IAD-DXB. So with that I listed to fly to IAD and meet my friend for the night that was coming inbound from ORD.

March 6th
Cape Air
C-402
MWA-STL

I flew up to STL so I didn’t have to pay for parking at the airport or drive. Faster and convenient and had to meet a friend for lunch. The ride was very bumpy, sold out. All Cape Air flights were sold out MWA-STL. Which is very promising indeed. AA is now putting 2 pilots on each flight for liability issues. Had a nervous flyer on the flight next to me. Poor guy was shaking so bad.

Coming into STL, we were approaching 12R. Out of nowhere, an ERJ for American Connection pulled into the runway we were coming in on, and I went abort the landing..nah, our pilot decided to swing to the left, whether his decision or ATC, and we plopped down on 12L as the ERJ took off. Yikes!

Headed to the Cape Air “gate” and got off to meet my friend for Lunch.

March 6th
United Express—Operated by Trans States
ERJ-145
STL-IAD

I went to the gate to hang around until they called me up for a seat assignment. I was assigned 13A. I pre-boarded the flight and sat around waiting for everyone else to finish boarding.

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Announcement came on saying they couldn’t start the left engine. Wonderful. Everyone and their mother it seemed was surrounding the engine looking and watching, as they tried to start it up. I thought awesome, my first non-rev leg of the day and I am delayed. They spent 40 minutes checking it out before giving us the go ahead. Bout time!

We backed out, and taxied to the runway. Took off and turned left then back right and straightened up to go east towards IAD.

Basic service. Drinks only, no snacks or anything. I just spent the entire time listening to music and enjoying my first ERJ-145 ride. I had sprite to drink, and really smooth flight.

Within minutes, we soon came in for landing into IAD. Flew right over the center as we touched down.

Slowed down and pulled to the side. Got a txt from the friend saying to RUN to get the DXB flight. I just looked out the window as we sat off the runway and thought “ya, not going to happen”

Finally we continued taxing and got to the gate. I did make my way quickly to DXB Gate area but we weren’t able to get on due to authorization issues.

We grabbed a shuttle and headed to the hotel we had booked for the night to start our adventure. We decided to head to NRT either out of IAD, LAX or SEA.

We decided to go for LAX or SEA, both requiring us to get up earlier than the planned IAD-NRT. We took the shuttle to IAD and it seemed SEA-NRT was much more open than LAX-NRT, so we went for SEA.

The A319 scheduled for IAD-SEA had swapped to an A320, which gave us more seats so perfect, we figured let’s go try for NRT out of SEA.

March 7th
United Airlines
IAD-SEA
A320
N401UA

We waited to be called up for seat assignments. We got Economy Plus, which makes the trans con flight a bit more enjoyable.

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We backed out and taxied to runway for take off. Watched the safety briefing, pretty typical. I fly so much I find myself reciting it back to them!

We took off and just headed to SEA. I love doing trans con and like to add them to my flight memory map so I had no problem flying another one.

This was a basic United flight, drink services being free I paid for the Buy-On Board product, which was actually quite good.

I took a nap and slept for the duration of the flight. Still had a long way to go before reaching our final destination.

“Up in the Air” was shown in flight, I already saw it on Delta so I didn’t pay attention to it. It is always cool seeing the scenes from STL in the movie.

After a lengthy 5 hrs of flying, and to think I had more to go to head to NRT..we started the approach into SEA. The approach was different for me so I was interested in watching as we approached it.

We touched down and I saw the 777 to NRT parked at the gate! Hopefully we’d get on it!

We walked to the gate, and my friend went to talk to an agent about LAX-NRT and SEA-NRT. He came back to inform me we would have gotten J Class LAX-NRT. Well shoot! Hopefully we’d get J for SEA-NRT. With the stand-by’s and confirmed seats we were really hoping J would be it.

If we didn’t get J we would just overnight here in SEA and try again the next day.

Amazingly our names were called up to the gate. I was excited we were actually going to NRT! Finally! So, Matt came back and said the agent had to see me to make sure I was following the dress code. We went up, I showed her my clothes, and she asked for my passport and said she managed to get us the last two seats. So I was really happy, and Matt smacked me and pointed at the Boarding Pass.

I looked and read UNITED FIRST. Is this a joke? Seriously? I asked him to read that out loud, then again, yep—UNITED FIRST. Holy ****. HOW did we get that?!

I just looked up and graciously thanked her and we grabbed our bags and got in line to board.

United Airlines
SEA-NRT
Boeing 777-200
N783UA
First Class

We boarded the aircraft and turned left on the plane to head to F Class. I was just AMAZED at the legroom, seat pitch just the entirety of it all.

My friend and I were still in shock and disbelief we somehow managed to get F Class. I was also so excited at the very thought of going on my first international trip ever!

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We got settled, put our bags away, and I was enjoying my 2nd time on the 777, but first time going international, yet in First Class. I was beaming so much, it has been talked about, discussed, I have read the reports, but I had an empty passport and it was begging to be used.

Finally the time had come, and I was on board United Airlines Flight 875 with non-stop service to Tokyo/Narita from Seattle. Doesn’t get any better than this!

My friend and I made last minute calls and texts before we departed to let them know about our itinerary and of course to brag we were in First Class!

My friend explained how it might feel a bit weird for take off, with the seats being a bit odd, not facing straight and more at an angle. It did seem a bit weird to me during take-off but I was just so excited I hardly noticed it!

We were handed the menus at the gate, which I of course kept. I gave her my order and then we backed out of the gate. Finally, we were moving! It was happening, I WAS FINALLY GOING TO TOKYO!!!

CH9 was not on for the flight nor for any of my UA segments. Disappointing but, if that’s the loss for riding in F Class, I am NOT complaining at all!

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Getting rather comfy for the flight!

Drinks and Food service had begun so I took a picture of each as they came around. I was really enjoying it a lot.

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Champagne, and the beginning of the food service!

I had to have coke too so here it is!
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2nd round comes in!
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After that came in, they started the 3rd round, and handed out some kind of tomato soup. Because I literally have a small stomach I physically cannot eat a lot however I wanted to enjoy everything too so I ate a little bit of the soup that came around. Was very good!

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The salad came around and I was getting so full and still had to eat the salad and then the main course! Ahhh, however I ate some of the salad too just to keep up with it.

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Finally the dinner came around, filet mignon!

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My friend’s dinner was chicken and this is what it looked like.
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After that I was entirely stuffed and my stomach was pleading no more. However they came around with desert, ice cream and I was thinking oh god…more for me.
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After that I was done. My stomach was crying I was so full. So I just laid back and relaxed and polished off the rest of the champagne as you saw n my ice cream picture.

After the dinner and desert was cleared, I laid back put my seat into bed position and played my ipod for remainder of the flight and watched the flight map until lunch came around.

Some in flight map pics.
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Really blurry picture of me but I liked it
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About one hour or so into landing, we were asked about our lunch choice. I went for the chicken and rice and such. VERY Spicy, so I wasn’t able to eat a lot.
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Over Japan, coming in soon for Tokyo!

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Here are some pictures from the Observation Deck at NRT

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March 10th
United Airlines
777
NRT-SEA
N787UA

We decided to head back a day earlier due to flight loads. We took the Narita Express going to NRT, wish we had known about it before. Saved so much time and worth the price too!

We arrived at NRT, checked in, went to observation deck as seen above, and then headed through security. We didn’t have to take our shoes off, least I didn’t, a welcome change from how it is done in the US!

We headed to the gate and waited around until they gave us our seat assignments. There was a woman standing around huddled close to he gate trying to see the seniority list, and it just drove me bonkers. She got J like we did too.

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We boarded with others to our J Seat. J Class was pretty open so we stretched out, but remained in the middle of the 777.

Since this was a red eye and I was in the middle of the plane no pictures were taken inside, nor did I really care about the J Service.

They came around and passed out the menu’s I didn’t get my choice, which as a non rev, no big, but it seemed they ran out very quickly of the 1st choice. No facts just an opinion.

Service was good, I skipped desert because I was so tired.

I put on my ipod and went to sleep, waking up periodically. We had a VERY large tail wind really pushing us forward.

I woke up in time for breakfast starting, and had the eggs but I didn’t find it to be too good.

We started the approach into SEA, quite bumpy actually. Flaps came out, and gears came out, and then we came in for landing. Ahh it was great to finally be home back into the US!

We made our way through passport. Cleared and went through fine. We decided to continue onward to DEN on F9.

March 10th
Frontier Airlines
A319
SEA-DEN

We got checked in for F9 SEA-DEN. I was quite excited, I had never flown Frontier. We got Seat Assignments at the ticket counter, but we got confused by something on my friend’s boarding pass. So we went through security and headed to the gate to inquire about it.

She grabbed the boarding passes from us, looked and explained it was ok and moved us up to STRETCH seating! Not bad! That was certainly appreciated!

We boarded, and sat in row 3. The F/A’s did their briefing and we backed out and headed for the runway to take off for DEN.

We took off, and I turned the flight map on but you had to pay for it like everything so I didn’t watch TV. Not that it was useful, no subtitles.

Time flew by quickly, in flight service was pepsi products so I had pepsi.

Before we knew it approach for DEN was happening and we landed in DEN.

We overnighted in DEN.

I then flew F9 home again next day DEN-STL same service as SEA-DEN, and then Cape Air STL-MWA. I was finally home!

Alex

Nice trip report! Can't beat a trans-pacific flight in F class! So, did you enjoy Tokyo?

Wow, that's cool. I've taken N783UA into Tokyo as well. That was the only time I wasn't in economy class during a flight, but then again, I don't know if Economy Plus counts...

By the way, VERY interesting read. :borat:

Nice report and pics Alex, congrats on your very good luck on getting F on a 3 class airplane International. As someone who has been nonreving International for over 25 years I want to share a little feedback so you will probably even appreciate your good fortune even more.

When it comes to non revs on transatlantic and transpacific flights their are 3 kinds of carriers.

Many foreign carriers will not upgrade non revs to Business, even their own employee's, and often will not even upgrade rev from Y to J so the non revs can at least travel. As an example have heard 2 similar stories from friends trying to non rev on JAL and Qantas. Over 60 open seats in J and F and flights departed full in Y with no non revs, they refused to comp upgrade rev paxs for the non revs to get on in Y.

Then their are carriers like my employer US. We don't fly transpacific but if J is open to Europe it is $100 each way. If you where on a buddy pass with or without an employee and you had purchased an upgrade and seats in Envoy where open you could travel up their. If coach was full, Envoy open and you did not have an upgrade the flight in most cases would depart without you. Might seem cruel but it is Business. This also applies for our own employees.

Then their are the good guys, DL and UA. (AA and CO it seems to vary). What happened to you seems to be standard practice at DL and UA, although I think had they had more time in SEA they might upgraded two J rev to F and put you in J. Since it sounds like it was the end of boarding and you got the last 2 seats it made more sense just to put you guys in F.

I hope that was interesting?

Cheers

LGA777

Golf Tango-I did enjoy Tokyo! It snowed about an hour when I was in downtown. The Trains are fun to ride, language is so interesting and I enjoyed the food, for the most part!

Heeshung- Thanks for reading and commenting! Certainly had a great flight on UA!

LGA777-Indeed it's interesting. I had heard DL was very giving in letting folks ride up front when possible. We know there were 11 SB's listed for F all above me and my friend, seniority wise. Then everyone moved to J, there was no one listed and we were the only ones left, also happening to grab the last two F Seats! Was a miracle almost! Hahaha I would have been just fine riding J out there!

Alex

Very nice report Alex, I know exactly what you mean, the feeling of being half relieved - half awestruck when the UNITED FIRST ticket gets slapped down on the counter - especially after all of the worrying that generally accompanies non-rev flying (ala your DXB miss). Also interesting to compare the F loads on such a flight to some of the higher freq. UA routes (PS Service JFK - LAX or SFO; IAD - SFO) which are essentially only occupied by non-rev passengers, depending on the weekday & time of year. In an F cabin of 16 seats on a JFK-SFO trip this past August, there were 2 revs and 14 standby!

Also, the systematic ranking network that UA maintains to rate priority of retirees over current employees, although very straightforward, sometimes can 180 your luck in five minutes or less. I believe each year of service held by a retiree is given a weight of .65 or .75 (it may have changed recently) in the system, and current employees stand 'as is' although there may be more weighting factors. If one or two 'more eligible' employees jump onto the queue, it can mean the difference between F and Y. Good to see you got some shots at NRT & made it back without waiting for multiple flights :borat: