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Back In The Air After COVID 19

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halls120 (Plank Owner) 10 Oct 21, 12:00Post
First trip was STR-FRA-IAD-FRA, in late July. LH 320 on the first leg, and it was uneventful but for the COVID 19 debarkation policy. LH require all passengers to remain seated until called by the crew to stand up and collect their belongings from the overhead. I'm thinking, this will be interesting. Well, everyone was compliant, and as I left the aircraft, I told the purser "you wouldn't be able to get a planeload of Americans to be so docile," and she just laughed. Turns out later I was right. Boarded UA 815, a 767 with a high J cabin. What a great flight - it was my first encounter with real Polaris seats, and the novelty almost made me forget that UA's COVID service reductions was an embarrassment. Return flight was on UA 814, a 767 high J, and this time we actually had a caring cabin crew that kept our plastic wine cups full.

Second trip was first week of August STR-FRA-EWR-RDU-IAD-FRA, and it was a trip for the ages. No issues on the first leg, and same on UA 961 to EWR. Good news was it was my first flight on a 787-10. Nice lavs and slightly wider Polaris seats, especially in the middle rows, and then we arrived at EWR. Oh, well. Sat on the tarmac for 15 minutes in front of the gate until a ground crew could be bothered to show up. Then we waited 75 minutes for the first bag to arrive on the belt, and by the time I retrieved my bag, yes, I missed my connection. Meaning I was able to enjoy all of the wonderful delights of UA at EWR - overcrowded lounges, overpriced food, and surly ground staff. So we finally board the 10pm to RDU, and there's another problem, this time with luggage loading. the pilots were nice enough to keep us advised about the delays, which UA kept claiming in the texts they sent me informing me about the delays that they were caused by "ATC delays." Right. {sarcastic} Arrived at RDU after midnight, first time I've ever used it. Nice airport, but there's just one things. No cabs. As in Taxis. So unless you had an Uber account, you were SOL. Came home through IAD, and when when we landed there, I saw an ominous sign - wide bodies stacked up after landing. Seems that a horrendous band of thunderstorms had passed through earlier, shutting IAD down, so there was chaos in the terminal, and all the departing flights from 6pm to midnight were delayed. Finally boarded UA 814, another 767 high J, and slept most of the way to FRA. The Polaris seats really are good.

Third trip was late August FRA-DUB-FRA on a LH 320. I can't think of a better way to celebrate the end (hopefully) of the COVID pandemic than to spend four wonderful sunny days in SW Ireland.

Fourth trip was FRA-SEA-FRA on a LH 359, the first time on that aircraft for both of us. I had originally booked us on FRA-DEN-SEA-DEN-FRA on UA, but 3 days before departure I saw that the LH direct flight was open we jumped on it, and I was glad we did - it made the trip to and from SEA so much more enjoyable that we didn't have to worry about checked baggage going astray, missed connections, and limited lounge availability in DEN. Plus, we got the better LH service, and since the FRA-DEN flight on UA was a 789 with the old continental J seats, we didn't miss anything. Landing in FRA was hilarious. Because we arrived early, we were directed to a remote stand, and to top it off, the buses and ground crew took time to arrive. So the Purser gave the usual speech about remaining seated, and what was the result? Yes, all the Americans stood up, forcing the Purser to twice tell everyone to remain seated - the second time, he dispensed with the reminder in German, and when straight to English, because of all the Americans who couldn't be bothered to follow instructions.

Have trips to Ukraine and Georgia on the horizon, and who knows what else. It is nice to be back traveling. :))
At home in the PNW and loving it
ANCFlyer (netAirspace ATC & Founding Member) 11 Oct 21, 00:28Post
Great read.

Haven't been on UA in a long time, and never experienced Polaris. Must be better than AAs "pods" on their 788s MrsANC and I flew last year.

UA recently moved those High J 767s off the EWR-West Coast Express flights and replaced them with 757s . . . you got lucky with those. Upgrades everywhere.
LET'S GO BRANDON!!!!
halls120 (Plank Owner) 31 Oct 21, 17:47Post
ANCFlyer wrote:Great read.

Haven't been on UA in a long time, and never experienced Polaris. Must be better than AAs "pods" on their 788s MrsANC and I flew last year.

UA recently moved those High J 767s off the EWR-West Coast Express flights and replaced them with 757s . . . you got lucky with those. Upgrades everywhere.


Thanks to COVID and the PW 777s being sidelined, the High J 767s are all over the TATL map, and I hope it lasts - even though I know it won’t.

The Polaris seats are good - really good. Whoever designed them - major kudos…
At home in the PNW and loving it
 

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