Tag: flights

B777: UA vs AC smackdown, I mean, comparison

Last week I flew AC1 YYZ-NRT and UA803 NRT-SIN (and vice versa on UA804 and AC2)
Flights on each airline were on similar 777 aircraft.
All my notes below (except the obvious) are for Economy/Plus.

Air Canada

  • 777-300ER, 2 class config: a double Excecutive First lie-flat, then Economy
  • Economy is 3-3-3 seating
  • 18AB and 18JK are great seats because there is no 3rd seat and the bulkhead gives lots of leg room
  • Tight legroom in economy
  • Power ports at 2 out of 3 seats, inc. a USB port
  • Personal TV/IFE
  • All alcohol free
  • Food was better than expected
  • Friendly flight attendants

United Airlines

  • 777-200 premium, 3 class config: lie flat in Global First, lie flat in Business First, then Economy Plus and Economy
  • Economy is 3-3-3 seating
  • 20AB and 20JK are great seats because there is no 3rd seat and the bulkhead gives lots of leg room
  • Good legroom in Economy Plus (but tight in regular Economy, also known as E-Minus :-)
  • Power ports, but no USB port
  • Personal TV/IFE
  • Beer/wine free, but not hard liquor/liqueur
  • So-so food
  • Pleasant flight attendants

Overall, the experience on Air Canada was better, though if I didn’t have the bulkhead row, I’d prefer Economy Plus on United for the extra legroom.

SIN KrysFlyer Gold lounge in T2 at 2:00am

Actually they took away the food at 2am, but not the drinks nor snacks. I just managed to grab a bite before they cleared it, as I had slept through dinner on the plane.
I was the only guest there (it’s open 24 hours) and the have fast Wi-Fi but there was a lot of construction (jackhammer) noise from the terminal

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Let the insanity begin: 2 day mileage run YYZ-NRT-SIN-NRT-YYZ

Won’t even be leaving the airport, as I have a 6 hour room booked inside SIN airport (S$47/US$38 for budget single, i.e. shared bathroom)

19,448 miles round trip.

Interestingly, YYZ now has a Nexus security lane even at the international (non-US) departures, at least in T1 from where AC flies.
The Maple Leaf lounge puts out lunch (and alcohol) at 11am, so I’ll have 15-30 minutes to enjoy that before heading to the gate.

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My “office” perch in TG (Thai Airways) lounge at HKG

Had dinner and a shower here after my half day in Hong Kong yesterday. This is the best of the 3 *A lounges at HKG – the SG (Singapore Airlines) lounge is nice but windowless and equivalent to their Gold lounge in SIN, ie not the full biz lounge I expected bad on the name

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Arrived at hostel in Singapore

Yes it is 2am here. Next flight is in 13hrs to somewhere new!

It only took me 30min from plane arriving at gate to sitting in a taxi. Sweet!

You know that IKEA commercial where the woman yells “start the car”? This was me yelling “stop the car” a few times as he sailed by the address. Pretty funny actually.

And this Hostel is 10x better than the last one on the inside. Lockable room with only 4 beds and power ports and lockers at each bed,  and an ensuite bathroom. And cleaner. For S$30/US$25. Breakie included too.

Arrived in Hong Kong last night

Arrived reasonably refreshed, speeding through the efficient immigration top find all bags already on the carousel.

Quick ATM stop, by an airport express train ticket for HK$90/US$12 from a kiosk and jump on the waiting train.
Alight in Kowloon 21min later and HP on the evening’s last free shuttle that gets me to within a five minute walk of my hotel.