ORD to HKG the VERY LONG WAY (9 segments, 6 F-segments, 5 *A partners)(Outbound)

[ORDnHKG]

This is actually taking part in November/December 2011. Since I had reached my requirement for UA/CO 75K platinum or new premier platinum for 2012, I had decided I can do another F trip with my miles. (I hadn't do any int'l F since my OZ F trip to HKG back in 2009)

I had done SQ, UA, NH, OZ (2), all in F, and they are all going thru pacific. I had always wanted to do a trip thru Europe with European *A carrriers. The matter of fact is going to HKG with LH that means I will be on that old seat on the upper deck of 744 with 2+2 seating, which I am no fan of, I always believe F on 744 should be at the nose no matter what. And LX seems like hard to find any seat in F to HKG as well. Until I read from FT, LH has new F on the 380, and the new F on the 744. The new F on LH 744 is something that is totally unheard of, a seat and a bed, yes, that is a real bed, not a seat turn into a bed. With that totally caught my attention. I mean there are F I want to try, like SQ R on the 380 (which is basically forbidden with UA miles), or EK F on the 380 (which UA ended the relationship with EK not too long ago, plus they require huge amount of miles if I want to do US>HKG) LH F on the 380 is interesting too, but other than a bigger bathroom, I can't see any new innovation regarding the cabin and the seats, certainly no wow factor. But on the new F on the LH 744, there is certainly wow factor there.

With the thread on the LH forum about which plane has new seats, I can see out of FRA, there are over 80% of the time HKG and KIX has new F on the 744, so I had decided to do a search on co.com.

With the merger of UA and CO, after combining accounts and status match, one good thing anyone can say is with CO, I can just simply search award availability on their own site, rather than with UA, all I can do is call and call, and hopefully find a good agent that would be really patient, look at all different routings day by day, and that would means hours on the phone.

For some reasons, doing a search on CO if it is ORD to HKG, it would only show routings going thru pacific. However, since i know there are a lot more flight going out of JFK or IAD to Europe, I decided to do a search JFK-HKG instead of ORD-HKG. When I was searching at the beginning of November, couldn't find anything for FRA-HKG in LH F all the way til January, but there is LH F FRA-KIX on 744 in a single date on Nov 28, and JFK-FRA, there is LH C on the 346. Outbound seems good, so I decided to do a search for inbound, I usually go back to HKG for about 3 or 4 weeks each time to visit my parents, so the inbound should be right on christmas or after christmas if I depart around Nov 28. I couldn't find anything at all for the return end of December, and that would be a problem.

After that I had decided to do a search for chinese new year, which I found a routing that would work both outbound and inbound for stay about 3 weeks.

VS C JFK-LHR 346
TG F LHR-BKK 744
TG F BKK-HKG 744

LH F HKG-MUC 346
LH F MUC-ORD 343

While outbound sounds good to me, especially with VS, I can never try that before the UA/CO meger, not to mention VS had just discontinue the partnership as of 2/14/12. The inbound is not really something I would want at all, both segments would be old F, and I couldn't try out FRA FCT.

A FT friend of mine told me he is going ORD-BKK-ORD in F before christmas, but he is doing ORD-BKK thru pacific, and BKK-ORD thru europe, so I thought he is doing RTW, but instead he told me he booked it as two one ways F. I know I can do it but I had never thought about this at all. Maybe I can actually use CO miles for outbound, and UA miles for inbound, since they still have separate systems for reservations.

With LH FRA-KIX in mind, I finally decided to call up CO and see about the routings, since it wouldn't cost me a dime to ticket a reservation on phone with CO as I am platinum. The agent did see the routings JFK-FRA-KIX, and she also told me there is NH C KIX-HKG available, but that would only leave me one hour connection in KIX. I am a little nervous about it, which she found me a routing going thru BKK on TG in C. I did ask about SQ F for JFK-FRA before SQ's 744 being phase out but to no availability. After that she was trying to help me how to get to JFK from ORD. There are some ORD-EWR routing available, but she actually found a better one and I don't need to tug my bags from EWR to JFK, and that would be UA ORD-IAD-FRA. I also asked her for the return HKG back to ORD, but she can only find one leg but not the other, so I have used 70K miles, and tax for $73.80

UA C ORD-IAD 777
UA F IAD-FRA 777
LH F FRA-KIX 744
TG C KIX-BKK 333
TG F BKK-HKG 747

Further investigations, I am going to have 9+ hours layover at KIX, researching hotels near KIX was like $200, and I have no desire to wander around the city for a whole day without any proper rest, so since I will be flying TG anyway, I look up at co.com once again to see anything available for NRT-HKG. To my surprise there is HND-BKK available in F on TG's 77W, so I just need to find a way to go KIX-HND. There wasn't many options available thru CO, and it seems for some reason CO can't see any seats for the flights that are operated with SFJ (StarFlyer), and I would still have a long layover at KIX but a little shorter. CO agent did say if I can do ITM instead of KIX, there are options with shorter layover time, but the thing is I have to do the airport limosine from KIX to ITM. After I look it up to see how much is the much ticket, it seems like it is ok at 1900 yen. So I end up with

11/28 UA C ORD-IAD 777
11/28 UA F IAD-FRA 777
11/29 LH F FRA-KIX 744
11/30 NH Y ITM-HND 772
12/1 TG F HND-BKK 77W (redeye)
12/1 TG F BKK-HKG 747

The outbound is done then I call up UA to see what I can do with my inbound. I specifically ask for F on LX/LH, and C on SK (last leg Europe to ORD) To my surprise the agent found LX F HKG-ZRH, but I have to leave on Dec 25th. I am ok with that as I know LX F is very hard to find. The UA agent came up a routing for me also 70K miles with $89.80 in taxes.

12/25 LX F HKG-ZRH 343
12/26 LX C ZRH-MUC AR1
12/26 LH F MUC-ORD 343

I wasn't paying attention to the connecting time at ZRH, as I found out there was only 55 min connection, which was way too close in my opinion. By the time I called back, they said if I change ZRH-MUC to a later flight, I might lost LX F HKG-ZRH all together, so I just go for it and finger cross it wouldn't have a snow storm in ZRH at that time.

I got TG'ed !

I got all my seat assignments with UA, LH, TG, NH, and LX, and UA ORD-IAD in new C, UA IAD-FRA in old F, LH FRA-KIX in new F, I decided to print out my itnerary with all my seat assignments after a few days. To my surprise, when I log in to my CO account, it said on the top there is schedule change. There wasn't any schedule change, but my booking class for TG HND-BKK got changed from O to I ! I called up CO immediately and asked why is that ? Then she said it is now a 2 cabin aircraft but still a 777-300ER. I know it is not possible, as TG's 777-300ER only has one config, the only 2 class 777-300 would be the non-ER ones. I called TG and doublecheck with them, and they confirm it is now changed to 777-300. No one call or email me, do they really expect I would show up and expect a downgrade from F to C ? TG told me there is nothing they can do, but they told me there are F seats available on NRT-BKK the next day, but they are not doing anything for me as I book thru CO, they told me I have to call CO if I want to change to F on NRT-BKK.

I looked up CO.com, there are F available on the morning 77W as well as afternoon 77W, but now that means I have to overnight in NRT in order to get the F on the 77W, and also overnight in BKK. With the overnight in NRT, that means it is a stopover . I called up CO to see what I can do, the agent said now I have to split into two awards as one way award doesn't allow stopover. So now it become a 67.5K F award US-Europe, and 37.5K F award Japan-South Asia. The overnight doesn't cost me a lot, but it is the extra miles. The only thing that would motivate me to do it is the TG F Rimowa amenity kit ! It is one of a kind, I always want it, ebay was always selling for over $100, none of my friends want to give theirs to me, I already missed it when they had it on LH, and I know TG change their amenity kit frequently, if I miss this time with TG, I don't know if I can ever have it. I had decided to go for it, but now I had to change for NH flight to ITM-NRT instead. NH only have two flight available for this route, one is the morning 77W and the afternoon 320, I can only do the afternoon 320 as I have to take the airport limosine from KIX to ITM, luckily there are seats available. And here is my final routings



Final Itnerary

Outbound
11/28 UA C ORD-IAD 777
11/28 UA F IAD-FRA 777
11/29 LH F FRA-KIX 744
11/30 NH Y ITM-NRT 320
12/1 TG F NRT-BKK 77W
12/2 TG F BKK-HKG 744

Inbound
12/25 LX F HKG-ZRH 343
12/26 LX C ZRH-MUC AR1
12/26 LH F MUC-ORD 343

[SQDoubter]

Wow that sounds like a big trip. I am envious of how little miles and cash you had to fork out for that. Maybe I should be banking my miles to US carriers.

[SQflyergirl]

Sounds like a great trip . Look forward to it

[9V-SIA]

Nice to have a TR from the US of A

[ORDnHKG]

For some strange reason, and this is not the first time, I can't do online checkin just because my Hong Kong ID don't have an expiration date ! Anyone that have a Hong Kong ID know about there is no expiration date with it, we only change ID when the government announce certain people born within that few years have to change it by certain date, and it is very random, it maybe 5, 6, 7, or 10 years. With that, I can only checkin at ORD. It was smooth and my bags were tag all the way to KIX, it won't tag to NRT even though it is a same ticket, as I have to claim my bags at KIX and take the bus to ITM for ITM-NRT.

Up until the day before departure, I know for sure the 777 for ORD-IAD always show new config, and the 777 for IAD-FRA show old config on the seat map. I was keep searching for anyway around the old F on IAD-FRA, as even though it would still recline to a horizontal flat position for sleeping, but I don't really feel I want to use those tapes for movies anymore ! However, my other options would only be LH C, and that is even worse. I did check ANA tool daily hoping for SQ F JFK-FRA to open a F seat last minute (that's how I score a SQ F seat SFO-HKG-SFO about 5 years ago), but I was totally out of luck this time.

At checkin at ORD, the agent was able to print my boarding passes for all 3 legs, even on the LH leg. However, it seems like it was kind of odd that for IAD-FRA, I got changed to 2K from 2A, and I also remembered old config 777 doesn't have K seat, it is always A-EF-J in F, only new config is A-CH-K in F. So I was thinking was I getting lucky old config got swapped to new config ?




New UA sign



New United Club sign at B6



Christmas decorations at ORD T1



UA IFL at ORD, the entrance is hidden next to the Customer service desk to the right by C18



Would that be better if the letters are in gold instead of white/silver ? It can barely see it.



Even though per *A rules, access to F lounge must be departing int'l on a same day in the local airport, but I have no problem to gain entry with my IAD-FRA F boarding pass, UA always protect its own customers. I did ask about my 777 for IAD-FRA to see if it is indeed new config, I was told yes, it was a really big relief. At the desk, they also put out the T-mobile wifi card, so that you don't need to ask for the agent to get in, and I grab a bunch just in case if I need to use for other times at RCC (UC).

The lounge seems busy, as in the morning after the PVG flight, there are still HKG, PEK, and NRT flights all leave within the several hours. I had been here before, and certainly nothing has changed.

There are the self serve alcohol beverages, nuts, assorted breakfast breads.



Some mints, instant noodles soup bowl and instant miso soup. I grab one of the noodle soup bowl so to save the money for dinner in Hilton Narita.



Some shrimp and sushi inside the fridge, doesn't look very fresh.





Beers, can sodas and juices as well as bottle water all in a fridge.



Some cheese cake squares as well

[ORDnHKG]

They still have the very old tea pot from the 90s ! However, I want one of these, as I know it will certainly be gone soon.



So I made myself a continental breakfast with desert.



There is a door inside the lounge if the plane park at C18, it can go directly inside from the lounge.

[ORDnHKG]

Date: 11/28/2011
Flight: UA 283
Route: ORD-IAD
Aircraft: 777-222ER
Reg. # N217UA (2817)(XQ) new config
Gate: B16
Class of Service: Business class
Seat: 6A
Load: 40/40
Schedule departs: 1:08pm
Schedule arrives: 4:08pm

[ORDnHKG]

Since when did UA in C for this route got cut to only a pack of snack mix ? Don't even have the snack basket ? I guess it is only for F then, but a pack of snack mix in C is just unacceptable, given that they still sell C, it is not like C sell as Y like AA for domestic routes.

[ORDnHKG]

LH Senator lounge and Business lounge at IAD





When I showed my UA F boarding pass to the agent, I was wellcomed to the Senator lounge to the right of the desk, the business lounge was downstairs, the agent remind me the lounge close at 6:30pm



Since I had a long layover, I decided to have dinner in LH lounge, given in UA IFL, the food are probably mediocare. I had a bowl of chilli, some deli meat with hot pasta and polk, chocolate mousse, some fruits and a fanta.



UA IFL at IAD

[ORDnHKG]

So I had my second dinner for the day. Shrimp appetizer, chicken noodle soup, steak chateau, polenta with mushroom. Even though majority of food were served cold, it was good quality, just wish they serve more hot food.

[ORDnHKG]

Date: 11/28/2011
Flight: UA 932
Route: IAD-FRA
Aircraft: 777-222
Reg. # N781UA (2481)(XD) new config
Gate:
Class of Service: First class
Seat: 2K
Load: 8/8 (Pax at 2A was reliefed pilot)
Schedule departs: 9:48pm
Schedule arrives: 11:40am (+1 day)




Menus, amenity kit and headset already placed in the seat 2K, though it was a little odd amenity kit and headset placed under the TV. The headset is the same one as in C class in my previous ORD-IAD flight.



UA's beverage is always lacking even in premium classes, so I grabbed a can of Fanta and several cans of pineapple juice from UA IFL and put it at the storage next to me for later consumption.











Once I settle into my seat, a german lady FA Miriam came and asked if I would like to drink something before departure, I had a regular coke with lemon. She brought me a full can. Initially I was wondering if it was diet coke, as the can is white, but I look around the can didn't see diet on it.



Here is the menus at a glance

[ORDnHKG]

Basically this is the menus for all US>Germany flights.



F Amenity kit, while the contents are acceptable , but the bag is not, when you feel the material, you already felt it is cheap, especially with the zipper, it seems like it is going to fall apart any minute.



Hemisphere, safety card, movies guide, and duty free catalog. (The safety card had since been changed feature the new logo.



Flight time today is 7 hours and 15 min after take off.



Channel 9 was turned on request by me, it seems like being an F pax, the purser can always tell the pilot that is a request by an F pax, something make them more obligue to do it. Load in F was 100%, while my original 2A was occupied by a reserved pilot, and once took off, he quickly closed the curtain around his seat.

The crew for the flight were all FRA base, F was served by 2 FA and the purser: the always smiling Miriam, very polite Emmanuel, and purser Edward S. Once after took off, I was asked for my drink and I had a glass of cran-apple and a glass of water with warm nuts in a ramekin.



Miriam came back and ask the choice of meal, with Emmanuel set up my table.



beginnings

APPETIZERS
Signature jumbo shrimp cocktail with wasabi-infused cocktail sauce

SOUP
Mushroom-Brie soup

SALAD
Fresh seasonal greens with raspberries, pecans, crumbled feta cheese and seasonsed croutons

Served with your choice of dressing: Classic Caesar Asian Seasame Ginger Vinaigrette

main course

GRILLED FILET MIGNON WITH PORT WINE DEMI_GLACE
Roasted rosemary potatoes and sauteed asparagus with sun-dried tomato

PORTABELLA MUSHROOM-FILLED MEZZALUNA RAVIOLI
With creamy tomato sauce

GRILLED MAHI MAHI WITH MUSHROOMS AND SHERRY WINE SAUCE
Sweet potato pie and sauteed spinach

POMEGRANATE GLAZED DUCK BREAST
Jasmine cashew rice and Chinese broccoli with baby carrots

to finish

ICE CREAM
With your choice of sundae toppings

CHEESE SELECTION
Served with red grapes and crackers

Amablu St. Pete's Select Blue - Faribault Dairy in Minnesota is where the award winning Amablu St.Pete's Select Blue cheese is handmade in small batches, then cured and aged ni the historical St. Peter sandstone caves along the Straight River

Four Year Aged Cheddar - Widmer's Aged Cheddars have won many blue ribbon awards at the local, state, and national level. This Cheddar is known for its intense Cheddar flavor without all the bitterness associated with most aged Cheddars

Saint Rocco Triple Creme Brie - A buttery, creamy, full-flavored cheese with a subtle fruity, mildly tangy-earthen mushroom note. It is handcrafted by a master cheesemaker in the heart of Michigan wine country

anytime a la carte

LIGHT AND REFRESHIG SNACKS ARE AVAILIABLE THROGHOUT THE FLIGHT. PLEASE HELP YOURSELF OR ASK YOUR FLIGHT ATTENDANT FOR TODAY'S SELECTIONS

breakfast

HERB OMELETTE WITH RED PEPPER SAUCE
With oven-roasted potatoes, sauteed spinach and chicken sausage

FRESH SEASONAL FRUIT PLATE
With muesli

JUMBO SHRIMP COCKTAIL
Can't enough the shrimp as also inside IFL !



MUSHROOM BRIE SOUP
Finally UA is using a proper soup bowl instead of in the past use the same bowl for fruits as a side



SALAD



DUCK BREAST WITH JASMINE RICE AND CARROTS
The duck breast was on the small size, however, it was tasty, it can almost be an chinese dish serve on Asian flight.



I skipped the cheese and go right to desert and a cup of tea with cream and sugar

[ORDnHKG]

After that I took a peek at the bathroom



It had the standard Murad lotion, face mist, and face wash





After that my stomach was totally packed with two and a half dinner all in one day ! I was really sleep by then, even though UA doesn't provide any mattress pad for the bottom, I went straight to deep sleep like for 5 hours.

When I wake up, I was trying to find out some information about how I can wallk from the gate to LH First Class Terminal and also try to find out if it is feasible for me to do that. However, purser Edward actually called up the ground on FRA and someone would help me to get to FCT. Miriam was asking me when I was being so polite to all of them, she actually asked if I worked for UA, as I was wearing a star alliance polo shirt. It seems like many pax had been rather rude, and I always believe many flight attendants especially those worked for UA, are treated like a slave. All 3 of them working on my flight were friendly, helpful, provide exceptional service. I had written a compliment letter to UA afterwards as well. When I went back to Chicago, I actually talked to a UA flight attendant friend, I heard that actually FRA base crews had the lowest rating of all UA bases, and he was surprised I received good service from my flight.

About an hour and a half before arrival, breakfast was served. The egg is horrible, warm but hard, this is rather unusual, as I had many egg dish on domestic flights, they are all ok.



From the left: Purser Edward, Emmanuel, me, and Miriam.



Due to dense fog, the plane actually took longer time for landing, and it arrived at a remote stand. I totally hate it, resemble of NRT years ago !



F and C deplane from door 1, and Y deplane from door 4, that is actually a good way to handle things, as no Y pax is going to bump into F or C pax that needs more time.





When I went downstairs, a girl asked me if I am Mr. ORDnHKG, she said she would escort me to LH.

Up on the shuttle to custom, it is not a shuttle just for F pax like TG, it had to wait until it is packed before it leaves ! You see it is all empty just because I am the first one on the bus.



Once the bus is packed, then the long ride to customs, fortunately the customs wasn't long, but the offiicer had a hard time believing that I was entering the country just to go to the First Class Terminal, he was kept saying I went the wrong way. I appreciate he pointed me to the direction, but transferring at FRA not just for LH new F on the 744, it is also for FCT ! I told him that the FCL is just inferior to FCT. He stamped my passport but hoepfully he didn't backlist me from coming back to Germany being suspicious.

The lady who escorted me actually rode the bus with me, wait for me at customs, then walk me out the the LH checkin, she thought LH could arrange a car or something to get me to FCT but unforunately no. However she did walk me to the outside of the terminal, and tell me which direction I should be going. Later I actually found out she is a GS agent who escort all the UA GS pax ! I wished I had written down her name, but at the end of the day, it was the purser from IAD-FRA who arrange this service for me ultimately, I did mention this exceptionally service in that compliment letter.

[ORDnHKG]

LH First Class Terminal at FRA

The way from the main terminal to FCT is really not far away, thanks to NewbieRunner giving great advice of how to get to FCT from an int'l flight, it is basically I made a left turn once I got out of the terminal, follow the cab stand, then it is just a 5 min walk.



It wasn't the main entrance, but once I got inside, I took the elevator up, and there were several women already standing there waiting for anyone to come in.



A woman came to me and asked for my boarding pass and passport, she told me her name is Irini, and she would assist me inside FCT today. There is a security check point just basically I have to take my carryon bag to the belt, I took my computer out but totally forgot about my 3oz bag liquids, but the lady who manage the screening told me it is ok, don't worry about it, just remember to take it out next time. That was really something, they really don't want to make it difficult for the guest here in FCT, they really want to make it as smooth and easy for everyone there, I already have a good impression of FCT !

After the security screening walking thru a door, there is a duty free shop, Irini asked me if I need to shop there, I told her maybe a little later, I mean why would someone want to go to FCT and shop for duty free first ? And I looked at my watch, it is already 12:15pm, just a little more than 2 hours before the LH flight to KIX. Irini showed me around the facilities of FCT

The day room
which I found out on my return flight at MUC FCL, they have a much better day room with a real bed with sheets, mattress and comforter rather than just a day bed.



Bottles of water ready inside the day room



I didn't waste more time looking around, as I told Irini that I really need a shower. She told the girl who manage the shower rooms arrange a room for me, and she said she will look for me after I am out of the shower, as she had to change my boarding pass to LH stock instead from UA.

Before I went inside my shower room, I did remembered to ask about the rubber duck thanks to FT.

Here is the sink and the goodies



Etro toiletries and the rubber ducks, the one on the left which is a regular yellow duck, the white one on the right is a Christmas duck, these ducks change often.





Bathrobes and slippers are ready for use, looks like a 5 star hotel bathroom !



Toilet on the right side



And shower on the left side, there is also rain shower from the top of the ceiling



After the shower, I wander to the restaurant to see what they offered, I wasn't hungry at all and still full from all the food I have eaten in the past 24 hours !

[ORDnHKG]

The cigar lounge
which I came back later on for a much needed smoke



After that I went back to the cigar lounge, free cigars ! But no, I am not a cigar smoker, I only smoke cigarettes, and I hate cigars ! Now why would they have free cigars but not cigarettes ? Cigars are much more expensive than cigarettes, does anyone know ?



There are still drinks and snacks inside the cigar lounge.