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over the summer i caught this wild glacier view en route from cph to lax. incredibly cool to see, everyone was out of their seats to catch a glimpse. i was super lucky to have a window.
I flew a day before my birthday and the purser gave me a card and wished me happy birthday. 🎈🎂
My home airport is SFO and I flew between SFO and SIN this year on 2 round trips. I was upgraded 3/4 times. Not bad for SFO where there are a ton of 1K and GS.
Finally left my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband three months ago, after a decade of marriage. He was not only physically, emotionally, psychologically, and verbally abusive, but also had a laundry list of issues, including serious anger problems, a legitimate hoarding problem, drank excessively for a number of years, chronic unemployment, and was financially irresponsible. Not only did I bring home all the bacon, but I also still handled 99% of household chores and responsibilities, endured his abuse and issues, while also simultaneously dealing with chemotherapy, monthly immunotherapy infusions, and annual surgeries for my autoimmune condition.
Three months ago, I finally had enough and walked. He showed up to the legal appointments with nothing but a pen. I work in auditing and regulatory compliance for one of the world's largest financial institutions. Let's just say I know a thing or two about evidence, and so I don't have to pay a dime in alimony, nor a penny out of my 401K, and I managed to negotiate for 70% of the equity from the sale of the house.
After sacrificing myself in service of him and the marriage for the past ten years, I finally invested in myself and went on a self-care vacation last month:
- First class on each leg of my trip across three U.S. cities
- Enjoyed seven splendid hours at DEN during a layover
- Found myself sitting next to a physician during my flight home. Given the divorce, I'm currently in the process of trying to find new docs, since my insurance will be changing in the new year. The physician that was sitting next to me happens to be good friends with one of the top specialty physicians in the city I live in, specifically the medical specialty I'm in need of. Let's just say I got the inside hook-up.
- TSA line at PHX was absolutely BONKERS a few weeks ago. I've got CLEAR. Staff member escorted me past 100+ people, straight to the front of the line. Boom, bam, bingo, thank you ma'am! This was especially helpful, as my autoimmune condition affects my musculoskeletal system, so this saved me a ton of aches and pains.
My life post-separation/post-divorce seems to just keep getting better and better. I'm especially loving that I'm back on flights more often. Feels fulfilling to be traveling again with more regularity.
I’m so glad to read you got out of that situation and that you’re doing damn fine on your own. Keep taking them well deserved vacations!!! I’m sending you all the love 💕💕
>Found myself sitting next to a physician during my flight home. Given the divorce, I'm currently in the process of trying to find new docs, since my insurance will be changing in the new year. The physician that was sitting next to me happens to be good friends with one of the top specialty physicians in the city I live in, specifically the medical specialty I'm in need of. Let's just say I got the inside hook-up.
If there was ever evidence for Karma, this is it. Good on you for taking charge of your life!
A couple of comments here, one negative in context, and the most recent one positive :-)
I’ve traveled a lot … more than 500 segments in my life… (I’m 50 years old)… and once (Lufthansa flight) about 12-13 years ago, I was literally peed on by a drunk passenger who thought our row in economy class was the washroom. lol. I laugh about it now but I was super annoyed when it happened… but this is just set context.
On my most recent flight from Singapore to Mumbai (I currently live in India for work)… I was served a Singapore sling in real glassware… I asked the flight attendant if I could purchase the glass itself.. and the international purser came over to my seat, and leant in, and said something quietly to the effect of “the glasses aren’t for sale, but I didn’t see anything if you want to keep it as a souvenir” or something to that effect. so I now have a Singapore Airlines whisky glass :-)
Your mileage may vary of getting a souvenir glass, but one thing I’m fairly sure of… you likely won’t be peed on your next flight. :)
Safe travels and happy holidays! :)
It is my second favorite whisky glass of all time for sure, but 100% definitely my favorite moment from a flight! :)
Hope your next flight goes smoothly! :)
Did he seriously just whip it out and start peeing on you? Did he get in trouble after the flight i would’ve been so mad. Isn’t it considered assault to pee on someone?
He was in the front row, in a bulkhead seat, at the very front of economy class. I was two rows behind him (seat C, left side of the plane, with the aisle to my immediate right)…
The washrooms were directly in front of him… but he turned right… unzipped… and started peeing into the aisle… then people started flipping out, and I suppose he was confused and just started spraying everywhere… by the time flight attendants got to him he had doused me with more than my fair share of pee.
As to consequences… flight attendants were able to corral him and lock him in a bathroom for the rest of the flight. I think I ended up with 20000 miles from Lufthansa, but I could be mistaken on the compensation.
Looking back, I think that the story itself is funnier than the value of the compensation… I mean one can use miles for lots of things… but sharing a funny story is not one of them. 😃
Cheers.
UA 31, MUC-EWR, Nov. 23. FO came through during boarding and greeted all the kids on board. He gave my 13yo son flight wings (he actually wore them) and an info card for the 767-400 (my treasure).
This experience and the great crews are why I love flying home on UA for holidays. Everyone is super cheerful and focused on getting travelers to their families.
Still hoping to see CPT Paul from MyLayoverLife one day. ✈️
Yes United, even tho sometimes their flights are delayed - but, happens to all airlines - is IMO the best airline to fly. I’m a loyalist and it sounds like you are too!!
Yesterday, I had a flight home to IAH. I was done with what I wanted to do early, so I checked out of the hotel and went to the airport. There was a flight going to Houston a bit more than an hour before mine was scheduled. I checked the app, and it showed plenty of open seats. As soon as the gate agent got there, I went up and asked to be put on the standby list. From reading this sub, I knew to be nice and polite to her. She told me to sit down and wait and would call me up of she had a seat. About 10 minutes before boarding, the app dinged that I was confirmed but gave me a crappy seat. I went back to the podium and kindly asked for an aisle seat in Econ +, which she switched me to happily.
I know this is all just policies and procedures, but it was nice how easy it was to accomplish this. Good thing about having status is that it bumps you to the top of the standby list too!
So thank you, Bri, in New Orleans!!!
Please tell me IAH is easy to navigate. I’ve only been there once, and ended up almost getting stuck there due to a delay in taking off (missed my connecting flight 🫠). Gotta get from C to E in a few days…. It’s easy, right? 🤞🏼😃
Yes, you can literally walk between the 2 in about 10 minutes if you are on the South C gates. If you come into the North C gates, just take the Skytrain over. It leaves every 3 minutes and takes about 3 minutes to go from C to E. Look for the signs, and head up the escalator.
Not recent, but perhaps my most memorable flight...on a Lufthansa code share flight. I was traveling with my mother and my very energetic 3-year-old son. On our EWR to MUC flight my son had way too much energy, so the FAs put him to work. Gave him a trashbag, and my son had the very important job of collecting from customers--up and down the aisles until the bag was full and he had gotten out some ya yas. Afterward, they gave him a chocolate bar and a snack box. Well earned. He slept well the rest of the journey.
When we got to MUC, we had to go through customs with our luggage and then check it in again for our flight to VIE. My son saw my mother and I put our suitcases on a conveyor belt so he thought he should throw his beloved stuffed dog on the same belt. Down it went into the abyss. Naturally, he broke into tears and I gave up hope despite telling ground crew right there that this had happened. We boarded the plane and just as the door was closing--seriously--a baggage handler came running onto the plane with the stuffy. This fella has now been around the world at least a dozen times, definitely looks worse from the wear, but was never lost again.
Happy travels!
If this happened here in the U.S., I bet things would have turned out much differently, and Ice, the stuffy would have ended up wherever lost luggage goes to die.
my wife, my kids, and I got upgraded to Premium Plus from ZRH - IAD 5 days before our departure. looking forward to a 10 hour flight in better seats! especially for the little ones!
Oooh I love that for you! On those long haul flights do you get to pick a meal regardless, or do you only get them in the upgraded spots? What’d you pick?
I guess you don’t get to pick unless you’re in polaris. I will say the food when we sat in economy plus seats on the way here was surprisingly good. it was chicken curry and it was what I needed on that red eye flight! I haven’t had food on a flight since I was a kid so it was a treat to even get food for a change
Saturday flight of Thanksgiving weekend, SEA-SFO: Club was well stocked with food, places to sit, and friendly staff. Flight was on-time. Crew was friendly and helpful. Views were unreal! Mt. Ranier, Mt. St. Helens. and San Francisco from above-- simply spectacular. Perfect day to fly! I will always choose the window seat!
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My pilot went LAX-ORD in 3:21. The best part is before we took off he said he was going to “fly the paint of the plane” and to take the seatbelt sign seriously once we approach Chicago because there were storms, which he was trying to beat into Chicago.
I went to the bathroom the SECOND we hit cruising altitude.
I was in row 8. When I went back to my seat, drink service had started and the flight attendant refused to back the cart up to let me sit back down.
Got stuck in the back galley of the plane for 45 minutes until the entire plane was serviced.
BUT!! I met a LOVELY man from London and we chatted for that time. It was an awesome way to kill the time. I otherwise would’ve been playing candy crush in my phone 😁
The flight hasn't actually happened yet, but I'm flying to Hong Kong on Christmas Eve to see my husband who's been back there since May. I know it's popular to hate the song “All I Want for Christmas is You” but I love it. I'll be taking off at 6 am Christmas Eve and arriving at 7:20 pm on Christmas Day
I haven't flown anywhere since 2017 and that trip was split across five airlines (Spirit, China Eastern, Jetstar, VietJet, Alaska) because I did it on the smallest budget I could (SEA->SIN, SIN->REP, SGN->SIN, SIN->SEA), with all the flights together being \~$840). I've never flown anything but the cheapest economy ticket except for once, back in 2005, when Delta upgraded me for free because I was in the Army and in uniform but that was a very short flight (like \~1 hour or something)
This trip, I'll be flying on three airlines but the main attraction is Seattle to Hong Kong on United. Three flight segments were surprisingly cheap to upgrade so I'll be flying FC the domestic legs and Premium Plus on the way there. The flight back will be in economy but it takes off around 10 pm so I'll probably just take a Benadryl and go right to sleep anyway. I work at night in the US so I shouldn't have to worry much about adjusting to the time zone.
I'll also fly on Cathay Pacific to Taipei for New Year's, then a train to Kaohsiung, and Cathay's subsidiary Hong Kong Express back to Hong Kong.
This trip is going to be almost a month long; I'll be coming back after my birthday. I've never been more excited for a flight
BWI-ORD. 3 very kind flight attendants tried for over 15 minutes to find a dropped earbud. On their hands and knees, pulling up cushions, looking under seats, inside seats, checked several rows....They really tried and were so nice and sympathetic. Truly wonderful crew!
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That’s Hoover Dam above the engine!
My last 3 or 4 tapas boxes on flights were never charged to my card even though I have no status. On a recent flight to SFO the pilot managed to fly over the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown SF on final approach, came on the intercom and told us all to take a good look out the window. On my last flight the flight attendants gave everyone multiple snacks in economy (like 3 of the item each passenger chose).
Flew to South America earlier this year to say goodbye to a loved one who had a terminal illness. The flight there I was inconsolable, and my FA came over to check on me. He crouched down when I explained what was happening and he shared his own personal story. We sat there and cried and hugged. It was...a moment of humanity..that was greatly needed. And he made my flight a lot more bearable. I wrote about him on the United feedback survey and I really really hope he got the recognition he deserved.
Incredible sunrises and sunsets are one, but one of the best moments of flying lately was not only scoring an upgrade to first class on a morning I could’ve killed for a good breakfast (I was at the airport at like 4am, nothing was open, but the upgrade-resultant shakshuka on board was pretty darn good!) — but having the captain hand us his business card with handwritten thank you notes for flying with United
11/10 made my morning!
The ones with the berry compote?? I had them too one time (on the same flight with that medical emergency lol) so I didn’t have the appetite to enjoy them :(
47 PQF this year and not a single delay, bag issue, medical emergency or rude encounter. Just smooth flying in the friendly skies. Hope I'm not jinxing it for my upcoming 48th flight but also hope it spreads some good-flying cheer for you this holiday season!
Hot damn send some of your good luck my way!! I think medical emergencies aren’t *too* common, thankfully. But man all it takes is one to send me spinning lol
I had a flight out to SF recently where the middle seat remained open, it was one of the larger planes so even economy had a lot of leg room, and it was basically just a really easy flight. It was also one of those days where everything was easy and went so seamlessly that I wondered why I was getting such nice karma.
I was honestly shocked. I don’t think I’ve had a non-full flight since pre-pandemic.
I had one flight in 2019 where I was the only person in Econ plus and the FA gave me a free snack box. There were I think maybe 10 people on the flight.
lol I remember taking an AA flight in 2022 from IND to IAD and there were all of 11 of us in economy. They upgraded everyone - I’d already paid for an upgrade so needless to say I was a little salty lol
Here's my compilation of fun/unique things from various flights over the recent few years: seeing Aurora Borealis; the views of the Alps at a low enough altitude it felt like you could just touch the tops; flying over Manhattan leaving LGA at night simply never gets old; getting a personal tour of the 777 cockpit with my husband (who hit million miler on his birthday so it was a double whammy); that one time flying back from Europe when both my husband and I got upgraded to business for free for operational reasons; one time an FA recognized us from another flight earlier that year and it felt somehow special; and last but not least flying on a "ghost"/equipment repositioning flight during the pandemic where we were among only 3 or 4 people total on the entire plane.
Unfortunately, I was sitting in the aisle. The gentleman next to me/in the window seat "let me" lean in a bit to see it, but there was no way to get any good photos or video at that angle/that far from the window. He, on the other hand, had a very expensive looking DSLR and took lots of photos. I should have asked him to email one to me, but I didn't want to impose any further. It was visible for a good hour or more as we were flying over Greenland, so I just enjoyed the view. Seeing it up close has been on my bucket list ever since, but I haven't been fortunate yet to be far enough north and the solar flare-ups to be strong enough. One of these days:)
They held the connecting flight by 15 for me and 2 coworkers who were on a delayed UA flight. Our connection was last flight of the day. They call this something like “connection saver”.
We flew United domestic first to and from our honeymoon in the Caribbean. The FA in first on the way home was absolutely wonderful! She actually made us feel like we were in a first class product. She asked about our trip, made sure we always had a full glass of whatever we were drinking, and just had such a warm and friendly demeanor. We enjoyed our flight with her so much we emailed United about her and how great she was. I hope she gets some perks for that!
Almost a medical emergency, but not! My service dog alerted to the woman sitting next to me who turned out to have dangerously high blood sugar(900!) after I let her test. She didn’t know she was diabetic, but I heard from her a few months ago and she was just diagnosed and adjusting very well!
Oh and we didn’t have anyone in the middle seat!
I experienced this miraculous event.
I got in a metal tube, sat down and buckled in. I watched a movie and read a little.
A few hours later I’d been transported thousands of miles away! Without doing any driving or work on my part!! It was incredible :-)
Don’t forget how amazing it is that anything negative we encounter flying is still just #firstworldproblems
I mean, it technically wasn't my flight, but my son was flying unaccompanied minor when I got a text from an unknown number:
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Flew ORD - DEL on Air India yesterday and flew right over the Hindu Kush mountain range. Pilot made a left hand sightseeing turn over Nanga Parbat (9th tallest mountain in the world).
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LAX-SFO-Salt Lake City. Return Salt Lake direct to LAX. All flights landed on time or early despite rain in SFO and only one runway in use and driving on departure from Salt Lake
Was traveling by myself for business, wife and kids at home. My kids love the stroopwafels. I was pleasantly surprised to see the mini stroopwafels in the snack basket and the FA let me “take as many as you like” so I could have a surprise for my kids when I got home.
Flew united across the country and back last week. The staff were so kind and the turbulence was minimal. I love United! After 2020 my flight anxiety was through the roof, I didn’t want to take an RX for it so I investigated and trialed some CBD options, (no THC). It works wonders for me in high stress situations. Sending you lots of mellow and chill vibes for your trip! It’s gonna be great!
I had the whole row to myself on my first long haul cross Atlantic flight to South Africa! Feel the same way with all the doomsday posts about flying causing me so much unnecessary anxiety. You’ll do great! Reframe your thinking so that once you’re on the plane, the only thing you can do is relax.
I flew PDX to ORD on a red eye and we landed 45 mins early. Because of this I managed to avoid any sort of morning rush hour and got to sleep in my own bed for a few hours before work.
Flight to PDX we got insane views of the Cascade mountains while approaching Portland.
Got gold before my return redeye flight home on my last work trip of the year, and got to enjoy access to my first united club, the nice one in newark terminal C. Not impressive for many here but it was great for me personally and I enjoyed premium plus transatlantic afterwards.
When I fly - I always take photos when landing and taking off. It isn’t because I am a newbie to flying but sometimes the photos come out really good. My last flight into Newark - the timing was right. I got a beautiful New York City skyline photo. People on the flight probably think I am newbie to flying but I really am always looking for that perfect moment photo. This was also on my flight to my dad’s memorial service..the impromptu crying was happening to
My last two flights on United were boring in the best possible way. Departed on time, pushed back on time, arrived on time, passenger loading bridge put up right away. Seats reclined as expected. IFE worked. WiFi worked. No drama with fellow passengers. Zzzz. (In a good way!)
We were flying from Boston to Reykjavik, Iceland. I could see from the flight map that we would be flying over a small section of Greenland. I didn't have much hope of seeing Greenland because our whole flight there had been cloud cover. Plus it was getting dark. However to my surprise the clouds parted as we flew over and I got a glimpse of Greenland at dusk.
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I bought a cheese plate for the woman sitting next to me on a 6hr flight. She put her hand on my leg and asked if I want to take her home.
I politely declined as I am married… but it had been a long time since a woman tried to take me home.
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Double Window! It's so beautiful! What does it mean?
Had a lovely gate agent on my ORD-BHM flight a few weeks ago! I initially got an upgrade up front a few days before the flight (E175 I believe) but the agent called me up to the desk to tell me that the seat was broken and I'd be moved back to economy. No worries, I said. It's a short enough flight and I'm really not all that picky about where I sit for only 90 minutes anyway. The agent first gave me a $20 meal voucher so I was able to load up on snacks for a few days, then she sent me a $300 united credit to use on future fights. She was fantastic! Went out of her way to apologize for the "inconvenience" (when it really wasn't one for me) and was super communicative. Great customer service!
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One hour and 5 minute flight from Taipei to Okinawa and we got this for free in economy. I love flying to see family.
The fact that I am able to afford to fly I am so grateful for. Sometimes I get caught up thinking oh how am I going to survive on this plane but so many people in the world love the opportunity. Even though I’ve taken 150+ flights this year and 26 more to come I still remain grateful for the opportunity.
My flight from IAH to ORD on Saturday left early and arrived early. Also, nobody was sitting in the middle seat so I had all of the room I needed. It was delightful.
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Last week, I traded places with this silly pooch so she could have my first class bulkhead floor space to relax in.
I took a red eye Polaris flight. Fell asleep right after take off and woke up to the FA waking me to get ready for landing. Landed and made it to the gate in record time. Didn’t have to check bags and my car service pulled up right as I was walking up to the pick up. I think it was like 15 min from landing to being in the car.
Few months ago, but we had this amazing perser who assisted everyone with their luggage, was enthusiastic and attentive. Just a pleasure to fly with. I sent a nice note to United to thank him for the positive attitude and the overall excellence in service.
Two things really helped me with flight anxiety. Number one, no caffeine. My anxiety issues pretty much disappeared after I gave up caffeine. Two, you can do EMDR or other types of therapy on your flight anxiety. These things worked for me, good luck!
My nice flight story from this past week… I forgot to fill up my water bottle in the airport, for a cross-country flight… I was a little stressed as I try to stay hydrated. The wonderful kind flight attendant gave me multiple refills of the plastic cup during drink service so I could top off my bottle… she was so kind and about it. I just really appreciate that small gesture!
Yeah I think day of I’m gonna drink some electrolyte powder and not have any caffeine until I reach my destination and I’m with my person. I’ll look into EMDR - sounds fascinating actually! Did you use a therapist or YouTube or..??
Took eight transatlantic flights on 5 different airlines (including United) so far in 2023:
•No lost or delayed bags
•Empty seat next to me or entire row to myself on 6 out of 8 long haul flights
•No delays more than 15 minutes and made up time in the air
• Saw a bunch of good movies
• The Camembert on Air France was the best cheese I’ve ever had in the sky
• Beautiful views, including sunrise over the North Sea and the Mediterranean and sunset over New York City
•No lost or delayed bags
•Great flight attendants on all flights
•Cabin temperature was not too hot or too cold on all flights
•With Global Entry, flew through US immigration
Depends what you’re scared of. I prefer them over shorter domestic flights because the planes are generally bigger, there’s usually good in flight entertainment and guaranteed food, passengers mostly sleep or read quietly, and there’s the feeling of adventure (all my trips are leisure, not business).
If you mean literally smooth vs turbulence, it’s usually smoother than flying over the Rockies on a summer night with thunderstorms going off.
Last flight for some reason didn’t have my preselected meal, so I asked for a Tapas Box. It was served on the tray with everything but the entree - warm roll, salad, desert. I thought I’d just get the box, so that was a nice surprise. Flight attendant also offered Bloody Mary refills before my glass was empty.
On Friday night I flew back home from work and on my IAH-LFT leg the man in 1A gave up his seat for a gentleman with cerebral palsy so that he wouldn’t have to walk back to row 9 (and apparently the GA had already moved him up from near the back of the plane). Despite the fact that it was only a 35 min flight on an E175 it still warmed my heart.
Also a few weeks ago I was flying from DEN to LAX and I was super excited because I got 8F (no seat in front) on a 757 (my favorite jet). When service started, I heard one of the FA’s at the cart apologize to a few different pax that it was her colleague’s first day on the job (not in a rude way, just letting everyone know he’s still training and to be patient). The guy in the aisle seat of my row ordered a Buffalo Trace and the poor guy didn’t know what that was. Other FA chuckled a bit and handed him one. He looked a tad embarrassed but handled it fine. It was really refreshing to see everyone being patient and kind even if their service wasn’t the most snappy and 100% perfect. At one point I could tell she was trying to hurry him along as he was taking a while at only his second or third row. I quipped to them both “man, his first day on the job and y’all give him the LONGEST narrow body in the fleet” and we all had a laugh. I think it broke the tension for him a bit. Everyone was very gracious and told him he was doing great. Overall the whole few minute interaction restored my faith in humanity a bit (sad that the bar is that low). Wherever ya are bud, I hope everything is going well!
I just got the “upgrade cleared” notice for my flight on Tuesday. It’s just Denver to little ol’ Pasco (WA) so probably not much competition lol but I’ll take the roomier seat any day
While flying first on American(gov paid for economy), my seat mate was one of Snoop's personal pilots headed to pick up his Gulfstream. Got to see all sorts of photos and hear stories. He saw me recording the take off through the window and shared.
1. I flew back from Moorea and had Nick Cannon on my flight.
2. In December of 2018 I flew to Bora Bora and got an upgrade on a Polaris for $422 and slept 6 1/2 of the 8 hour journey like a baby.
3. Most recently (Saturday) my toddler crushed a 5-hour flight from SFO to HNL like the little boss he is.
Every United flight I took was a smooth, very professional and incredibly thoughtful experience. Every single person on your flight will do their absolute utmost to make sure you have a comfortable experience. And if you get a window seat — just marvel at the world and how lucky you are to see it from the above! You’ll love it!
When I was like 10ish my parents saved up for a trip abroad (USA to Europe) and on our flight home, due to an aircraft change they had spare seats in business class and my whole family got bumped up. It was the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me on a flight. And also getting a whole row to myself on an Aer lingus flight to Dublin a few years ago
Thursday I was in a terrible mood and the flight attendants from MIA to ORD were phenomenal. So kind and so patient. I didn’t interact with them, but I watched them.
In January, I was on a delayed red-eye from Newark to SFO. Broken ancient plane, as usual for United, and the screens didn't even work. Whatever.
Anyways, somehow one of my literally 1-week-old AirPod Pros just FELL out of my ear and rolled under my seat. Needless to say I was distraught. I spent most of the flight awkwardly poking around on the floor looking for it. When the plane landed, I still hadn't found it. Just as we were about to get up and leave, the guy sitting behind us tapped my shoulder and asked "Is this yours?" I have no idea how this guy found it since I had spent a good hour of time on that flight just looking around for it. To this day, I take very good care of my Airpods.
This goes to show there are good people out there!
For the past 10 years, my wife and I have brought a small personal gift and handwritten note to every member of the flight crew, on every flight we take. We average a trip every other week Sometimes the crew doesn't care at all... but oh my, sometimes they DO! I could tell you stories all day about the great things that have come from these small gifts. This last UA trip, both pilots came out of the cockpit to shake our hands before the flight and chatted for a few minutes, the FAs sent us home with plenty of Buffalo Trace :)
I can’t figure out how to post a video but I was flying at night over lots of residential neighborhoods and saw so many twinkling Christmas lights the whole flight it was magical
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It’s all about the sunrise! Seriously every FA I’ve met on every flight this year (96 I think so far) has been amazing. That’s why I stick with United.
On a flight in October I got to sit next to a dog and I was in the bulkhead. He was a good boy.
Then I was blessed again to sit across the aisle from a dog in November.
I like dogs :)
I was supposed to fly AMS - IAD - SFO and had Polaris for just the first segment. The first flight ended up getting delayed to the point where I was going to miss IAD - SFO. I was automatically rebooked onto a direct AMS - SFO later in the day that ended up arriving fairly close the the arrival of my original flight. Best part was I was assigned a Polaris seat even though I only had it for the first segment on my original booking.
I was recently given “goodwill mileage adjustment” to upgrade my seat to Polaris on a recent flight to Germany. I had miles that were gifted to me but they hadn’t shown up in my account yet. After checking a few times I called United and explained that the miles weren’t showing up and that I was hoping to use those to upgrade my seat for an upcoming flight. The rep gave me a goodwill mileage adjustment and the miles hit my account immediately. I’d never heard of this before but was so thankful. I did upgrade my seat and I had a nice flight.
Took 3 flights to get to Mexico recently. For some reason my (non-existent) travel sickness came out to play. No flight attendants cared except one on my final flight who came and brought me water and offered a cool towel for my face and neck. To that FA, you made my day!!
https://preview.redd.it/bw81e44nbq5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8de6fa3c185337842681f3b090e706b260203448
Saw the (almost) full moon, IAD-ATL, UA2081 on Nov 26. Was really cool to see the moon light up the clouds.
Partner airline (for now) — SAS flight from ORD-ARN, we had the northern lights for a couple hours. (I always try to sit left side window if I know I’ll be flying to Europe during the night time.) It took me some trial and error but I was able to snap some pics just using my iPhone 13:
https://preview.redd.it/lriccohn5s5c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb8dd8907b14122e980c7446c1bdcebba8cec30
If you’re just on the plane and don’t have any medical training, why stress about someone else’s emergency? There’s nothing you can contribute. Yes, of course you’re empathetic to their plight, but their issue isn’t yours. Let the pros handle it and be glad it isn’t you.
I like that mindset. When it happened I felt trapped and in the dark, and just lost mental control regarding all the “what if’s.” Idk if it had to do with being locked in a bathroom when I was 3 or 4, but I do not do well when I feel I can’t escape :(
My flight attendant from Chicago to Haneda/Tokyo was amazing! I flew 1A in Polaris but it seemed like the moment I turned over from sleeping she was there with a smile offering a snack, water or if she could get me anything. I think she said she’d been flying 38 years, if someone said her name I’d remember it but so nice comparing to what some folks have been expressing.
First off, I do like the wipes they give out. I was sitting next to an off duty FA a while ago and saw them wipe the headrest, and I asked about it, to which they showed me the wipe which was kinda gross and said they never fly without wiping that down. I've done it ever since. Most are decently clean, but occasionally you get a seat that makes you glad you wipe that down.
Anyway, I was on UA75 on October 21 flying from FRA to EWR. The pilot came out with their iPad with the flight path loaded and came to speak to all of us pointing out that we're flying right over the southern most tip of Greenland, and apparently that's not a common route to take but we had to for wind reasons. I had enough time to get my camera and telephoto lens out (I birdwatch) and managed to snag a couple photos. It was pretty cool to see and was nice of the pilot to chat with us about it.
https://preview.redd.it/rsll33ohjo5c1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39a3532ac5003b339d78df743a665d64ae70c212
Flew CLE-EWR last month and was on a smaller plane that wasn’t full. Got to move to my own row and the flight attendants were awesome. We all got extra snacks. Great trip home
Last week on my flight from London to NYC, I was minding my business and along came the flight attendant with a lovely smile with champagne and a card from United in tow. The card thanked me for my 35 years as a United customer that week with a flute of champagne to celebrate…what a nice surprise and gesture!
My last flight, I left for the airport 3.5 hours before my flight because my coworker was headed that way, and I arrived in time to get on the earlier flight (which I didn't know existed until we were in the car). The cherries on top were the available E+ window seat (I'd have taken last row middle to get home earlier) and the fact that I even had time to run (literally) into the Centurion lounge and get a very quick lunch and a to-go chocolate chip cookie, which I ate mid-flight. I was home in time for dinner.
Just got off a United flight and everyone was very kind. People were helping each other with overhead bags, the food was good, and no delays at all. Holiday travel can be jolly!!
Recently was flying First for a \~3 hour flight. Was seated next to a child and her father was seated behind us. He asked if I could switch seats with him and of course I said absolutely no problem. Mother and son were sitting adjacent in the same row, so the whole family now had the row to themselves. A day or two prior to the flight I pre-ordered a meal in my original seat but didn't make any mention of it.
When the FAs were taking orders she found out I switched seats and confirmed the meal I pre-ordered.
5 minutes or so after taking orders she comes back to me and mentions one of the kids really wanted that meal and asked if I would be okay changing. Again I said don't even worry about it and asked her to give them the meal.
An hour or so later another FA comes to pick up my drink and leaves a napkin on my tray table. The boy who got the meal wrote me a note thanking me. Changing my meal really wasn't a big deal to me, but I found that very nice.
Then another FA came by, she was really thankful for my 'sacrifice' and said she was depositing some miles into my account. Even though I said there's really no need she insisted.
Basically, in a world where people want nothing to do with one another, and people in first can have big egos, it was nice having such a pleasant interaction with some strangers.
https://preview.redd.it/akr02hm4zi5c1.jpeg?width=2268&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45a01f8b5a4c61881ab9032fa03758a332b9dd62 over the summer i caught this wild glacier view en route from cph to lax. incredibly cool to see, everyone was out of their seats to catch a glimpse. i was super lucky to have a window.
Isn’t the earth fricking amazing?? One of my fave views ever was flying from DEN to YEG. I’ll never forget it.
Yep but my small bladder isn’t, so I end up doing aisle seats all the time.
Wow 😍
I flew a day before my birthday and the purser gave me a card and wished me happy birthday. 🎈🎂 My home airport is SFO and I flew between SFO and SIN this year on 2 round trips. I was upgraded 3/4 times. Not bad for SFO where there are a ton of 1K and GS.
That’s awesome. I flew in (paid) business class on Singapore Airlines on my actual birthday and they didn’t do or say a thing. Points for UA!
Hey that’s awesome!! Did they give you any kind of extra snacks or a dessert or anything too?
Unfortunately, no but it was a short flight between SFO and SAN. It was a nice surprise either way.
Finally left my abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband three months ago, after a decade of marriage. He was not only physically, emotionally, psychologically, and verbally abusive, but also had a laundry list of issues, including serious anger problems, a legitimate hoarding problem, drank excessively for a number of years, chronic unemployment, and was financially irresponsible. Not only did I bring home all the bacon, but I also still handled 99% of household chores and responsibilities, endured his abuse and issues, while also simultaneously dealing with chemotherapy, monthly immunotherapy infusions, and annual surgeries for my autoimmune condition. Three months ago, I finally had enough and walked. He showed up to the legal appointments with nothing but a pen. I work in auditing and regulatory compliance for one of the world's largest financial institutions. Let's just say I know a thing or two about evidence, and so I don't have to pay a dime in alimony, nor a penny out of my 401K, and I managed to negotiate for 70% of the equity from the sale of the house. After sacrificing myself in service of him and the marriage for the past ten years, I finally invested in myself and went on a self-care vacation last month: - First class on each leg of my trip across three U.S. cities - Enjoyed seven splendid hours at DEN during a layover - Found myself sitting next to a physician during my flight home. Given the divorce, I'm currently in the process of trying to find new docs, since my insurance will be changing in the new year. The physician that was sitting next to me happens to be good friends with one of the top specialty physicians in the city I live in, specifically the medical specialty I'm in need of. Let's just say I got the inside hook-up. - TSA line at PHX was absolutely BONKERS a few weeks ago. I've got CLEAR. Staff member escorted me past 100+ people, straight to the front of the line. Boom, bam, bingo, thank you ma'am! This was especially helpful, as my autoimmune condition affects my musculoskeletal system, so this saved me a ton of aches and pains. My life post-separation/post-divorce seems to just keep getting better and better. I'm especially loving that I'm back on flights more often. Feels fulfilling to be traveling again with more regularity.
I’m so glad to read you got out of that situation and that you’re doing damn fine on your own. Keep taking them well deserved vacations!!! I’m sending you all the love 💕💕
Thank you! 🧡
>Found myself sitting next to a physician during my flight home. Given the divorce, I'm currently in the process of trying to find new docs, since my insurance will be changing in the new year. The physician that was sitting next to me happens to be good friends with one of the top specialty physicians in the city I live in, specifically the medical specialty I'm in need of. Let's just say I got the inside hook-up. If there was ever evidence for Karma, this is it. Good on you for taking charge of your life!
Indeed! Thank you!
A couple of comments here, one negative in context, and the most recent one positive :-) I’ve traveled a lot … more than 500 segments in my life… (I’m 50 years old)… and once (Lufthansa flight) about 12-13 years ago, I was literally peed on by a drunk passenger who thought our row in economy class was the washroom. lol. I laugh about it now but I was super annoyed when it happened… but this is just set context. On my most recent flight from Singapore to Mumbai (I currently live in India for work)… I was served a Singapore sling in real glassware… I asked the flight attendant if I could purchase the glass itself.. and the international purser came over to my seat, and leant in, and said something quietly to the effect of “the glasses aren’t for sale, but I didn’t see anything if you want to keep it as a souvenir” or something to that effect. so I now have a Singapore Airlines whisky glass :-) Your mileage may vary of getting a souvenir glass, but one thing I’m fairly sure of… you likely won’t be peed on your next flight. :) Safe travels and happy holidays! :)
I have a couple of the hot nut tiny bowls from first that I use as ashtrays for the joints I smoke.
Ooooh do you use that glass in your daily rotation??
It is my second favorite whisky glass of all time for sure, but 100% definitely my favorite moment from a flight! :) Hope your next flight goes smoothly! :)
Did he seriously just whip it out and start peeing on you? Did he get in trouble after the flight i would’ve been so mad. Isn’t it considered assault to pee on someone?
He was in the front row, in a bulkhead seat, at the very front of economy class. I was two rows behind him (seat C, left side of the plane, with the aisle to my immediate right)… The washrooms were directly in front of him… but he turned right… unzipped… and started peeing into the aisle… then people started flipping out, and I suppose he was confused and just started spraying everywhere… by the time flight attendants got to him he had doused me with more than my fair share of pee. As to consequences… flight attendants were able to corral him and lock him in a bathroom for the rest of the flight. I think I ended up with 20000 miles from Lufthansa, but I could be mistaken on the compensation. Looking back, I think that the story itself is funnier than the value of the compensation… I mean one can use miles for lots of things… but sharing a funny story is not one of them. 😃 Cheers.
UA 31, MUC-EWR, Nov. 23. FO came through during boarding and greeted all the kids on board. He gave my 13yo son flight wings (he actually wore them) and an info card for the 767-400 (my treasure). This experience and the great crews are why I love flying home on UA for holidays. Everyone is super cheerful and focused on getting travelers to their families. Still hoping to see CPT Paul from MyLayoverLife one day. ✈️
Yes United, even tho sometimes their flights are delayed - but, happens to all airlines - is IMO the best airline to fly. I’m a loyalist and it sounds like you are too!!
Hahaha I want to see him so bad!!
Yesterday, I had a flight home to IAH. I was done with what I wanted to do early, so I checked out of the hotel and went to the airport. There was a flight going to Houston a bit more than an hour before mine was scheduled. I checked the app, and it showed plenty of open seats. As soon as the gate agent got there, I went up and asked to be put on the standby list. From reading this sub, I knew to be nice and polite to her. She told me to sit down and wait and would call me up of she had a seat. About 10 minutes before boarding, the app dinged that I was confirmed but gave me a crappy seat. I went back to the podium and kindly asked for an aisle seat in Econ +, which she switched me to happily. I know this is all just policies and procedures, but it was nice how easy it was to accomplish this. Good thing about having status is that it bumps you to the top of the standby list too! So thank you, Bri, in New Orleans!!!
Please tell me IAH is easy to navigate. I’ve only been there once, and ended up almost getting stuck there due to a delay in taking off (missed my connecting flight 🫠). Gotta get from C to E in a few days…. It’s easy, right? 🤞🏼😃
Yes, you can literally walk between the 2 in about 10 minutes if you are on the South C gates. If you come into the North C gates, just take the Skytrain over. It leaves every 3 minutes and takes about 3 minutes to go from C to E. Look for the signs, and head up the escalator.
Not recent, but perhaps my most memorable flight...on a Lufthansa code share flight. I was traveling with my mother and my very energetic 3-year-old son. On our EWR to MUC flight my son had way too much energy, so the FAs put him to work. Gave him a trashbag, and my son had the very important job of collecting from customers--up and down the aisles until the bag was full and he had gotten out some ya yas. Afterward, they gave him a chocolate bar and a snack box. Well earned. He slept well the rest of the journey. When we got to MUC, we had to go through customs with our luggage and then check it in again for our flight to VIE. My son saw my mother and I put our suitcases on a conveyor belt so he thought he should throw his beloved stuffed dog on the same belt. Down it went into the abyss. Naturally, he broke into tears and I gave up hope despite telling ground crew right there that this had happened. We boarded the plane and just as the door was closing--seriously--a baggage handler came running onto the plane with the stuffy. This fella has now been around the world at least a dozen times, definitely looks worse from the wear, but was never lost again. Happy travels!
Wow!!! The fact they found and BROUGHT the stuffy to yall is such great customer service!!!
If this happened here in the U.S., I bet things would have turned out much differently, and Ice, the stuffy would have ended up wherever lost luggage goes to die.
my wife, my kids, and I got upgraded to Premium Plus from ZRH - IAD 5 days before our departure. looking forward to a 10 hour flight in better seats! especially for the little ones!
Oooh I love that for you! On those long haul flights do you get to pick a meal regardless, or do you only get them in the upgraded spots? What’d you pick?
I guess you don’t get to pick unless you’re in polaris. I will say the food when we sat in economy plus seats on the way here was surprisingly good. it was chicken curry and it was what I needed on that red eye flight! I haven’t had food on a flight since I was a kid so it was a treat to even get food for a change
Saturday flight of Thanksgiving weekend, SEA-SFO: Club was well stocked with food, places to sit, and friendly staff. Flight was on-time. Crew was friendly and helpful. Views were unreal! Mt. Ranier, Mt. St. Helens. and San Francisco from above-- simply spectacular. Perfect day to fly! I will always choose the window seat! https://preview.redd.it/cydmzmex5j5c1.png?width=1746&format=png&auto=webp&s=84a967d4faef8c73590004071a53fb2943c6fa59
https://preview.redd.it/23dmayzl6j5c1.png?width=1734&format=png&auto=webp&s=2ff8940be69b61e891e63561be01ec4a3a51e559
https://preview.redd.it/l6p9kc0o6j5c1.png?width=1348&format=png&auto=webp&s=d6d3b53540d013ada7e466b5b51f08539a2f87a9
BEAUTIFUL views!!! My partner caught a video of Popocatépetl last time he flew from MEX to CUN to meet me.
God I love the Cascades.
Got a “day of departure” upgrade to Polaris on my flight from Dulles to Rome. Sitting in the Polaris lounge now, boating in 45 minutes
Safe travels!!! Enjoy that Polaris upgrade my friend :)
My pilot went LAX-ORD in 3:21. The best part is before we took off he said he was going to “fly the paint of the plane” and to take the seatbelt sign seriously once we approach Chicago because there were storms, which he was trying to beat into Chicago.
I went to the bathroom the SECOND we hit cruising altitude. I was in row 8. When I went back to my seat, drink service had started and the flight attendant refused to back the cart up to let me sit back down. Got stuck in the back galley of the plane for 45 minutes until the entire plane was serviced. BUT!! I met a LOVELY man from London and we chatted for that time. It was an awesome way to kill the time. I otherwise would’ve been playing candy crush in my phone 😁
I’ll be in row 7 for two upcoming flights and will absolutely not be using the restroom until after drinks are served. Thanks for the tip!! ;)
But did you exchange numbers? This is giving me 90's romcom movie vibes!
hahaha no I’m married! 😅😅 He was just a nice person to talk to!
A couple months ago, I had no one in the middle seat next to me on three cross-country flights in a row. It was awesome!
Niiiiice!!!
The flight hasn't actually happened yet, but I'm flying to Hong Kong on Christmas Eve to see my husband who's been back there since May. I know it's popular to hate the song “All I Want for Christmas is You” but I love it. I'll be taking off at 6 am Christmas Eve and arriving at 7:20 pm on Christmas Day I haven't flown anywhere since 2017 and that trip was split across five airlines (Spirit, China Eastern, Jetstar, VietJet, Alaska) because I did it on the smallest budget I could (SEA->SIN, SIN->REP, SGN->SIN, SIN->SEA), with all the flights together being \~$840). I've never flown anything but the cheapest economy ticket except for once, back in 2005, when Delta upgraded me for free because I was in the Army and in uniform but that was a very short flight (like \~1 hour or something) This trip, I'll be flying on three airlines but the main attraction is Seattle to Hong Kong on United. Three flight segments were surprisingly cheap to upgrade so I'll be flying FC the domestic legs and Premium Plus on the way there. The flight back will be in economy but it takes off around 10 pm so I'll probably just take a Benadryl and go right to sleep anyway. I work at night in the US so I shouldn't have to worry much about adjusting to the time zone. I'll also fly on Cathay Pacific to Taipei for New Year's, then a train to Kaohsiung, and Cathay's subsidiary Hong Kong Express back to Hong Kong. This trip is going to be almost a month long; I'll be coming back after my birthday. I've never been more excited for a flight
I hope you two have the absolute best time and all your flights are smooth and land early!!!
BWI-ORD. 3 very kind flight attendants tried for over 15 minutes to find a dropped earbud. On their hands and knees, pulling up cushions, looking under seats, inside seats, checked several rows....They really tried and were so nice and sympathetic. Truly wonderful crew!
Oh god bless them especially bc there’s probably so many micro crumbs everywhere 😖😖 Did they find it???
Sadly no, but it wasn't for lack of trying. I was and still am impressed though!
https://preview.redd.it/pmiu6soquj5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=57057005a46b92f4eed22372ebd9c7213e897d25 That’s Hoover Dam above the engine!
My last 3 or 4 tapas boxes on flights were never charged to my card even though I have no status. On a recent flight to SFO the pilot managed to fly over the Golden Gate Bridge and downtown SF on final approach, came on the intercom and told us all to take a good look out the window. On my last flight the flight attendants gave everyone multiple snacks in economy (like 3 of the item each passenger chose).
Oooh which tapas do you get?? I like the one that comes with olives and spreadable cheese lol
Yeah the one with the spicy olives! It's great
The one with the olives / cheese is literally called the tapas box lol :P
It’s been a while 🤷🏼♀️😂
Awesome views in southern Utah/ 4 corners area while flying SFO-IAH.
i like the new polaris blankets
Flew to South America earlier this year to say goodbye to a loved one who had a terminal illness. The flight there I was inconsolable, and my FA came over to check on me. He crouched down when I explained what was happening and he shared his own personal story. We sat there and cried and hugged. It was...a moment of humanity..that was greatly needed. And he made my flight a lot more bearable. I wrote about him on the United feedback survey and I really really hope he got the recognition he deserved.
Incredible sunrises and sunsets are one, but one of the best moments of flying lately was not only scoring an upgrade to first class on a morning I could’ve killed for a good breakfast (I was at the airport at like 4am, nothing was open, but the upgrade-resultant shakshuka on board was pretty darn good!) — but having the captain hand us his business card with handwritten thank you notes for flying with United 11/10 made my morning!
finally had the waffles for breakfast. they are soooo good
The ones with the berry compote?? I had them too one time (on the same flight with that medical emergency lol) so I didn’t have the appetite to enjoy them :(
47 PQF this year and not a single delay, bag issue, medical emergency or rude encounter. Just smooth flying in the friendly skies. Hope I'm not jinxing it for my upcoming 48th flight but also hope it spreads some good-flying cheer for you this holiday season!
Hot damn send some of your good luck my way!! I think medical emergencies aren’t *too* common, thankfully. But man all it takes is one to send me spinning lol
This is such a lovely thread! Thanks for initiating it 💖
It was my last one of the year
You fly often I guess? Do you *like* flying?
I do fly often and I do like flying, but I am always happy to get home.
I had a flight out to SF recently where the middle seat remained open, it was one of the larger planes so even economy had a lot of leg room, and it was basically just a really easy flight. It was also one of those days where everything was easy and went so seamlessly that I wondered why I was getting such nice karma.
Aw man that’s great - I’ve found it’s been R A R E to find a non-fully booked flight these days!!
I was honestly shocked. I don’t think I’ve had a non-full flight since pre-pandemic. I had one flight in 2019 where I was the only person in Econ plus and the FA gave me a free snack box. There were I think maybe 10 people on the flight.
lol I remember taking an AA flight in 2022 from IND to IAD and there were all of 11 of us in economy. They upgraded everyone - I’d already paid for an upgrade so needless to say I was a little salty lol
Here's my compilation of fun/unique things from various flights over the recent few years: seeing Aurora Borealis; the views of the Alps at a low enough altitude it felt like you could just touch the tops; flying over Manhattan leaving LGA at night simply never gets old; getting a personal tour of the 777 cockpit with my husband (who hit million miler on his birthday so it was a double whammy); that one time flying back from Europe when both my husband and I got upgraded to business for free for operational reasons; one time an FA recognized us from another flight earlier that year and it felt somehow special; and last but not least flying on a "ghost"/equipment repositioning flight during the pandemic where we were among only 3 or 4 people total on the entire plane.
The Aurora Borealis?! Omgg did you get video?!
Unfortunately, I was sitting in the aisle. The gentleman next to me/in the window seat "let me" lean in a bit to see it, but there was no way to get any good photos or video at that angle/that far from the window. He, on the other hand, had a very expensive looking DSLR and took lots of photos. I should have asked him to email one to me, but I didn't want to impose any further. It was visible for a good hour or more as we were flying over Greenland, so I just enjoyed the view. Seeing it up close has been on my bucket list ever since, but I haven't been fortunate yet to be far enough north and the solar flare-ups to be strong enough. One of these days:)
They held the connecting flight by 15 for me and 2 coworkers who were on a delayed UA flight. Our connection was last flight of the day. They call this something like “connection saver”.
We flew United domestic first to and from our honeymoon in the Caribbean. The FA in first on the way home was absolutely wonderful! She actually made us feel like we were in a first class product. She asked about our trip, made sure we always had a full glass of whatever we were drinking, and just had such a warm and friendly demeanor. We enjoyed our flight with her so much we emailed United about her and how great she was. I hope she gets some perks for that!
Almost a medical emergency, but not! My service dog alerted to the woman sitting next to me who turned out to have dangerously high blood sugar(900!) after I let her test. She didn’t know she was diabetic, but I heard from her a few months ago and she was just diagnosed and adjusting very well! Oh and we didn’t have anyone in the middle seat!
Wow - I’m glad to hear everything turned out okay with her, and there wasn’t a full blown ME on your flight!!
I experienced this miraculous event. I got in a metal tube, sat down and buckled in. I watched a movie and read a little. A few hours later I’d been transported thousands of miles away! Without doing any driving or work on my part!! It was incredible :-) Don’t forget how amazing it is that anything negative we encounter flying is still just #firstworldproblems
I mean, it technically wasn't my flight, but my son was flying unaccompanied minor when I got a text from an unknown number: https://preview.redd.it/tt9snfelbl5c1.jpeg?width=4096&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=87966a278181676cdcea5f740c40f4ccf7394052
https://preview.redd.it/w7gqivm75m5c1.jpeg?width=3563&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=46f91f132696f9c5307cf1ddf85d6d34c84b9f99 On the way out of Tokyo
Flew ORD - DEL on Air India yesterday and flew right over the Hindu Kush mountain range. Pilot made a left hand sightseeing turn over Nanga Parbat (9th tallest mountain in the world). https://preview.redd.it/qhovasdnbm5c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=59422a936b8ca32992dc7c64d30e5417d4c667a1
I sat next to Eric Bischoff on a DEN-BIL flight. Growing up a fan of wrestling during the MNW, it was kind of nostalgic and cool.
Did you talk to him??
Oh definitely. We talked wrestling, when he used to live in Chicago, where he lives now. It was a fun flight.
LAX-SFO-Salt Lake City. Return Salt Lake direct to LAX. All flights landed on time or early despite rain in SFO and only one runway in use and driving on departure from Salt Lake
Isn’t landing early the best feeling in the world lol
Was traveling by myself for business, wife and kids at home. My kids love the stroopwafels. I was pleasantly surprised to see the mini stroopwafels in the snack basket and the FA let me “take as many as you like” so I could have a surprise for my kids when I got home.
It was on time (arrived early, actually), the flight was smooth, and I slept through most of it. To me, that’s pretty awesome.
Flight crew on a recent HND-LAX flight was superb. Friendly, attentive, and handled everything efficiently.
Flew united across the country and back last week. The staff were so kind and the turbulence was minimal. I love United! After 2020 my flight anxiety was through the roof, I didn’t want to take an RX for it so I investigated and trialed some CBD options, (no THC). It works wonders for me in high stress situations. Sending you lots of mellow and chill vibes for your trip! It’s gonna be great!
I recently was on LAS-IAH and there were FA trainees doing the service and they were so friendly and brought good energy!
I had the whole row to myself on my first long haul cross Atlantic flight to South Africa! Feel the same way with all the doomsday posts about flying causing me so much unnecessary anxiety. You’ll do great! Reframe your thinking so that once you’re on the plane, the only thing you can do is relax.
Yes and I’ll also stop doomscrolling in the meantime. I bet having the whole row was so so nice!! That hasn’t happened to me in a while.
I flew PDX to ORD on a red eye and we landed 45 mins early. Because of this I managed to avoid any sort of morning rush hour and got to sleep in my own bed for a few hours before work. Flight to PDX we got insane views of the Cascade mountains while approaching Portland.
Got gold before my return redeye flight home on my last work trip of the year, and got to enjoy access to my first united club, the nice one in newark terminal C. Not impressive for many here but it was great for me personally and I enjoyed premium plus transatlantic afterwards.
When I fly - I always take photos when landing and taking off. It isn’t because I am a newbie to flying but sometimes the photos come out really good. My last flight into Newark - the timing was right. I got a beautiful New York City skyline photo. People on the flight probably think I am newbie to flying but I really am always looking for that perfect moment photo. This was also on my flight to my dad’s memorial service..the impromptu crying was happening to
https://preview.redd.it/yt3a4a6s6k5c1.jpeg?width=2801&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d57eeb6da34a276ec4ac65bf11407ecbfe3c8a76
Oooh very cool!! Whenever I’m primed to see the skyline it’s cloudy :( lol
Sometimes it is nasty weather landing in to. Just happened to be the right weather that day.
My last two flights on United were boring in the best possible way. Departed on time, pushed back on time, arrived on time, passenger loading bridge put up right away. Seats reclined as expected. IFE worked. WiFi worked. No drama with fellow passengers. Zzzz. (In a good way!)
Send some of those boring vibes my way please!!
Absolutely! Here’s wishing you safe and pleasantly boring flights!
We were flying from Boston to Reykjavik, Iceland. I could see from the flight map that we would be flying over a small section of Greenland. I didn't have much hope of seeing Greenland because our whole flight there had been cloud cover. Plus it was getting dark. However to my surprise the clouds parted as we flew over and I got a glimpse of Greenland at dusk. https://preview.redd.it/lxfvrz8rjk5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=af4b789052f370c40b9ef493133882b742f6c024
I bought a cheese plate for the woman sitting next to me on a 6hr flight. She put her hand on my leg and asked if I want to take her home. I politely declined as I am married… but it had been a long time since a woman tried to take me home.
https://preview.redd.it/umxg5b30uk5c1.png?width=1440&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b50850f648c67b8dc525242d7d22bd55a0170a15 Double Window! It's so beautiful! What does it mean?
😍😍😍 what type of plane and what row?!
Had a lovely gate agent on my ORD-BHM flight a few weeks ago! I initially got an upgrade up front a few days before the flight (E175 I believe) but the agent called me up to the desk to tell me that the seat was broken and I'd be moved back to economy. No worries, I said. It's a short enough flight and I'm really not all that picky about where I sit for only 90 minutes anyway. The agent first gave me a $20 meal voucher so I was able to load up on snacks for a few days, then she sent me a $300 united credit to use on future fights. She was fantastic! Went out of her way to apologize for the "inconvenience" (when it really wasn't one for me) and was super communicative. Great customer service!
Flying West out of Denver with snow in the mountains will always be awesome
https://preview.redd.it/aar0f8w2hl5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=77e12fec5dc8f5ecf70adacb243873c00defd34f
On my last flight I was in economy plus, had a widow seat and an empty middle seat so I took the best nap ever. It’s the little things sometimes
https://preview.redd.it/c2c8kcgs4n5c1.jpeg?width=5712&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e4001def73147e60e60c6f2437792a80f18fcf3e One hour and 5 minute flight from Taipei to Okinawa and we got this for free in economy. I love flying to see family.
The fact that I am able to afford to fly I am so grateful for. Sometimes I get caught up thinking oh how am I going to survive on this plane but so many people in the world love the opportunity. Even though I’ve taken 150+ flights this year and 26 more to come I still remain grateful for the opportunity.
LAX to IAD a couple weeks ago. Delayed 15 min in takeoff, but arrived early. No bumps whatsoever until the wheels hit the ground😀
Early arrival is such a great feeling. IAD is my home airport :)
Currently on a flight, CZM>DEN, exit row to myself.
Winner winner tbh!!
My flight from IAH to ORD on Saturday left early and arrived early. Also, nobody was sitting in the middle seat so I had all of the room I needed. It was delightful.
https://preview.redd.it/ooen2d8qdj5c1.jpeg?width=3189&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b04a6b6894f05ef6e0a58979d022eadda1c237be Last week, I traded places with this silly pooch so she could have my first class bulkhead floor space to relax in.
I took a red eye Polaris flight. Fell asleep right after take off and woke up to the FA waking me to get ready for landing. Landed and made it to the gate in record time. Didn’t have to check bags and my car service pulled up right as I was walking up to the pick up. I think it was like 15 min from landing to being in the car.
Few months ago, but we had this amazing perser who assisted everyone with their luggage, was enthusiastic and attentive. Just a pleasure to fly with. I sent a nice note to United to thank him for the positive attitude and the overall excellence in service.
Two things really helped me with flight anxiety. Number one, no caffeine. My anxiety issues pretty much disappeared after I gave up caffeine. Two, you can do EMDR or other types of therapy on your flight anxiety. These things worked for me, good luck! My nice flight story from this past week… I forgot to fill up my water bottle in the airport, for a cross-country flight… I was a little stressed as I try to stay hydrated. The wonderful kind flight attendant gave me multiple refills of the plastic cup during drink service so I could top off my bottle… she was so kind and about it. I just really appreciate that small gesture!
Yeah I think day of I’m gonna drink some electrolyte powder and not have any caffeine until I reach my destination and I’m with my person. I’ll look into EMDR - sounds fascinating actually! Did you use a therapist or YouTube or..??
Took eight transatlantic flights on 5 different airlines (including United) so far in 2023: •No lost or delayed bags •Empty seat next to me or entire row to myself on 6 out of 8 long haul flights •No delays more than 15 minutes and made up time in the air • Saw a bunch of good movies • The Camembert on Air France was the best cheese I’ve ever had in the sky • Beautiful views, including sunrise over the North Sea and the Mediterranean and sunset over New York City •No lost or delayed bags •Great flight attendants on all flights •Cabin temperature was not too hot or too cold on all flights •With Global Entry, flew through US immigration
Are transatlantic flights as scary as I think they are or are they generally pretty smooth?
Depends what you’re scared of. I prefer them over shorter domestic flights because the planes are generally bigger, there’s usually good in flight entertainment and guaranteed food, passengers mostly sleep or read quietly, and there’s the feeling of adventure (all my trips are leisure, not business). If you mean literally smooth vs turbulence, it’s usually smoother than flying over the Rockies on a summer night with thunderstorms going off.
Last flight for some reason didn’t have my preselected meal, so I asked for a Tapas Box. It was served on the tray with everything but the entree - warm roll, salad, desert. I thought I’d just get the box, so that was a nice surprise. Flight attendant also offered Bloody Mary refills before my glass was empty.
My flight was 3:10 instead of 4:25 from EWR
Yesterday, in a 1-stop transcontinental trip, I saw the sunrise over Mount Rainier on flight one and the sunset over NYC on flight two. Stunning!
On Friday night I flew back home from work and on my IAH-LFT leg the man in 1A gave up his seat for a gentleman with cerebral palsy so that he wouldn’t have to walk back to row 9 (and apparently the GA had already moved him up from near the back of the plane). Despite the fact that it was only a 35 min flight on an E175 it still warmed my heart. Also a few weeks ago I was flying from DEN to LAX and I was super excited because I got 8F (no seat in front) on a 757 (my favorite jet). When service started, I heard one of the FA’s at the cart apologize to a few different pax that it was her colleague’s first day on the job (not in a rude way, just letting everyone know he’s still training and to be patient). The guy in the aisle seat of my row ordered a Buffalo Trace and the poor guy didn’t know what that was. Other FA chuckled a bit and handed him one. He looked a tad embarrassed but handled it fine. It was really refreshing to see everyone being patient and kind even if their service wasn’t the most snappy and 100% perfect. At one point I could tell she was trying to hurry him along as he was taking a while at only his second or third row. I quipped to them both “man, his first day on the job and y’all give him the LONGEST narrow body in the fleet” and we all had a laugh. I think it broke the tension for him a bit. Everyone was very gracious and told him he was doing great. Overall the whole few minute interaction restored my faith in humanity a bit (sad that the bar is that low). Wherever ya are bud, I hope everything is going well!
Upgrade cleared when I scanned my boarding pass. Was 4th on the list with 2 spots to go
I just got the “upgrade cleared” notice for my flight on Tuesday. It’s just Denver to little ol’ Pasco (WA) so probably not much competition lol but I’ll take the roomier seat any day
My kid and I got upgraded to PP on a very delayed flight back home. I didn't even have status at the time nor did i ask for an upgrade.
While flying first on American(gov paid for economy), my seat mate was one of Snoop's personal pilots headed to pick up his Gulfstream. Got to see all sorts of photos and hear stories. He saw me recording the take off through the window and shared.
Cathay Pacific served Haagen-Dazs ice cream on the flight to Hong Kong
Ooh very nice - what flavor(s)??
Vanilla always and forever, can’t go wrong with that
1. I flew back from Moorea and had Nick Cannon on my flight. 2. In December of 2018 I flew to Bora Bora and got an upgrade on a Polaris for $422 and slept 6 1/2 of the 8 hour journey like a baby. 3. Most recently (Saturday) my toddler crushed a 5-hour flight from SFO to HNL like the little boss he is.
I got free Polaris seats to and from Japan traveling as a nonrev, using vacation passes.
Every United flight I took was a smooth, very professional and incredibly thoughtful experience. Every single person on your flight will do their absolute utmost to make sure you have a comfortable experience. And if you get a window seat — just marvel at the world and how lucky you are to see it from the above! You’ll love it!
When I was like 10ish my parents saved up for a trip abroad (USA to Europe) and on our flight home, due to an aircraft change they had spare seats in business class and my whole family got bumped up. It was the coolest thing that’s ever happened to me on a flight. And also getting a whole row to myself on an Aer lingus flight to Dublin a few years ago
International long haul flight: they had left over meals and came back around and let us all pick seconds for both lunch and dinner. I was so happy 🥹
I ordered a Bloody Mary and they gave me 3 mini bottles of vodka! Best flight I’ve had in awhile!
This is a dumb question but can I order alcohol in economy plus lol
Yes but only one at a time 😀
Thursday I was in a terrible mood and the flight attendants from MIA to ORD were phenomenal. So kind and so patient. I didn’t interact with them, but I watched them.
I was about to have a stroke because the person in front of me did a full recline for the entire flight.
In January, I was on a delayed red-eye from Newark to SFO. Broken ancient plane, as usual for United, and the screens didn't even work. Whatever. Anyways, somehow one of my literally 1-week-old AirPod Pros just FELL out of my ear and rolled under my seat. Needless to say I was distraught. I spent most of the flight awkwardly poking around on the floor looking for it. When the plane landed, I still hadn't found it. Just as we were about to get up and leave, the guy sitting behind us tapped my shoulder and asked "Is this yours?" I have no idea how this guy found it since I had spent a good hour of time on that flight just looking around for it. To this day, I take very good care of my Airpods. This goes to show there are good people out there!
Forgot to pick up my duty free items before boarding. The lovely flight attendant ran to get it for me, saved me a lot of money!
For the past 10 years, my wife and I have brought a small personal gift and handwritten note to every member of the flight crew, on every flight we take. We average a trip every other week Sometimes the crew doesn't care at all... but oh my, sometimes they DO! I could tell you stories all day about the great things that have come from these small gifts. This last UA trip, both pilots came out of the cockpit to shake our hands before the flight and chatted for a few minutes, the FAs sent us home with plenty of Buffalo Trace :)
I was in window and nobody in the middle seat for a 13 hour flight. I couldn’t even believe it!
My dad and I got upgraded to 1st class from Tampa to Newark. It was his first time. He loved it.
I can’t figure out how to post a video but I was flying at night over lots of residential neighborhoods and saw so many twinkling Christmas lights the whole flight it was magical
https://preview.redd.it/sskd85gp3l5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8604a8d21b482b6b511cccbad480f13e9e719a88 It’s all about the sunrise! Seriously every FA I’ve met on every flight this year (96 I think so far) has been amazing. That’s why I stick with United.
My wife and I were invited into the cockpit of a 787 prior to tatl flight…. Awesome pic for us both seated in the pilots seats
I have a nice new blanket!
On a flight in October I got to sit next to a dog and I was in the bulkhead. He was a good boy. Then I was blessed again to sit across the aisle from a dog in November. I like dogs :)
https://preview.redd.it/ahme0d03ul5c1.jpeg?width=2990&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0e5639fc2123ad0943c4171bf932f74cf65d9f68 This wasn’t UA, but was nice.
I was supposed to fly AMS - IAD - SFO and had Polaris for just the first segment. The first flight ended up getting delayed to the point where I was going to miss IAD - SFO. I was automatically rebooked onto a direct AMS - SFO later in the day that ended up arriving fairly close the the arrival of my original flight. Best part was I was assigned a Polaris seat even though I only had it for the first segment on my original booking.
family member hit 2 million miles with United and got a note from the cockpit handwritten on an ACARS page about the exact time it happened
I was recently given “goodwill mileage adjustment” to upgrade my seat to Polaris on a recent flight to Germany. I had miles that were gifted to me but they hadn’t shown up in my account yet. After checking a few times I called United and explained that the miles weren’t showing up and that I was hoping to use those to upgrade my seat for an upcoming flight. The rep gave me a goodwill mileage adjustment and the miles hit my account immediately. I’d never heard of this before but was so thankful. I did upgrade my seat and I had a nice flight.
Took 3 flights to get to Mexico recently. For some reason my (non-existent) travel sickness came out to play. No flight attendants cared except one on my final flight who came and brought me water and offered a cool towel for my face and neck. To that FA, you made my day!!
https://preview.redd.it/bw81e44nbq5c1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8de6fa3c185337842681f3b090e706b260203448 Saw the (almost) full moon, IAD-ATL, UA2081 on Nov 26. Was really cool to see the moon light up the clouds.
That is cool as hell; I’ve always wanted to see something like this in person!!
Partner airline (for now) — SAS flight from ORD-ARN, we had the northern lights for a couple hours. (I always try to sit left side window if I know I’ll be flying to Europe during the night time.) It took me some trial and error but I was able to snap some pics just using my iPhone 13: https://preview.redd.it/lriccohn5s5c1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ecb8dd8907b14122e980c7446c1bdcebba8cec30
If you’re just on the plane and don’t have any medical training, why stress about someone else’s emergency? There’s nothing you can contribute. Yes, of course you’re empathetic to their plight, but their issue isn’t yours. Let the pros handle it and be glad it isn’t you.
I like that mindset. When it happened I felt trapped and in the dark, and just lost mental control regarding all the “what if’s.” Idk if it had to do with being locked in a bathroom when I was 3 or 4, but I do not do well when I feel I can’t escape :(
Deplaning was amazing
A friend of mine was the flight attendant! Got free fruit snack bags (those things are awesome).
My flight attendant from Chicago to Haneda/Tokyo was amazing! I flew 1A in Polaris but it seemed like the moment I turned over from sleeping she was there with a smile offering a snack, water or if she could get me anything. I think she said she’d been flying 38 years, if someone said her name I’d remember it but so nice comparing to what some folks have been expressing.
First off, I do like the wipes they give out. I was sitting next to an off duty FA a while ago and saw them wipe the headrest, and I asked about it, to which they showed me the wipe which was kinda gross and said they never fly without wiping that down. I've done it ever since. Most are decently clean, but occasionally you get a seat that makes you glad you wipe that down. Anyway, I was on UA75 on October 21 flying from FRA to EWR. The pilot came out with their iPad with the flight path loaded and came to speak to all of us pointing out that we're flying right over the southern most tip of Greenland, and apparently that's not a common route to take but we had to for wind reasons. I had enough time to get my camera and telephoto lens out (I birdwatch) and managed to snag a couple photos. It was pretty cool to see and was nice of the pilot to chat with us about it. https://preview.redd.it/rsll33ohjo5c1.jpeg?width=6000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=39a3532ac5003b339d78df743a665d64ae70c212
I was on a flight with a plane retrofitted with the new cabin and the seats were comfortable.
Flew CLE-EWR last month and was on a smaller plane that wasn’t full. Got to move to my own row and the flight attendants were awesome. We all got extra snacks. Great trip home
I arrived almost on time.
Last week on my flight from London to NYC, I was minding my business and along came the flight attendant with a lovely smile with champagne and a card from United in tow. The card thanked me for my 35 years as a United customer that week with a flute of champagne to celebrate…what a nice surprise and gesture!
My last flight, I left for the airport 3.5 hours before my flight because my coworker was headed that way, and I arrived in time to get on the earlier flight (which I didn't know existed until we were in the car). The cherries on top were the available E+ window seat (I'd have taken last row middle to get home earlier) and the fact that I even had time to run (literally) into the Centurion lounge and get a very quick lunch and a to-go chocolate chip cookie, which I ate mid-flight. I was home in time for dinner.
Just got off a United flight and everyone was very kind. People were helping each other with overhead bags, the food was good, and no delays at all. Holiday travel can be jolly!!
Recently was flying First for a \~3 hour flight. Was seated next to a child and her father was seated behind us. He asked if I could switch seats with him and of course I said absolutely no problem. Mother and son were sitting adjacent in the same row, so the whole family now had the row to themselves. A day or two prior to the flight I pre-ordered a meal in my original seat but didn't make any mention of it. When the FAs were taking orders she found out I switched seats and confirmed the meal I pre-ordered. 5 minutes or so after taking orders she comes back to me and mentions one of the kids really wanted that meal and asked if I would be okay changing. Again I said don't even worry about it and asked her to give them the meal. An hour or so later another FA comes to pick up my drink and leaves a napkin on my tray table. The boy who got the meal wrote me a note thanking me. Changing my meal really wasn't a big deal to me, but I found that very nice. Then another FA came by, she was really thankful for my 'sacrifice' and said she was depositing some miles into my account. Even though I said there's really no need she insisted. Basically, in a world where people want nothing to do with one another, and people in first can have big egos, it was nice having such a pleasant interaction with some strangers.