Text 19984, 105 rader
Skriven 2009-01-21 19:44:00 av MICHAEL LOO (1:123/140)
Ärende: trip 105
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UA 171 BOS SFO 0600 0945 752 2D

It's hard to get to the airport at 5 in the morning without
paying an arm and a leg, so I took one of the last trains in
and camped out in the corridor between terminals B and C
until it got too cold to bear (Logan Radio hasn't penetrated
here, but apparently neither has the heating system) and
then moved to the relatively warm and relatively quiet arm
of Terminal C where the barber shop is. One of the Easy Chicken
machines (now equipped with passport readers for international
travel) said he would open at 0200, but in fact he's on Denver
time. Checked in at 4 and hoped to get through security so I
could mooch on the club wireless, but it was employees only
until 0430, when security was unfriendly but fast. Used the
T-Mobile until the club opened; said hi to my favorite agents;
boarded in the midst of boarding, which meant that I had to
put my rollaboard well behind my seat.

Put on my eyeshades and snoozed an hour; breakfasty smells
roused me. I stayed awake just long enough to chew down a
croissant (flaky but a little tough) and determine that
everyone else was breakfasting on either the famous cheese
omelet with sausage and potatoes or the famous fruit plate
sans yogurt. Then back to my stupor until Wyoming, when I
went forward to ask the cheery male FA (the female one was
grumpy) for a Courvoisier, which came warmed: it was harsh
as VS but fruity as VSOP, and I wondered in what way UA is
cutting corners. Pacing between the forward doors was a
mystery man in coat and tie and bundled up with a scarf,
looking kind of miserable. After I went back to my seat I
watched him for a while, lost interest, and went back to
sleep, lulled by the dulcet tones of air traffic control
(a United exclusive).

Woke to the pre-landing announcement - it's one of my joys
to listen to the communications between the airplane and
the tower on descent - and was just getting back into
things when I heard "Approach, er, tower, we have a ..."
followed by a swift cut to some inane bubblegum pop channel.
Shortly, we accelerated and took a big rising left turn,
leaving the airport behind, a slightly ominous occurrence
given no announcement until after the fact. Turns out the
flaps hadn't deployed or something (that was the word from
the front), and they had rectified the situation, and we
would be making a normal landing. I sighed. There is some
benefit to normality.

All the same, we came in early enough that there was no one
marshal us to the gate; waited about 5, but still we managed
to deplane 5 early.

Oh, it turns out that Mystery Man must have been some kind
of inspector or something, but his only interaction with us
was serving as headrest sheriff before landing.

The international lounge staff were helpful and the drinks
top shelf. I had Maker's Mark straight up and moseyed the
hundred feet to the gate.

They'd finished preboarding when I showed up, but there
was just room left in one of the minicabin bins for my bag.

UA 837 SFO NRT 1114 1530 777 9J

Somewhat perfunctory though not unfriendly service. Warm
nuts with seconds offered. Warm towels.

The hard product, as they say, wasn't special. Though the
seat was comfy as ever, the tray table wouldn't stay flat,
and my window was filthy. Also the entertainment system
kept doing weird things: sometimes it would st-t-t-tutter
like so, sometimes it would go off altogether except for
the magic channel 8. No channel 9, just dead air. And, as
the airline must be planning for the new cabins with beds in
biz class, the seats were in a bit of a state, the upholstery
so worn and flat that it was hardly deserving the name.

Piper Brut was just off-brut, pleasantly lemony and with
yeasty characteristics; a surprising whiff of wintergreen.

to begin
Smoked salmon, Genoa salami and vegetable crudite with a
sun-dried tomato dressing

This was just fine, the salmon being almost as good as
ever, flavorful, good texture, not too salty.

Fresh seasonal greens; Classic Caesar or balsamic Dijon
vinaigrette

Also just fine, though the little treat on top that one
got in the old days - a slice of sun-dried tomato, or a
couple shrimp, or a few asparagus tips - was absent.

main course
T Mustard thyme scented chicken; with warm horseradish
potato salad

Braised short rib of beef with red wine demi-glace; potato
pancakes and oven-roasted root vegetables
[tbc]

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