UA862 SGN-HKG Economy Plus
Posted: 04 Nov 2006, 18:14Saturday October 28 2006
Flight: United Airlines UA862
Aircraft: Boeing 747-400
Class: Economy Plus
Seat: 37C Aisle
Distance: 924 miles
Scheduled departure: 06:10
Scheduled arrival 09:50
Scheduled flight duration: 2hrs 40 mins non-stop
Frequent flyer miles earned: 924
My three night stay at the Renaissance Riverside Hotel Saigon was coming to an end. I had to leave the hotel at around 04:45 in the morning so the previous evening I settled my bill so to avoid delay at check-out.
The wake-up call came at 04:20, and I slumbered to the bathroom to take a shower. I turned on the shower but there was no hot water. I ran the shower for 5 mins before I picked up the phone and called housekeeping to complain. A room engineer was sent immediately to my room to investigate. He simply turned the shower handle to the left and hot water came out! Why oh why am I such a Muppet? Three nights I stayed and then I forget how to turn on the shower! Doh!
Once showered and packed I was ready to go. I grabbed a quick coffee from the Club lounge, left my key at reception, and jumped into the taxi for the quick drive to Tan Son Nhat airport. The driver dropped me off at the international terminal and I paid him US$6. Then I headed over to the United First Class/ Star Alliance Gold check-in counter where I presented only my passport and frequent flyer card. With e-tickets you don't need to show a copy of your e-ticket/itinerary but some people do. I choose not to.
I spoke Vietnamese and said to the check-in lady that I was going to Hong Kong. She informed me that I had to pay a US$40 fee for changing my flight (I was supposed to fly to HKG 24hrs earlier but changed my flight). I paid my fee at the payment desk before returning to check-in. My bags were priority-checked to HKG and I was given a lounge invitation to the First/Business Class lounge. I was also upgraded from Economy to Economy Plus. Excellent check-in service. Ten out of ten. Then it was upstairs to pay the US$14 departure fee and through to immigration.
I had a few coffees in the lounge and then left to do a bit of duty-free shopping. Again, true to my style, I was fashionably late, but not that late, for boarding and was the last passenger to board United Airlines flight UA862 bound for HKG.
Upon entering the aircraft I was warmly greeted by a flight attendant and I cheerful said hi. I made my way to the Economy Plus cabin, found my seat, opened the overhead compartment and began to stow away my carry-on bags. I had hardly lifted one bag in when a different flight attendant came up to me and said, in a very raised and commanding tone, ' Sir, please sit down! Everyone has managed to get onboard on time except you. We've been waiting for you.'
Everyone in the Economy Plus cabin turned their eyes on me to see why she was practically yelling at me. I replied calmly, ' There's still 20 mins before departure.'
She then practically snapped at me, 'Sir, will you sit down!!'
I said, 'Yes, I will sit down. There's no need to shout at me. What's your problem?' To which she just walked away.
The aircraft pushed back 10 mins ahead of schedule and we were soon airborne. Flight time was just a little over 2 hrs. Breakfast was served shortly afterwards - fruit salad, roll, yoghurt (I think) and pork noodles which I didn't finish as it was quite yucky. I read the papers to pass the time as there was no in-flight entertainment onboard for this short flight.
On arrival in HKG, as we disembarked, I stopped to have a word with the flight attendant who yelled at me earlier. She was chatting to a passenger in the emergency exit. I interrupted, 'Excuse me lady, you need to sort out your attitude. Who the hell do you think you are shouting at me to sit down? Cos you're a flight attendant? You're just trash.' She looked at me and then said,'You know I can have you arrested for saying that. I've got a witness.' I replied, ' Go on then. Do it.' She just repeated - even louder this time - so that everyone could hear, 'I can have you arrested for saying that!!' I walked off the plane chuckling. Stupid cow I thought.
[Excerpts taken from FlyerTalk]