I booked this flight because I had very tight time-constraints and needed to leave New York at a particular time and arrive in LA at a particular time. VX, to my distress, did not have a suitable option, either from EWR or JFK. So United it was. And what a great decision this turned out to be.
We arrived at T7 in good time and were immediately attended to by a check-in agent. No queue. Security was quick and painless. The terminal, as those of us who occasionally fly BA know, is alright by US standards (i.e. there are some shops and some eating options). I stocked up on food for the flight and then waited by the gate.
Boarding was swift and painless. There was all of the usual nonsense with people bringing on ludicrous amounts of baggage, but the brilliant flight attendant simply blocked the aisle and told them to return to the front of the plane: the bins were full. She took absolutely no nonsense from anyone and it was pleasing to watch.
We were on one of the refitted 757s, and boy could VS learn a thing or two from United. The economy seat was MILES more comfortable than the VS one. You could actually walk after sitting in it for six hours. There were few silly announcements; the safety video suggested that it was actually important, rather than an item of entertainment. The seatback entertainment was fantastic, really fantastic: a great selection of classics as well as all the normal popular Hollywood dross. Food options were OK; there were plenty of drinks runs throughout the flight (compare 1 on a VS flight of similar length).
And most of all, I was impressed by the crew. American legacy carriers have a bad reputation in this respect, and I'm sure we all know why. But I think the reputation is exaggerated -- I've had consistently good experiences, and these guys (based in LA) were great. There was banter and conversation, and you really can't ask for more than that. They did their job well, and they also avoided the galley gossip that is rather embarrassingly too common on VS.
The only flaw was at baggage reclaim, where we were assigned the same belt as a flight from Hawaii (I think), and so there was a bit of a crush, but it cleared quickly enough and there wasn't an undue delay. And then it was off into the lovely sunshine and fresh air (ho ho) of LA.
It was a great flight -- enjoyable and comfortable. Obviously it was lucky to draw one of the better 757s on what is a premium transcon product for the airline, but I still find the comparison with VS very telling -- UA felt fresher and keener, VS was tired and complacent. This may well be a side-effect of the general raising of standards that is occurring in the US, spurred on by airlines such as VX. But whatever the explanation, it is a clear reminder that there are plenty of alternatives to choose from, and they are not all bad.
