Home > United > 2007 > Review

Taken 5 October 2007 from London, England (Heathrow Airport) - LHR to Los Angeles, CA (Los Angeles International Airport) - LAX

I found a great deal on the united.co.uk web site, that would let me return from my destination 3 months later at £400 and make free changes to the date if I needed to.

I checked in at Heathrow Terminal three, where I waited for two friends on a connecting flight with BMI from Belfast. BMI and United had checked their baggage to our final destination. The check in area for United was hard to find, as it is in a small corner of the terminal with a doorway that leads down a walkway to a very large check in area for United flights only. Signage needs to be improved. Check in agent gave me my boarding pass and told me my seat number would be allocated at the gate. We were then sent to the other side of the hall to check in my baggage, where I was rudely told off for not having a United baggage name tag with my address details on my bag, even thou I had my own personal one.

When I got to the boarding gate, I asked if I could sit beside my two friends, but was told that my seat hadn’t be allocated yet and it was not possible at this late stage to sit beside my party. Boarding started and I was left to one of the last few in the departure gate, before my name was called, and my seat allocation given. I was lucky enough to get an upgrade to Business. However when I got onto the plane, I went to the lady who was sitting beside my mates in economy and she thankfully agreed to take my seat so I could be beside my friends. I was more interested in catching up with my friends that I haven’t seen in 6 months than being wined and dined on my own.

The flight was rather uneventful, the food and drink was plentiful, tho the food needs considerable rethinking. The IFE was good, but still on the loop system, meaning you had to wait for the second movie to start. The seats in economy were tight and not as comfortable than those in BA or Aer Lingus, but better than American.

I found the mixed crew on this flight indifferent. The American crew got annoyed when you asked for anything, the English crew couldn’t do enough for you. I am Irish!. United fly with a mix of crew based in the states and some from at their Heathrow base. Overall the crew did a good job considering it was a full fight.

I would fly United again, but only if I got it cheaper than, Aer Lingus, Virgin or BA as they do a better job. My excitement for my return flight on United has somewhat disappeared, will update review when I’ve taken it.