Here’s a quick look at the Singapore – San Francisco route which United debuted in 2016. I had the opportunity to experience United’s business class for the first time. The Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 was my home for 14 hours and 35 minutes. United flies daily between Singapore and San Francisco and so does Singapore Airlines these days.
Here’s a photo walk through of my journey. Full review will follow soon, perhaps.
Pre Departure
I was excited for this flight as much as I was excited to be in San Francisco. I chose the window seat for the SIN-SFO leg because I wanted to play with the window and to take the Boeing 787’s engine photograph below.
United’s amenity kit was in a metal case. It was Team USA’s Olympic edition and I learned that they have been flying Team USA for over 35 years. The case is now lying in my storage, it looks good but it is just not as practical as small bags other airlines provide where one could use it to store a battery power bank and cable for instance. Still, it is a pretty case!
The usual active noise cancelling headphones one gets in Business Class, if you have your own thats great, but for those who prefer to use this and not carry their own headphones, this works just nice.
Meal Service
Around 2 hours after we departed from Singapore Changi Airport, meal was served. The flight attendant took our order prior to departure though. I wanted the Grilled Beef Tenderloin but because I have booked my Vegetarian meal in advance, the flight attendant said that they did not have any other extra main course available which I could swap to. A bit of a bummer but perhaps this was how United rolls.
There was an indication of Executive Dining, but I was not offered that though, not sure how that works in United. Main course selection includes Grilled Beef Tenderloin, Roasted Chicken Breast, Malaysian-style Baked Perch and Indian Vegetarian selection of Bhutta Palak. Glad to see that Vegetarian is available for order in this flight.
It started with butter and garlic bread. I would definitely go for a second piece of garlic bread!
Followed by a small plate of carrot with some lemon and sauce, tasted alright.
This is my first Caesar Salad on a plane, I like it.
The main course was Rice with mixed carrot and green peas together with dal. The portion was quite a bit but the taste… Let’s just say Singapore Airline’s Vegetarian Meal in Economy Class does better than this.
I was quite full having rice and dal. Ending a meal with a cheese plate at 35,000ft was also an experience. Gouda tasted the best among all the cheeses served.
Dessert of the day was red bean paste with tapioca. Does it look appetizing to you? This was part of the Vegetarian meal.
Wifi and Amenities
Wifi cost US$21.99 for the full flight which I thought was reasonable. I also like the idea of being able to purchase the Internet access using miles. I imagine that it is especially useful for people who flies less often to use their miles or if you just want to use up your expiring miles.
The lavatory consisted of Cowshed cleanser, toner and moisturiser. I took a photo of it because it was my first experience with Cowshed and I quite like taste.
Pre-Arrival Meal
This is probably the best meal in this flight, Having Indian potato curry together with prata. It would be nice if there was also a yogurt to finish off the meal. While this Indian breakfast is good, unfortunately this was part of the Vegetarian meal package and you cannot select it from the on board menu. They offered Spinach and Feta Frittata, Chinese Congee and also Cereal and banana.
Bottom line
The flight was smooth and uneventful. I like the Cowshed amenities provided. I expected more from the Main Vegetarian meal, the pre-arrival Indian Curry with Prata exceeded my expectation though. The seat was comfortable, it converted into a flat bed and I was able to catch some sleep. I selected an aisle seat on my way back from SFO-SIN via UA-1.
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