United Airlines

[spgfcs 57]

I am going in November, Chicago to Bangkok. The best fare I could find turned out to be United Airlines ($1,100). Previously I had taken Korean Air and ANA (All Nippon Air?), but this year the Asian flights were more expensive than I've seen them before. In the past the standard US flights were hundreds of dollars more expensive.

 

However I dread it will be poor American service instead of the excellent Asian service I am used to. Also the big drawback is only one free checked luggage, I usually had two suitcases full in previous visits.

 

This time there is two of use (my Thai wife...) so I had to keep the costs as low as possible. It's sad that as soon as I qualified for KA's Morning Calm status I haven't been able to take any of their flights. We were looking at bringing some more of her stuff home but with the luggage restriction it doesn't look like it will happen.

[joekicker 53]

I am going in November, Chicago to Bangkok. The best fare I could find turned out to be United Airlines ($1,100). Previously

 

The new one-suitcase rule is a bitxh. Apart from that, United will leave roughly on time, get you there roughly on time, give you meals on time and bring you your 3.75 Cokes per trip. There are more movies on their little screens than you can watch (except on their horrible 747s, with the one "TV set" monitor per 50 passengers.) They are... what's the word.... efficient. I use them constantly because they're dependable. As spectacular as Walking Street at 11 a.m. but as dependable as anything that's German.

 

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[kaiser71 30]

I have this card

http://www9.chasecreditcards.com/continental/opp/?SPID=DFQ5&CELL=6NG3&AFFID=&CLICK=&CID=&PROMO=DF01

Continental and United are merging their ff programs. Right now it's giving 40,000 ff miles. Add the miles you'll make on this trip, and your next will be free. $95 fee is waived for first year. They may waive it after that; if not cancel. I think there is some sort of baggage allowance. You should also check out flyertalk.com - there may be a better deal going.

[Evil Penevil 7,609]

This time there is two of use (my Thai wife...) so I had to keep the costs as low as possible. It's sad that as soon as I qualified for KA's Morning Calm status I haven't been able to take any of their flights. We were looking at bringing some more of her stuff home but with the luggage restriction it doesn't look like it will happen.

 

Korean Airlines is a member of SkyTeam and so is Delta. You might want to check the prices for Delta flights compared with United. Usually, they are very similar, but not always. It depends on whether both are offering discounted tickets for the dates you want. Should you fly Delta, you can take advantage of the SkyTeam Elite benefits through your Morning Calm status and that should give you an allowance of two bags per person.

 

If you have to fly United, the suggestion to get the Chase card is a good one. That would at least give you a bunch of FF miles that help offset the cost of your next flight.

 

Also, as a non-Elite passenger on United, you would have to pay an extra $70 US for a second checked bag. If $1,170 is still a much lower fare than what you can get elsewhere, then it wouldn't be a bad idea just to pay for the second bag. Be sure that you are comparing final prices for airfares. Often the initial search result won't include all taxes and fees.

 

I fly Continental and United to BKK four or five times a year and have never had a problem. But the O'Hare-Narita leg is on an old 747 that doesn't have individual screens for inflight entertainment. The NRT-BKK leg does.

 

Evil

Edited October 9, 2011 by Evil Penevil

[voracious 31]

Just flew United here (usa to thailand) a few days ago.

 

Flight crew was pleasant. Food on the USA to Narita leg was nearly inedible. I'm easy, but this was pretty horrid. The noodles and pasta dishes (2 meals) were both like warmed and shaped kindergarten paste. No flavor. the rolls were hard and stale. Now I know what people have been complaining about all these years. The Narita to BKK leg had better food. Better vendor I suppose...

 

The economy section is petty tight squeeze.

 

I used to love United. Now I realize what I loved were those business class companion seats I used to get, lol.

 

If it's within a hundred dollars to go back to flying cathay, I think I'll go that way in the future.

[js007 795]

When did they start the one bag limit on international flights? It used to be two, I believe. Of course, that's just one more bag for them to lose.

[Evil Penevil 7,609]

When did they start the one bag limit on international flights? It used to be two, I believe. Of course, that's just one more bag for them to lose.

 

Not sure, but might have been Aug. 11. I always get a three- bag allowance because of my FF status on Continental. Silver Elite gets you two bags, Gold or Higher gets three.

 

Evil

Edited October 9, 2011 by Evil Penevil

[joekicker 53]

When did they start the one bag limit on international flights? It used to be two, I believe. Of course, that's just one more bag for them to lose.

 

Yes it started fairly recently. If you fly them all the time, you don't get that of course. Like Evil, I get yessir, yessir, three bags full. Someone told me just a few days ago that an extra suitcase from US to Thailand is $70, so that might be worth it. One way of course. I tell people in the US to take one suitcase, then buy another in Thailand and bring it back. $70 is not bad, after you get past crying over the one-bag limit.

 

Re the Chase card, you ALSO get 40,000 miles with a United card, pretty easy to get, I think. And United is peddling what looks like a different card, United Premium, which gets you miles and some bennies. None of these are worthwhile unless you're going to be an FF though.

 

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[bigmick 839]

Im flying Delta next week from Houston via Minneapolis and Narita to BKK, I too was bothered about the baggage allowance so i went up to the airport yesterday and asked them, they told me i can have two checked bags and up to 26kgs (not including carry on)I dont have any type of FFC. I will wait to see what the flight is like, if it was anything like the Delta flight coming over here via Shanghai, it wont be so good

[MrDK 59]

See a doctor, pop some pills and sleep all the way and you will not know whether you are flying one airline or another.

I generally sleep gate to gate on the transpacific segment and most of the way on the intra-Asian segment.

[joekicker 53]

See a doctor, pop some pills and sleep all the way and you will not know whether you are flying one airline or another.

I generally sleep gate to gate on the transpacific segment and most of the way on the intra-Asian segment.

 

Yeah. My solution is to hunch down, carry a few magazines, a couple of books, and see what's on the movie list. All airlines take the same amount of time to fly a route. All seats arrive at the same time. Block out the actual flight as much as possible, go zombie, survive. All the planning and folderal about 24 hours out of your life seems very misplaced to me.

 

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[MrDK 59]

Yeah. My solution is to hunch down, carry a few magazines, a couple of books, and see what's on the movie list. All airlines take the same amount of time to fly a route. All seats arrive at the same time. Block out the actual flight as much as possible, go zombie, survive. All the planning and folderal about 24 hours out of your life seems very misplaced to me.

 

 

In principle I agree with you about the 24 hours and I have never understood the importance things like eye-candy in the air.

Managing your sleep and other activity does, however, extend beyond 24 hours.

Some suffer very little from jet-lag and other tremendously so.

If you are one who suffers, then sleep management and dietary considerations can seriously improve the first 4-8 days of your holiday.

 

Travel Planing, The Journey

[js007 795]

One time, on one of the Thai non-stop flights to Thailand, I met a girl right before we got on the plane, and she ended up sitting a few rows in front of me. After we boarded, though, I didn't see her again during the entire flight. The next time I saw her was at the baggage claim area. She said she slept all but the last 15 minutes of the 17.5 hour flight with the help of some Xanax. Sounds like the way to go. although I'm not sure where I'd get my hands on Xanax.

[MrDK 59]

One time, on one of the Thai non-stop flights to Thailand, I met a girl right before we got on the plane, and she ended up sitting a few rows in front of me. After we boarded, though, I didn't see her again during the entire flight. The next time I saw her was at the baggage claim area. She said she slept all but the last 15 minutes of the 17.5 hour flight with the help of some Xanax. Sounds like the way to go. although I'm not sure where I'd get my hands on Xanax.

 

Your doctor

[js007 795]

Your doctor

 

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

[spgfcs 57]

I had tried Delta FF points a long time ago, but since I don't fly often I found they would cancel your membership if it was too long between flights. Korean Air was unlimited (I think 5 years now) so I was able to transfer them even though they were expired on Delta. United is part of the Star Alliance with ANA, so the points should be able to be transfered there.

 

Funny I took ANA last year, I needed a round-way ticket for myself, and a one-way for my wife. Her one-way ended up being about $150 more than my two-way but considering the cost and hassle just to get the visa I didn't want to mess with it any more than I had to.

 

While in Vegas earlier this year I stuffed too much stuff in one suitcase and got stuck with a $70 fee. I might have thrown stuff out but I only had about 15 minutes to get through the line so I just ate it.

 

I can see the advantage of buying some bags in Thailand, and I also see my basement filled to the ceiling with bags in a few years...

[jacko 8,577]

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

Glad to hear it......

Michael Jackson's doctor might be available soon, or not.

[joekicker 53]

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

 

I'd get a different doctor, then. I am definitely not into any drugs at all, but when I want something, every few years or so, I want what I want. I have a doctor who got me ... I think it was Xanax, and also got me morphine and a couple of other things. We talk about it, but we see eye-to-eye.

 

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[kaiser71 30]

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

You could say that you are extremely anxious about flying. Probably/hopefully he will give you a small amount with no refills.

[joekicker 53]

You could say that you are extremely anxious about flying. Probably/hopefully he will give you a small amount with no refills.

 

Precisely. Otherwise, as I say, hike on down the Quacks' Hall to another door. Really. If your doctor doesn't trust you, why would you trust him? Or her of course.

 

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[MrDK 59]

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

 

 

It was during a routine physical a few years ago I asked my doctor for sleeping pills for long plane rides 7 hours +.

My doctor said that sleeping pill on flights is not a good idea if an emergency should arise.

It was his idea to prescribe a light (0.5mg) dose ox Xanax.

 

In further conversation with my doctor I asked if I could take Melatonin at the same time and he said yes.

Given that part of my sleep problem on long flights was restless legs syndrome, he further recommended 1/3 aspirin each of three days before flight and a full strength on the day of departure.

Finally he suggested I take 400 mg Ibuprofen along with the Xanax to lessen muscle pain as I would be sleeping in an odd position, plus another 400 mg if I felt sore after the flight.

 

Prescribing Xanax for certain sleep conditions, especially if not a permanent solution, is very common.

Next time you go for a physical simply ask and if you add a little mention about anxiety when flying you should be home free, so long as there are not some other medical reasons it should not be prescribed

IMO it is crucial that you get your prescription from a doctor as there can be side effects. After the prescription is medically sound you can refill in Thailand in most pharmacies.

[MrDK 59]

One more note.

 

A small dose of Xanax does not make you a zonk. Remember some who suffers from serious anxiety disorders take the medication daily and still go to work.

I take my dose as I board the plane and I am generally asleep before take-off, but I always tell the flight attendant to wake me up for the meal and I easily do and just as easily go back to sleep again.

 

The big problem with Xanax is that it is an addictive drug so those with dependency issues should not use it and no one should take it with any frequencies.

I take transoceanic flights about 6-8 times a year and that is how many pill I take per year.

Also be aware that overdosing can be deadly and that sedating medicine can interfere or add complications with other medication or conditions.

DO seek a proper prescription before attempting the use.

[Evil Penevil 7,609]

My doctor prescribes Sonata, a light but effective sleep aid. It lasts about four hours and doesn't make you feel groggy. The doc said that if you're sleeping sitting up, you should wake up and walk around after four hours, then take another dose of Sonata and sleep an additional four hours if still tired. If you're in a biz seat that reclines 130 degrees or lies flat, you can sleep as many hours as you like. The risk of sleeping long hours in a cramped sitting position comes from deep-vein thrombosis.

 

I've gone the Sonata route many times on trans-Pacific flights. Usually four hours sleep is enough for me, but if I'm tired, I repeat the dosage and sleep eight. Once on the now-defunct 17 1/2 hour non-stop between JFK and BKK, I repeated it twice and slept about 12 of those hours.

 

Evil

[streeteats 30]

I am going in November, Chicago to Bangkok. The best fare I could find turned out to be United Airlines ($1,100). Previously I had taken Korean Air and ANA (All Nippon Air?), but this year the Asian flights were more expensive than I've seen them before. In the past the standard US flights were hundreds of dollars more expensive.

 

However I dread it will be poor American service instead of the excellent Asian service I am used to. Also the big drawback is only one free checked luggage, I usually had two suitcases full in previous visits.

 

This time there is two of use (my Thai wife...) so I had to keep the costs as low as possible. It's sad that as soon as I qualified for KA's Morning Calm status I haven't been able to take any of their flights. We were looking at bringing some more of her stuff home but with the luggage restriction it doesn't look like it will happen.

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I hafto agree airlines from the states suck. Last time I took a flight like that the dumb bitch kept waking me up by yelling in my face coffee anyone. I think she was doing it on purpose cause she could see I was sleeping and was rt up my ass every time she yelled like that. Ill kept my post politicaly correct here.But Ive never got that on any Asian airline. Im flying with PAL next and I get to check two 70 pd. bads and a carry on. And its cheaper than any of the domestic carryers.

[BigusDicus 9,411]

Yea, but I'm sure the doctor wouldn't prescribe Xanax just because I want to zonk myself out for a plane ride.

 

I have used Ambien for years. My doctor recommended it. Said it was initially developed for travelers. I get on the plane, let them feed me, take the pill and have a glass of wine. Wake up 5-6 hours later, eat again, another pill, sleep another 4-5 hours.

 

I find it good for resetting my body clock for jet lag. Take one pill the first couple of nights to sleep.

Edited October 20, 2011 by BigusDicus