Proud to be Grumpy

So, it's about six weeks on and I'm returning to the UK (UA659 DFW - IAH, UA921 IAH - LHR). The first leg was on United's updated Airbus designated 319. A good on time flight. As usual on US domestic, about 90 % full. First the seats, PLASTIC is about all I can say about them. The seat pitch had to be less than 30 inches (row 30) because it makes the 767-300 (row 36) I'm sitting in now seem commodious, and I never thought I would say that! So, while my knees were pressed (all be it lightly) against the unyielding plastic, things could have been worse. There was no video screen running continuous commercials under my nose on the seat-back in front of me! It must have been pretty unpopular with others, not just me, plus the added benefit that it is cheaper and probably lighter. I think everybody wins there. Wow, I was just interrupted by dinner and I have to say that it was .... okay. Now let me be clear, you don't fly Economy (certainly not on United) for the gour...

United Airlines - We're not satisfied until your not satisfied. I wish I could claim the credit for that slogan but it's down to my little brother! Eight hours into a ten and a half hour flight may not be the ideal time to update your blog, but it does have the benefit of focusing one's attention. As I've said before, at these times, the little things mean a lot. First, the praise, there is little enough of that due, so why be stingy. The coffee was great! So few people back here in 'cattle class' that it was still hot and fresh when I was served. In point of fact, it was so good I'd actually drunk it when the cabin crew came back two minutes later whisking everything away. And therein, the downside, though somewhat of a mixed blessing. Even with the rapid-fire service it points up the truly ghastly nature of the food being served these days on United. I used to think it was cold and nasty because it took so long to be served to the back of the airp...

Continental Airlines is United at last. I make no bones about it, I was a fan of Continental Airlines. They had a policy (even on International Services) of operating into Regional Airports and although there was always a marginal premium to be paid, the benefits far outweighed the disadvantages. I became a fan when they introduced a regular service into Bristol (BRS) from Newark NJ (EWR) in 2005. Although I frequently traveled between Dallas-Ft. Worth (DFW) and the UK using direct flights on American Airlines, British Airways and even British Caledonian and Braniff in earlier times the misery of the journey in the UK, to and from Gatwick (LGW) and later Heathrow (LHR) in both summer and winter were and still are too much. So from 2005 I flew into and out of Bristol on Continental. Although that meant clearing Customs and Immigration at Newark, the flight was never more than seven hours, I never had to 'stack'  over central England and the journey to the airport took les...