UAL to Sydney
06-09-2010 | 09:16 AM
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UAL to Sydney
My wife and I are going to be traveling from LAX to SYD this Friday (the 11th) on a ZED and I was wondering if someone at UAL could tell me how the loads look. Also, is LAX to SYD pretty heavily traveled by UAL non-revs? Thanks
06-09-2010 | 10:56 AM
#3
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From: B756 FO
Friday out of LAX looks ok at this point. ZED will only permit you into Y class I do believe. I would think you will get a seat, perhaps no row to yourself. Fortunately only 5 NRSA's listed for all cabins. Have you looked at doing Delta out of LAX? If I were to brave that long of a flight in Y class, DL's 777LR beats the pants out of UA's 744.
06-09-2010 | 02:35 PM
#4
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From: Narrow/Left Wide/Right
Friday out of LAX looks ok at this point. ZED will only permit you into Y class I do believe. I would think you will get a seat, perhaps no row to yourself. Fortunately only 5 NRSA's listed for all cabins. Have you looked at doing Delta out of LAX? If I were to brave that long of a flight in Y class, DL's 777LR beats the pants out of UA's 744.
06-09-2010 | 02:53 PM
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Thanks for the help, I'm thinking about DAL too, but UAL is my first choice for a couple reasons. I've jump seated on UAL numerous times and no one's treated me better! I'm hoping we'll be lucky enough to get upgraded 
Nothing against DAL, I've just never flow with them. I'm also going for United because of the 744. Who knows how much longer those things are gonna be around, I feel like it might be my last chance to fly on one!
Nothing against DAL, I've just never flow with them. I'm also going for United because of the 744. Who knows how much longer those things are gonna be around, I feel like it might be my last chance to fly on one!
Last edited by HSLD; 06-09-2010 at 03:14 PM.
06-09-2010 | 03:16 PM
#6
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From: Gear Puller
If you fly "jump-seat" you are entitled to business class if open, however your wife on a zed fair is only entitled to the main cabin. I found this out the hard way out of BKK-NRT-SFO. The customer service supervisor said only I was entitled and my wife would not be upgraded due to "Star Alliance" protocol. When I approached the purser about this, I was told absolutely not, that customer service is in charge and they already told him that she was not to be upgraded, even though there were open seats. So, we traded seats half way through so we could both sleep. The crew was ok with this, so long as one of us sat in the back.?
I thought it was odd that the flight crew has no say as to what goes on in their cabin once the doors are closed.
I thought it was odd that the flight crew has no say as to what goes on in their cabin once the doors are closed.
06-09-2010 | 04:14 PM
#7
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From: 73N A
I'm not throwing stones at anyone, but from what I understand, at Delta ZED fares do have an opportunity for upgrade to Business class. It's behind all other non-revs, (including buddy passes) but it's there. In technical terms, buddy pass riders ride as S4 (buddy pass category) but with the date of travel as the hire date.
06-09-2010 | 07:15 PM
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From: B756 FO
I know flying on the -400 is a treat outside of the norm, but the Y class seats get very old and very unfriendly after 45 minutes of being seated. That will give you about 13 hours of being miserable once the romance of being on the 744 fades away. Where as you can be on DL, a tad less cramped AND have on demand video in each seat. Of all the times I have done the LAX-SYD flights, I can easily predict the amount of open seats as of now will likely fill in business class. First class is wide open, but being an offline jumpseater with the wife in tow... forget about it. Another option, what about doing a ZED on QF's A380 and really make the flight memorable?
06-09-2010 | 07:29 PM
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From: metal tube operator
Be sure to get the Australian electronic visa ahead of time from the gate agent. I believe it's around USD 22 or so, after conversion. Also, they are serious about quanrantine, so declare anything you're not sure about. They'll fine you on the spot, and it ain't cheap!
06-09-2010 | 08:21 PM
#10
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From: C172
Just my .02 cents on this matter ... loads may look great, but this flight is often weight restricted from what I've experienced. I've non-revved the flight quite a bit & often will do the hop up to SFO first as SFO loads are lighter most of the time & it doesn't seem to be as weight restricted. Something to keep in mind even for those times when pax loads still make it look good for ZEDers, etc. I hope you make it!
As for the Y seats being hard to sit in after 45 minutes ... unless you've been absolutely spoiled with First Class seats your entire life, it's not bad at all. I've done the LAX-SYD-LAX flight many of times on both the 747 of UA & A380 of Qantas & never found it difficult. But I've also never been that picky I guess. Fly safe.
As for the Y seats being hard to sit in after 45 minutes ... unless you've been absolutely spoiled with First Class seats your entire life, it's not bad at all. I've done the LAX-SYD-LAX flight many of times on both the 747 of UA & A380 of Qantas & never found it difficult. But I've also never been that picky I guess. Fly safe.
Last edited by PSpence; 06-09-2010 at 08:23 PM. Reason: messed up my typing, should've slowed down.
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