DALLAS — The Transatlantic New York—London route is one of the most well-established air routes in the world and is considered the de facto flagship route of several American and British carriers.
I flew United Airlines (UA) from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR). This route is important for UA due to its competitiveness and popularity, but is its importance shown through the onboard product and service?
Landside at Newark
Two weeks after arriving at EWR with Lufthansa on their 747-400, my trip had ended, and it was time to fly back to London aboard United’s six O’clock evening service, UA110.
Terminal C at Newark Liberty Airport is exclusively operated by United Airlines, which was where my flight would depart. There is no better word to describe the check-in experience at this terminal than “chaos.” Upon entering, I was met with streams of people, overcrowding, and a maze of queues.
United allows you to check in through their app and self-check-in kiosks at the airport. Opting to use their kiosks, I instantly regretted my decision as there were some incredibly long lines for each machine, and a lack of both kiosks and staff to assist passengers with them meant that the lines only got longer.
Further complicating the matter was that some United Passenger Service Agents (PSA) were utterly uninterested in helping passengers. In front of me was an elderly gentleman who spoke little English and struggled to use the system. Despite a United PSA standing and observing him two meters away, she offered no help. Even when other passengers asked her to help the gentleman, she said, "If he needs help, he will call me,” and walked away.
To solve this problem, we brought a different United PSA to our attention. He was eager to help, and the gentleman finished his check-in in minutes.
When I checked in, I was welcomed with a surprise: I had been upgraded to a “United Economy Plus” seat even though I had booked a standard economy fare. On United, “Economy Plus” seats are simply extra legroom, and on the Boeing 767-300ER, they are any pair of seats by the window ending in A, B, K, or L.
After checking in, passengers had to drop off their bags at manned desks with no queue. To improve queue flow, passengers could check in at kiosks and manned desks.
Passengers without TSA PreCheck would have headed upstairs to undergo security screening. Still, the number of passengers was so great that the line started downstairs at the check-in area, which undoubtedly contributed to the overcrowding.
This line snaked around multiple stanchions, and several passengers groaned when they saw how long it had been going on. Their morale was even lower when the display screen said the estimated waiting time for TSA would be over 60 minutes. Looks can be deceiving; thanks to the security staff’s efficient management, the line kept flowing, and within 25 minutes, I was through TSA.
My most significant complaint about the security area at Terminal C is the absence of repacking areas, as it would reduce congestion.
Airside, Boarding
United’s handy and practical app informed me that my flight would be departing from gate C112, which was at the far end of the terminal, and the twelve-minute walk from TSA to it showed off EWR’s somewhat limited duty-free options when compared with its counterparts like LHR and Frankfurt (FRA).
What I did find impressive about Newark Terminal C were the brilliant departure lounge areas, all of which had an abundance of seating charging ports, had aesthetic square lamps, and gave the overall feel of a study café instead of an airport.
Boarding started on time, which was one of the most impressive things about United on this flight. The gate was well managed, with helpful overhead screens displaying information such as which groups were boarding, what amenities were on offer onboard, and upgrade availability.
Pre-boarding started for active military personnel, United Premier 1K, passengers requiring accessibility assistance, United Global Services members, and families with children under two. Soon after, group boarding commenced.
Instead of having gate agents scan their boarding passes and passports, passengers had their faces scanned instead- a futuristic feature of aviation.
Welcome Aboard
UA110 was operated by N672UA, a Boeing 767-300ER that was delivered to the airline in December 1999, just before the turn of the century. She is now over 25 years old. As I walked through the 767’s iconic curtain door, I was greeted by a friendly Cabin Crew member who offered me a sanitizing wipe.
Since we boarded from door 1L, I got a glimpse of United Polaris and Economy Premium Plus before performing the “walk of shame” and settling into my seat. The 767 has a spacious cabin, with Economy class laid out in a 2-3-2 configuration, a rarity on other aircraft.
This has made it very popular with travelers, as only one middle seat per row exists. The cabin was also spacious and modern, which disguised the aircraft’s age very well.
Seat Review
For the next seven hours, my home would be 39A, a United Economy Plus window seat. A neck pillow and blanket, both of which were of lower quality, were waiting on every seat. There is an IFE screen on each seatback, a tray table, and a seat pocket containing a safety card, a buy-on-board menu, a MileagePlus advert, and an airsickness bag.
The faux leather seat was comfortable, as it was wide. However, sleeping in it was different due to the limited recline. The excellent legroom made up for this. For added comfort, the adjustable headrest provides thick padding. Universal power outlets are shared under each seat, and a USB port is on the personal entertainment screen.
Unfortunately, an area where United Airlines does poorly is cabin cleanliness. It was evident by the stains on my tray table, lower cabin walls, and crumbs on the floor that the aircraft had not been cleaned very well over the years. There were no headphones on the seats, as the Cabin Crew provided them after boarding.
Inflight Entertainment
United Airlines is often praised for its brilliant IFE, which is well deserved. The touchscreen offers various entertainment options in 15 languages, including podcasts, TV series, films, games, a moving map, a kids’ section, and a unique feature called “From the Flight Deck.”
This feature lets passengers listen to radio communications between Air Traffic Control (ATC) and their flight. Unfortunately, it did not work on my flight, so I turned to watch one of the hundreds of films UAL offers. On this airline, your eyes and ears will never get bored, thanks to everything you can enjoy on your responsive and modern seatback screen.
If the IFE system was insufficient, passengers could also stream free on-demand entertainment to their electronic devices. Although I did not use this feature, I did attempt to use the WiFi. For T-Mobile customers on select packages, complete internet access is granted when they fly with UA. Even though my plan was not eligible, I could use their free messaging WiFi option, which was greatly appreciated.
Overall, I was highly impressed with UA's multiple IFE choices; they may be the best in variety.
Leaving the City that Never Sleeps
Our departure was slightly delayed due to congestion at Newark, with our actual wheels-up time being 18:38. Just before take-off, the Captain informed us that our cruising altitude would be 37,000 feet and that if we arrived at Heathrow earlier than our scheduled arrival time, we would have to enter a holding pattern due to the 6 AM curfew.
As we took off and shot into the black sky, passengers on the left side of 767 saw a glimpse of New York City’s skyline at night.
Catering
Just as the cabin crew handed out earphones for the IFE system, the purser announced, making passengers grumble. The cabin crew pursed their lips. Due to a “loading error,” the flight had been “half catered,” and certain parts of the usual service had been amended and removed. It was unclear which parts of the meal services would be different then.
An hour and a half after takeoff, beverage service began. The usual range of fruit juices, soft drinks (including AHA-flavored sparkling water), and alcohol was offered.
A little while later, the leading catering service commenced, and I was offered the choice between the beef “Hot Roast” option and cheese tortellini with mushrooms. As the Hot Roast looked particularly dry and unappetizing, I opted for the cheese tortellini with mushrooms, which also turned out to be a mistake.
Each entrée was served with a side salad, bread rolls with butter, and a dessert of Eli’s cheesecake brownie. The cutlery supplied was made of bamboo and smaller than my hand's. The tortellini main dish was flavorless but looked colorful as the pasta came in three shades: red, yellow, and green.
I was left disappointed by this meal, and the only good thing about it was Eli’s cheesecake brownie for dessert.
This meal would be the last to be served. According to the United Airlines app, a pre-landing breakfast of turkey sausage in a bread roll was supposed to be served. The absence of this was most likely due to the flight being half-catered.
Another beverage service was after dinner, and small Dasani water bottles were distributed. That was the last I saw of the Cabin Crew until landing.
Service
Aside from the catering, I also found the UAL service disappointing. In contrast to the airline’s automated announcement after take-off that we were flying with the “Friendly Skies,” the Cabin Crew on this flight was anything but friendly.
Apart from the Flight Attendants at the door during boarding, I did not see a smile on any of their faces throughout the flight. Service on this flight was fast, but it would have been much better if it had been friendly, too.
During boarding, I spotted a Flight Attendant chewing gum, which I was unimpressed by. When I deboarded in London, she was still chewing.
I was impressed by the Cabin Crew’s priority: safety. On this flight, Flight Attendants were very strict with passengers regarding securing the cabin before takeoff and landing.
United is the first airline I have flown that asks passengers to adjust headrests. Turbulence hit our flight quite often. When the seatbelt lights turned on, an automatic announcement told passengers to fasten their seatbelts. Flight Attendants regularly secured their service carts and took their jump seats when this happened.
Landing in London
UA110 broke through the clouds seven hours later to see a dark, gloomy London. We touched down 20 minutes later than scheduled, at 06:20 in the morning, and taxied to the gate. Overall, it was a mediocre flight with much to be desired.
Welcome to Heathrow
United Airlines, a Star Alliance member, serves Terminal 2, the Queen’s Terminal at London Heathrow. The only exception is SAS Scandinavian Airlines (SK), which recently transferred to Skyteam Alliance.
Five non-aligned airlines also operate from this terminal. When I got to immigration, I was delighted to see no queue, so I scanned my passport and collected my bag.
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Featured image: Tantawat Homhuan/Airways
