I flew 16-hours nonstop in economy class on one of United Airlines' busiest international routes - here's what it was like
I arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport about two hours before my flight. I knew I wasn't checking my bag; I meticulously packed my carry-on so I wouldn't have to.
The security screening was confusing. From the perspective of a regular traveler, TSA PreCheck and the various "priority" lines seem to be creating more harm than good. The regular security line was excruciatingly long while much-needed TSA officers waited around on the empty "priority" lines.
When I finally got through, I had just enough time to grab a bite to eat before boarding. I stopped at Wanderlust, one of the dozens of restaurants in United's new dedicated terminal at Newark. Like most of the options there, it was tasty but overpriced.
By the time I got to my gate, the plane was mostly boarded. United was boarding Group 5. Because I was in Group 3, I was able to skip right ahead to the front of the line.
I was told by the gate agent that I'd have to check my bag because it was "too big." The bag was definitely carry-on size. I suspected the agent was just trying to check as many bags as possible because so many passengers bring carry-ons these days. At least I wasn't charged.
Despite boarding late, the walkway was still log-jammed all the way to the entrance. This was no doubt due to the fact that every passenger was trying to stow a carry-on. Perhaps one day airlines will come to their senses about the situation they've created with baggage fees.
As I walked down the aisle, I felt the kings and queens in United's business class mocking me.
They were already seated, sipping cocktails and reading the newspaper. What luxury! I then had to walk past the other various seat classes before finding my way to the back.
As I walked, I kept passing carry-on suitcases stowed in overhead compartments that looked larger than the one I was forced to check. I was already agitated.
I landed at my row, about three or four from the back of the plane. United's 777-200 economy cabins are in a 3-3-3 layout, which makes the cabins slightly less cramped than the 3-4-3 configuration some airlines have been putting in their 777 fleets.
Still, with three full-size adults in the row, it felt cramped. It didn't help that I stowed my backpack under my seat, severely limiting the 18.3" of width and 31" of pitch of my seat, according to SeatGuru. A rookie mistake. The seat wasn't particularly comfortable either.
Once boarding was finished and we were buckled up, the plane started taxiing as the seat-back entertainment systems fired up with the obligatory safety video. I'll be honest, I didn't pay attention. We took off on-time however, and the captain informed us that we should arrive in Hong Kong a few minutes early.
With 16 hours to kill and knowing that it was unlikely that I would sleep much — I have recurring nightmares of the plane crashing while flying — I decided to peruse United's in-flight magazine, Hemispheres.
After about 20 minutes of flight time, the staff came around with with some "Asian-style" snacks (i.e. wasabi peas, sesame sticks, rice crackers, etc).
Beer and wine was included. I thought I'd start off this 16-hour marathon with some white wine. I was pretty surprised it was complimentary given how airlines nickel-and-dime economy passengers these days. Hard alcohol was extra.
The entertainment options were good (lots of new releases, a wide selection of international films, and some solid TV shows), but the screen itself was old and the touch-panel unresponsive. To select a movie, you had to push so hard on the screen that it moved the seat in front of you, leading to a domino-effect of aggravation.
Dinner service started about 20 minutes later. I ordered the gluten-free option because I was curious. The benefit was that I got my meal before the rest of the cabin. The downside? I ended up with chicken dry as a bone and gross green beans, while everyone else seemed to get some Korean spicy noodle dish.
On most of the international flights I've flown in recent years, the seat-back entertainment system is a modified Android tablet with two USB charge-ports next to it. This 777 seemed far more outdated. Power outlets were below.
You'd think a two-pronged outlet below your seat would be better than a USB charge-port in that you could use it to charge a laptop. However, they are so loose that my power adapter kept falling out.
As I saw the first sunset of the 16-hour flight, I realized what a mistake I'd made dipping into the free wine. I had triggered a migraine. It persisted for the next 6 hours.
The only respite from the migraine was this gelato. When I asked the good-natured flight attendant if there was a choice of flavors, he laughed and said, "Yes! Salted caramel or nothing." I chose salted caramel. It was tastier than I expected.
The best part of the flight was when we passed over the Arctic Circle, seeing both a sunrise and sunset. Everyone on my side of the plane quickly opened their windows to take a look. Though my seat-mates didn't speak English, we bonded over the sheer wonder of looking at polar ice.
The seat-back entertainment system had a nifty feature that showed the flight's progress on a map. It came in handy when I started seeing the polar ice. It alternated with a screen showing things like speed, ETA, and altitude.
Meal two came next. The gluten-free chocolate chip cookie was actually pretty good. The dry tasteless rice with bits of chicken was not. My seat-mates' meal looked far more appetizing.
After spending hours 3-9 dizzy with pain from the migraine, I finally had the brilliant idea to ask the flight attendant for aspirin, which he obliged. It dissipated around hour 11 and I proceeded to watch the first 3 episodes of Fargo Season 3 (I recommend). One thing I did appreciate about the TV selection, it contained entire seasons for several TV shows. Planes are the perfect place to binge. Despite the lagginess of the system and poor quality of the screen, I had no issues with playback, which is more than I can say for some planes.
With about an hour left before arrival, the cabin lights came on and everyone started to shake themselves awake. The flight attendants came by with a final meal service.
I finally lucked out at breakfast with a tasty vegetable omelette and some fresh fruit. I must say three meals on a 16-hour flight, plus copious snacks was pretty good to me. I was full the entire flight.
We may have been served breakfast, but it was nighttime as we touched down in Hong Kong.
After touching down, we deplaned fairly quickly. So, what's my impression of a United Airlines' nonstop flight from New York to Hong Kong? Overall, it was somewhere between okay and good.
Let's be honest, it's hard to make a 16-hour flight experience excellent in economy class. No matter what, it's a long flight, economy passengers are going to be cramped, food will likely be mediocre reheated pablum, and babies will be crying.
That said, there are definitely differences across airlines and planes. In the past year, I've been on two other long-haul flights (New York-Tokyo round-trip on Japan Airlines, New York-Vienna roundtrip on Austrian Airlines). United Airlines is at the back of the pack when compared to those.
That's not to say United was particularly bad. It was fine. The plane left on-time, arrived a few minutes early, beer and wine was complimentary, the flight attendants were polite and funny, and the entertainment selection was deep and varied.
However, the cabins felt ancient despite being on a 777-200, which I usually take to mean I'll be flying on a top-notch plane. That wasn't the case here. The entertainment system was janky and its screens old and dull. The power outlet below my seat wouldn't stay in place and the seats themselves felt worn-in.
And, while I might have shot myself in the foot by choosing gluten-free for my meals, it says something when the meals for special-needs passengers are practically inedible.
Comparatively, when I think back to those flights on Austrian and Japan Airlines, I'm struck by just how much better everything was. The cabins were brighter, the seats newer, the in-flight entertainment systems sharper, and the food? Well, the food was light-years better.
With all of that in mind, would I fly United Airlines again? Yes, if the price was right, which I suppose is what United Airlines is banking on. But if I have the opportunity to fly literally any non-American carrier for a long-haul flight, I would opt for that first.
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