Talk to me about United (MEL-LAX specifically)

[Princess Jes]

Hello fellow ANZACs!!!

I'm wondering if anyone can shed light on United in the recent past?

We leave in 6 weeks and I just want to make sure I'm prepared for that 15.5 hour flight!

On my reservation, it says that we get breakfast, but I find it hard to believe that even economy passengers only get one meal on a 15+ hour flight.
So, do they serve 2 meals? (Flight leaves at 9:40am I think)

Also, how are they with snack/drink service? I know basic spirits aren't included (can't remember if they were with Virgin/Delta?) but are they ok and are they attentive with snacks/drink service?

Also, were on one of the new dream liners, and it says there are power outlets in the seats, but we were told that on our virgin/delta flight last time and alas, it wasn't the case.
I'd like to use my laptop for movies and tv shows etc, but it's getting on in years and the battery lasts about 4.7 minutes when it isn't plugged in. Plus, we'll have the iPad too, and the battery will probably need a boost at some point.

If there's anything else you can tell me about the United dream liners that would make my flight more pleasant, I'd be forever grateful!!

Thanks!
Jes

 

[aussie shaz]

No idea about your questions, but we take those battery charger things to keep our iPads, phones etc charged when there are no outlets nearby. Maybe pick up a couple of those.

 

[Princess Jes]

Oh, those are already packed and ready.
I don't find them particularly helpful for iPads, though my new one might be better than the old one.

It's more the laptop I'm worried about, and the time between leaving home in MEL, getting to tullamarine (25 min drive) waiting at the airport, the 15.5 hour flight, the 4 hour and 45 minute stop over in LAX, the 5.5 hour flight to NYC and then getting to our hotel from Newark but the battery chargers should keep our phones ok through all that.

 

[carnival kid]

I have never flown united but we leave from Sydney in 2 days!! we are doing SYD to LAX and supposed to be a dreamliner as well and i have a few of the same concerns

My travel agent could not find any extra info on the meals either when i said the same thing.... we are taking lots of extra snacks and food just in case.

 

[Princess Jes]

Oh how exciting!!!!

On an off topic note: is there any chance you might be able to help a fellow Aussie DISer out and please bring me back a park map from each park?
I know I can get them online, but the quality always sucks and I like to have notes on the park maps in my bag?

I'll happily send you $ for postage and your time if you'd be so willing?

Back on topic: it's frustrating that they don't mention additional meals do they're there, I have to assume it's one meal over the course of 15.5 hours.

What kind of snacks can you take through customs to take on the plane?
I'm thinking of grabbing a muffin break muffin from the main terminal at Melbourne and maybe a couple of sandwiches just to be safe?

 

[aussie shaz]

You can take any snacks really on the plane. Just be careful with liquids. Make sure you buy your drink once you're past the last departure gate.

 

[Princess Jes]

You can take any snacks really on the plane. Just be careful with liquids. Make sure you buy your drink once you're past the last departure gate.

So snacks bought before customs are ok? Awesome! Thank you!!

 

[redkop1969]

We have flown United from London to Washington (only 7 hours), and got breakfast and lunch. We have flown LAX to London (12 hours) and had 2 meals, this though was BA.

 

[zanzibar138]

So snacks bought before customs are ok? Awesome! Thank you!!

You don't go through customs on the way out - only security and passport control. You can take whatever you like out of the country, even fresh fruit and vegetables. Customs happens on the way in, so just make sure you either eat or throw out any questionable items before you leave the plane. You'll generally be safe with anything processed and still in its original wrapping (muesli bars etc), just make sure you put that you are bringing food into the country on your customs form so that they can check. If they do decide that they don't like what you're bringing in, they'll just throw it out. You won't get in trouble as long as you declare it.

 

[Princess Jes]

You don't go through customs on the way out - only security and passport control. You can take whatever you like out of the country, even fresh fruit and vegetables. Customs happens on the way in, so just make sure you either eat or throw out any questionable items before you leave the plane. You'll generally be safe with anything processed and still in its original wrapping (muesli bars etc), just make sure you put that you are bringing food into the country on your customs form so that they can check. If they do decide that they don't like what you're bringing in, they'll just throw it out. You won't get in trouble as long as you declare it.

Of course!!! Silly me! My brain meshed these two together!!
So if I bought a muffin and sandwich each, and maybe some Pringles, I'm all good if I eat it/throw them away on the plane before getting off at LAX, I shouldn't need to declare anything?

 

[zanzibar138]

Of course!!! Silly me! My brain meshed these two together!!
So if I bought a muffin and sandwich each, and maybe some Pringles, I'm all good if I eat it/throw them away on the plane before getting off at LAX, I shouldn't need to declare anything?

Absolutely You'd be good taking the Pringles through customs too if you don't end up eating them.

 

[Princess Jes]

Thanks for that!!

I've ordered Pringles in my garden grocer order, they're like $2 there! So expensove here, but totally worth it!

I might do some nuts and popcorn also. Easy snacks!

 

[bswift]

I took UA98/99 in October last year. I would definitely fly them again if the price was right.

Yes you will get two meals, one shortly after boarding and one shortly before arrival. I want to say there was an ice cream or snack somewhere in between too. If you want any extra snacks, you can just press the attendant button on your seat or go up to them like a normal flight.

I can't remember about the outlets but my dad is flying them in a few weeks so I can ask him to check. They do have standard in-flight entertainment so you probably won't need to rely on your laptop/iPad.

On the flight home, you won't be using the standard international terminal but the United one. It took me less than 5 minutes to check in and go through security. There are a few cafes/restaurants in the terminal (I grabbed a bite at the Rolling Stone cafe) and they have free wifi and outlets you can use.

 

[Princess Jes]

I took UA98/99 in October last year. I would definitely fly them again if the price was right.

Yes you will get two meals, one shortly after boarding and one shortly before arrival. I want to say there was an ice cream or snack somewhere in between too. If you want any extra snacks, you can just press the attendant button on your seat or go up to them like a normal flight.

I can't remember about the outlets but my dad is flying them in a few weeks so I can ask him to check. They do have standard in-flight entertainment so you probably won't need to rely on your laptop/iPad.

On the flight home, you won't be using the standard international terminal but the United one. It took me less than 5 minutes to check in and go through security. There are a few cafes/restaurants in the terminal (I grabbed a bite at the Rolling Stone cafe) and they have free wifi and outlets you can use.

Thanks so much!
I have stuff on my laptop/iPad that I want to get to, rather than watch random stuff for the same of it, but obvs if that's my only option, that's fine

 

[Minniesgal]

I bought a power bank which charges both phones and iPads. I suspect of you have a power point it will be for a iPhone cable and not for a laptop but I could be wrong.

We also take snacks with us just in case. In fact we never fly without food just in case.

 

[elphaba91]

I actually posted a thread a few months back with the same question about meals! When we flew in November 2014 we got lunch and then breakfast, but our reservation in September only says breakfast so I'm a bit concerned! We definitely didn't get a snack in between and we were starving! We were so relieved when we remembered Mum had thrown a block of chocolate in her hand luggage at the last minute (because we didn't want the house sitter to eat the yummy Lindt we'd been saving)! We are definitely going to take snacks (maybe even a sandwich) with us next time.

We really liked the airline itself - especially the Dreamliner - and are flying with them again. On the way home we were bumped up to Economy Plus (as my aunt is a travel agent) and loved those extra inches. We have added it for all our flights (actually, we bought a 1 year subscription).

I would advise you to check your reservation at the moment though as United have apparently just done a major reshuffle of flight times. All of our flights changed by a few minutes, but our flights from San Francisco to Maui via LA changed entirely and had us with a 4.5 hour layover in LAX and getting to Maui 3 hours later than planned. They were very helpful though and are changing us to the direct (but more expensive) flight for no cost!

 

[waydownunder]

When we flew with United our tickets also said only onee meal but we got dinner and breakfast as well. We also got supplied with plenty of drinks and snacks throughout the flight. There was also personal inflight entertainment in each seat. The flight crew were great and very helpful. We would definitely fly united again hope this helps.

 

[cola]

I flew United on Dreamliners in October - 2 meals, and full sized American power outlets. I think they are accept some other plugs, a bit like shaver sockets in hotels, but I had US plugs so didn't try an Australian plug. I couldn't easily find a USB outlet, so not sure if they were there or not, they're between the seats, so a little bit awkward to get a good look at.