Aces727 From Colombia, joined Oct 2005, 173 posts, RR: 2 Posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 14983 times:
Aircraft: Boeing 767-300
Flight #: 1283
Origin: MIA
Destination: ORD
Date: Dec 23, 2009
Scheduled Departure Time: 7:00 PM
Actual Departure Time: 8:50 PM
Scheduled Arrival Time: 9:25 PM
Actual Arrival Time: 10:40 PM
Seat: 6J
Load Factor: 90%
Back in September of 2009 I decided to spend Christmas with my best friend in Chicago. I began my search for flights and found several options out of Miami. Round trip economy fares ranged from $300 to $400. American Airlines had the best selection of nonstops, and offered the 767 on different flights.
We arrived at the airport 2.5 hours prior to our scheduled departure time.
The terminal was awfully congested.
We proceeded to check our bags... AA offered us an upgrade to Business class ($100 per person). I immediately took advantage of this offer.
Making our way to gate (D44)
Most Chicago flights had been delayed, flight 1283 kept an on time status. We sat at the gate, ten minutes later AA made an announcement indicating that we had been delayed by traffic control for 2 hours.
Our 767
Next door 737 getting ready for departure
Boarding began at 8:00 PM
Some photos of the Economy section & the Business Class bathroom.
The seat was very comfortable. Everyone was on board at 8:30PM, right after flight attendants began serving drinks and warm nuts.
We began making our way to runway 8R, following an AA 777. Take off was smooth & powerful.
Seat Control
Dinner was served at 9:40PM. There were 2 options, chicken or pasta, my wife picked chicken and I picked pasta, both were very good.
Dessert
Lights were turned off after dinner. The flight got bumpy as we approached Chicago, we were flying through lots of rain.
It got extremely windy during final approach, the city was completely covered with snow it looked beautiful!...We landed at 10:40PM local time
Other than the 2 hour delay due to bad weather It was a great flight. American Airlines is offereing an excellent Business Class product.
COEWR2587 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 603 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 14829 times:
Nice trip report. AA seems to give nice catering service for a dinner mid-range domestic flight. I def would have upgraded too. Is there a specific reason you chose the very last row of business when there were seats closer up front away from Y?
Transpac787 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 3139 posts, RR: 14 Reply 2, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 14820 times:
Awesome!!! Love the picture of the runway lights.
Having never flown on an actual ticket myself.... does AA usually offer upgrades to premium cabins at check-in, or is that something they do just when there are light load factors??
Did you happen to catch the ship number of your 763??
C8fromONT From United States of America, joined Aug 2009, 70 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 19 hours ago) and read 14403 times:
At least you get food in Business Class! I flew R/T from LAX-ORD in June and they did not even have a pretzel/peanut/crumb for anyone in economy. I was deeply disappointed! I'm glad you had a great experience though!
Atrude777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 5613 posts, RR: 54 Reply 5, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 14001 times:
Quoting Transpac787 (Reply 2):
Having never flown on an actual ticket myself.... does AA usually offer upgrades to premium cabins at check-in, or is that something they do just when there are light load factors??
From my understanding, after AA clears all the Elite folks for the Premium Cabin, and there are still seats left, they will offer it for non elite folks at the self check in machines only.
I flew this same route myself Aug of 2008 and was able to upgrade as well.
Great report, kind of sad to see the dinner choices has NOT changed at all in over a year.
Great report and pictures though!
Alex
Good things come to those who wait, better things come to those who go AFTER it!
Mauiman31 From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 434 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 13859 times:
Enjoyed. Love my AA 763 FC/Biz cabin. Meal service looked decent for AA domestic.
Quoting Transpac787 (Reply 2): Having never flown on an actual ticket myself.... does AA usually offer upgrades to premium cabins at check-in, or is that something they do just when there are light load factors??
I very often get $$ upgrade option at kiosk check in with AA. I always buy it if offered, if I don't have a prior upgrade confirmed. Not sure if they specific customer track it? Maybe it's just luck of the draw???
Tommy767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 6173 posts, RR: 9 Reply 7, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 13 hours ago) and read 13757 times:
As a former elite on AA I can definitely vouch that they have the best domestic meal service in F in the US. Most especially on hub to hub or flagship routes like MIA-ORD. I flew LAX-EWR a few years ago in F and got the ultimate transcon treatment: appetizer, steak, sundaes, cookies, and chocolates. They spoiled the hell out of me and I loved every minute of it.
"Folks that's the news and I'm outta here!" -- Dennis Miller
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 73 Reply 8, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 13501 times:
Great TR! Did they serve cookies before landing? I hate cookies in general, but I love AA cookies!
Quoting COEWR2587 (Reply 1): AA seems to give nice catering service for a dinner mid-range domestic flight. I def would have upgraded too.
This dinner menu is the standard found on all domestic flights, including short-haul routes like ORD-PHL and MIA-DCA that spend less than 2 hours in the air. Trans-con flights tend to have "nicer" options like a flat iron steak, but I've had steak on MIA-DCA. AA has very generous meal serving policies compared to other airlines and does not heavily differentiate as much as others in terms of the quality of the meal relative to length. From MIA, for example, only MCO/TPA/ATL/MSY do not have a form of meal service.
Quoting Tommy767 (Reply 7): As a former elite on AA I can definitely vouch that they have the best domestic meal service in F in the US.
Agreed. Their hot breakfast and dinner services are fantastic. Lunch is still a little lacking though.
Quoting Mauiman31 (Reply 6): I very often get $$ upgrade option at kiosk check in with AA. I always buy it if offered, if I don't have a prior upgrade confirmed. Not sure if they specific customer track it? Maybe it's just luck of the draw???
It's based on a whole series of factors. If load-factor based upgrades are offered for a flight, they are offered at the kiosk check-in only and on a first-come, first-serve basis, regardless of the passenger's status, fare class, etc. Even passengers flying on award tickets are offered these upgrades. They are fairly rare on elite-heavy routes like MIA-ORD, though. That's quite lucky - though given it was on December 23rd, that's not a very big travel day.
JetBlue777 From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 1427 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 13461 times:
Nice report! Weird how J has the new 777-style cabin while Y has the old 767 cabin, when you enter Y class coming from J class its like entering a new different aircraft. AA doesnt value their y passengers
Jeffrey1970 From United States of America, joined Apr 2001, 1335 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 5 hours ago) and read 13103 times:
Quoting COEWR2587 (Reply 1): the city was completely covered with snow it looked beautiful!
Wait till you have to shovel it and then tell me if you still think it is beautiful LOL. I enjoyed your trip report. Do you like MIA? Or do you think it is as bad as many other people say it is?
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 73 Reply 12, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 4 hours ago) and read 13048 times:
Quoting JetBlue777 (Reply 9): Nice report! Weird how J has the new 777-style cabin while Y has the old 767 cabin, when you enter Y class coming from J class its like entering a new different aircraft. AA doesnt value their y passengers
The front half of the Y cabin - usually only elites can preselect most of these seats - has new style overheads.
About a dozen or so 763s have new-style throughout the Y cabin.
Aces727 From Colombia, joined Oct 2005, 173 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 4 days 3 hours ago) and read 12984 times:
Thank you all for your nice comments.
I have also been in Delta flights were the gate representative announces similar $100 upgrade to business class, regularly on the MIA-ATL, and once on a FLL-JFK flight, it has always been on the MD-88 which are not attractive in my opinion.
Quoting COEWR2587 (Reply 1): Is there a specific reason you chose the very last row of business when there were seats closer up front away from Y?
LOL...it may sound silly, but to be honest with you, I get a better perspective of the plane when I sit on the back. I always sit on the back.
Quoting Transpac787 (Reply 2): Did you happen to catch the ship number of your 763??
378?
Quoting Atrude777 (Reply 5): Great report, kind of sad to see the dinner choices has NOT changed at all in over a year.
LOL, yes, that is kind of sad.
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 8): Did they serve cookies before landing?
no cookies!!
Quoting JetBlue777 (Reply 9): Weird how J has the new 777-style cabin while Y has the old 767 cabin, when you enter Y class coming from J class its like entering a new different aircraft.
Correct, however right after J there is a small economy section that has the new 777 style cabin.
Quoting Jeffrey1970 (Reply 11): Wait till you have to shovel it and then tell me if you still think it is beautiful LOL. I enjoyed your trip report. Do you like MIA? Or do you think it is as bad as many other people say it is?
LOL, I have heard stories, and it doesn't sound to be a pleasant experience....
I have heard different complaints about MIA. Some of my coworkers in South Miami much rather use FLL as they claim that no one in MIA speaks English, this could be a true statement up to a certain extent, areas such as stores / cafeterias / restaurants. I have also heard complaints about the terminal itself. MIA is an old airport, it has both nice areas such as concurse J, and not so nice areas such as concurse G, but in my opinion it is a nice airport, a lot nicer than many airports around the world.
ORDnHKG From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 185 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 12771 times:
Quoting Tommy767 (Reply 7): As a former elite on AA I can definitely vouch that they have the best domestic meal service in F in the US. Most especially on hub to hub or flagship routes like MIA-ORD. I flew LAX-EWR a few years ago in F and got the ultimate transcon treatment: appetizer, steak, sundaes, cookies, and chocolates. They spoiled the hell out of me and I loved every minute of it
Oh give me a break. The dinner on the 763 MIA-ORD do look very nice, but I had much less desirable meals on breakfast flights.
Isn't ORD-DFW hub to hub as well ? Do you know what I got served as breakfast in F ? Several pieces of fruits with a choice of biscuit or bagel. The pieces (yes I am called it pieces, not slices) are consider of 2 square pieces of melon, 2 square pieces of cantalope, and 2 half pieces of strawberries. That is the most pathetic breakfast I ever had in domestic F. I would get served way better in similiar length ORD-DEN in UA F or C.
Tommy767 From United States of America, joined Aug 2003, 6173 posts, RR: 9 Reply 15, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 12598 times:
Quoting ORDnHKG (Reply 14): Isn't ORD-DFW hub to hub as well ? Do you know what I got served as breakfast in F ? Several pieces of fruits with a choice of biscuit or bagel.
That is bizarre for AA. Probably because the service was labeled as "continental breakfast" not "breakfast" which is a full hot breakfast on AA. Your meal was similar to what I got on MCO-LGA on AA one time. It wasn't great but its something. Certainly better than the 'snack' that UA gives out on ORD-EWR consisting of a fruit and cheese plate. ORD-DFW isn't that long of a flight just under 2 hours. UA really does have some glitches in their first class meal service as well in terms of what routes get meal service and when. UA #658 ORD-EWR gets a snack plate at the same time when BOS and BDL flights leave however those routes get a full dinner service.
"Folks that's the news and I'm outta here!" -- Dennis Miller
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 73 Reply 16, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 12496 times:
Quoting ORDnHKG (Reply 14): Isn't ORD-DFW hub to hub as well ? Do you know what I got served as breakfast in F ? Several pieces of fruits with a choice of biscuit or bagel. The pieces (yes I am called it pieces, not slices) are consider of 2 square pieces of melon, 2 square pieces of cantalope, and 2 half pieces of strawberries. That is the most pathetic breakfast I ever had in domestic F. I would get served way better in similiar length ORD-DEN in UA F or C.
It would be a fair comparison if you were on a breakfast flight, but you were not. ORD-DFW has continental breakfast service. AA's breakfast service is typically a choice between a hot, egg-centered dish or a cold dish. This is not the service on ORD-DFW.
UA differentiates meals between 3-class and 2-class flights. On a 3-class ORD-DEN flight, yes, you get a hot breakfast. On a 2-class ORD-DEN flight, you do not have the option.
Transpac787 From United States of America, joined Jul 2007, 3139 posts, RR: 14 Reply 18, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 11985 times:
Quoting BA319-131 (Reply 17): The seats in J are good, but lack room to get out from the window if the person next to you is fully reclined.
Well, to be fair, what J-class doesn't??
That is, on airlines like AF, KL, UA, AA, that don't have a J-cabin with all seats having direct aisle access.
I'm hoping that's what AA goes for on the 787 and new 777 deliveries. I can't stand the style seat that VS, AC, DL and some others are using. It just annoys me that they don't face directly forward or backward, but, more importantly, they are not very conductive to flying with somebody else.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21245 posts, RR: 19 Reply 20, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 1 day 6 hours ago) and read 11549 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 8): Lunch is still a little lacking though.
That depends on how you feel about cheeseburgers, doesn't it?
Seriously, lunch is light years ahead of what most of the competition offers, even if it's not quite to the breakfast/dinner standard.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 8):
Lunch is still a little lacking though.
That depends on how you feel about cheeseburgers, doesn't it?
Cheeseburgers aren't served on lunch flights to my knowledge. They are on snack flights (flights outside of meal times over 2.5 hours). I actually like their cheeseburgers - and their other snack options like the pizza.
My last lunch flight had an Asian chicken wrap - it was good, and huge, but it might as well have been purchased for $8 at an airport to-go counter.
Though I suppose your right, AA does remain light years ahead of most of the rest in its food.
ORDnHKG From United States of America, joined Jul 2009, 185 posts, RR: 0 Reply 22, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 1 day ago) and read 11429 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 16): UA differentiates meals between 3-class and 2-class flights. On a 3-class ORD-DEN flight, yes, you get a hot breakfast. On a 2-class ORD-DEN flight, you do not have the option.
Ah, actually it is reverse, 3 class C you don't have a choice, 2 class F you always have a choice.
MAH4546 From Sweden, joined Jan 2001, 31118 posts, RR: 73 Reply 23, posted (3 years 4 months 2 weeks 13 hours ago) and read 11268 times:
Quoting ORDnHKG (Reply 22):
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 16):
UA differentiates meals between 3-class and 2-class flights. On a 3-class ORD-DEN flight, yes, you get a hot breakfast. On a 2-class ORD-DEN flight, you do not have the option.
Ah, actually it is reverse, 3 class C you don't have a choice, 2 class F you always have a choice.
The United meals page seems to indicate otherwise:
During breakfast hours, between 5 a.m. and 10 a.m.*, passengers flying in United Business class on North American flights with three cabins of service will be offered a hot breakfast entrée of eggs, turkey sausage and potatoes.
I would assume, though, that longer 2-class flights, like trans-cons, will always have the hot breakfast item as well.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21245 posts, RR: 19 Reply 24, posted (3 years 4 months 1 week 6 days 10 hours ago) and read 10970 times:
Quoting MAH4546 (Reply 21): Cheeseburgers aren't served on lunch flights to my knowledge.
I've gotten them on STL-east coast flights that leave in the 1000 to 1200 time frame - can't speak for other routes, but they are all less than 2.5 hours.
FWIW, I don't think the cheeseburger is bad either.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
25 United_Fan: Nice TR,I am flying on an AA 763 ORD-MIA in two weeks. i hope i can upgrade.
26 United_fan: I flew ORD-MIA on Feb 8th,took the $135 upgrade to first. Very,very nice. Love the seats. It was on N373AA with winglets. First 767 I have seen in per
27 September11: Having flown on AA 763 from LAX to DFW last week, it's good to read a trip report on AA 763. I sat 2 rows behind first class. I'm impressed by product
28 mah4546: Snack flights do not have ice cream, that's only on lunch and dinner flights. There was a choice of food, there always is, but by the time they got t
29 FCO110: we flew this route at 700am this past Monday and it was very nice. Could not figure out where the plane went from there - perhaps to be readied for a
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