Power to the informed pax. Karryon checks out the transpacific nonstop service from Brisbane to San Francisco, flying United Economy, and finds that more is more when it comes to passenger communication and inflight personalisation.
Australians have more direct flight options to the United States than ever before. Several US and international airlines offer nonstop or direct, seasonal or year-round routes to a selection of gateway cities on interchangeable aircraft with similar cabin products.
So, when it comes to comparing carriers, it really does come down to the subtleties. Flying United Airlines from Brisbane to San Francisco recently highlighted how much the crew can make a difference to the overall inflight experience – and it’s all in the communication.
Leaving on time and arriving at SFO 20 minutes early? Even better.
Check-in and boarding
We’re at the pointy end of annual travel right now, and on a busy Saturday morning in late November, Brisbane Airport is definitely ramping up for the 2025 peak holiday travel period.
The departures hall is buzzing with several large groups and a busy flight schedule as the International Terminal undergoes construction as part of the $5 billion Future BNE project.
I’ve checked in via the United app and receive handy, real-time and personalised updates at every stage of my journey, including a boarding countdown and estimated walking time to the gate.
The check-in kiosk and bag drop are quick and painless, however, the construction works mean the queue through to security is long and snaking, taking about 25 minutes from exiting departures to clearing the passport smartgates. Note: You still need to separate your large electronics, jackets, belts and liquids to go through security at BNE, so be prepared.
Once through to the departure lounge, there is plenty of festive décor and ample seating to pop you in the holiday mood. United Airlines’ flight UA97 departs from Gate 78, close to the main lounge area.
United boards by group (I’m Group 5) and with a full flight, passengers are incentivised with priority boarding for checking their carry-on bags. Boarding is orderly and quick, and all passengers are settled for an on-time departure with crew on hand to ensure everyone’s luggage finds an overhead bin space.
Onboard comfort
United Airlines’ International Economy has a 3x4x3 seating configuration on its Boeing B777-200 aircraft and I’m seated in an aisle seat in the middle. It’s a completely full flight, so I settle in for the long-haul.
The Economy cabin seat is basic with little legroom – it’s OK for those on the shorter side, but the tall man next to me has his knees right against the front seat. Standard seat pitch on this aircraft is 31″ (78cm), 17.1″ (44cm) seat width and 3″ (7cm) seat recline.
Each seat has an adjustable headrest with a split pillow and blanket on the seat. Complimentary earbud headphones are available and flight attendants hand out sanitising wipes on entry. Each seat also has a USB port on the seatback screen and an in-seat power point for charging devices.
The current United onboard safety video – Safety in Motion – features a live-action Rube Goldberg-style chain reaction machine concept that the airline hopes captures the attention of distracted pax, even on multiple viewings. Having watched it several times, I can attest that it grabs your attention each time.
The fun stuff
The seatback screen ups the ante among my recent international travel experiences. It’s a one-stop hub for all the information you need about your flight, allowing passengers to plan their journey from when to nap to meal service intervals. It complements the in-depth information relayed by the crew during the flight (more on that later).
If you’re serious about getting some shut-eye, you can customise your screen to let the crew know not to wake you for meals or go full ‘do not disturb’ mode. The Sleep Station section also allows you to personalise your video and audio options with a galaxy screensaver, classical music or blackout screen.
United also has a wide range of inflight entertainment options available, including movies, TV series, podcasts, Spotify, concerts and live events and a kids section. You can browse movies and TV shows by title or opt for one of the fun collections, such as ‘Tis the Season, Perfect Plane Movies or Rock Solid, if you’re a fan of Dwayne Johnson.
Wi-Fi is also available for purchase for Economy flyers on this United Airlines international flight.
There’s plenty to keep you occupied, and the ability to customise your service level to optimise sleep is a welcome option for Economy passengers.
Inflight food
The BNE–SFO flight offers a full meal and drink service at regular intervals as per the journey planner.
The first meal service starts not long after take-off with a small pretzel snack and drinks followed by lunch. I’ve chosen special vegan meals for my flight, which are served before the main cabin. Sadly, this is one area that United fails to nail – each vegan meal seemingly an afterthought of mish-mash vegetable sides rather than a carefully considered cohesive dish.
I received a tray with a hot meal of curried chickpeas, roast potatoes, broccolini, garden salad, a wholemeal roll with vegan margarine and a carton of So Good soy milk, which I think was supposed to function as dessert. Or perhaps to add to coffee or tea? Either way, it’s a lot of soy milk (500ml all up).
The main cabin options looked, and smelled, a lot more appetising with a choice of either a pork stirfry and rice or a vegetarian pumpkin and squash pasta, plus a garden salad, bread roll and chocolate mousse dessert.
The mid-flight snack consisted of a vegetarian or chicken sandwich with a full drinks service along with snacks available in the galley.
The second meal, served about two hours before landing, was a breakfast service with a main cabin choice of scrambled eggs or pancakes, plus a muffin and chia pudding.
My vegan brekky option was another sad concoction of wilted veggies (kale, boiled potatoes and mushrooms) with a baked bean medley, wholemeal roll and yet another carton of So Good soy milk. With other airlines offering more rounded vegan meals with a protein, this is definitely an area where United could do better.
The details:
- Aircraft: Boeing B777–200
- Seat: 48D (aisle)
- Flight time: 12 hours and 45 minutes
- Luggage allowance: 1x 23kg checked baggage plus 1x 7kg cabin luggage and a personal item
- Arrival in San Francisco: 6:50am (scheduled) / 6:23am (actual)
Takeaway
On this, my fourth flight to the US in 2025, United’s service really stood out for one reason: communication. I have never been on a flight where the crew delivered so much in-depth information, including connection details and wayfinding info for the US port of entry.
We knew what to expect when disembarking at SFO, including navigating between domestic and international gates and finding baggage claim, and how customs and security would flow.
Cleverly, early in the journey, the crew also shared their behavioural expectations for the flight, and it went a long way towards a smooth and seamless experience for all, even with a full plane. Service was friendly and efficient with quick smiles from the crew at every interaction.
From the mobile app to inflight announcements, passengers were informed and kept up-to-date at every step, which takes a lot of the anxiety and uncertainty out of flying. It’s these little details that really add up to an outsized experience. And United nailed it.
Find out more at united.com
The writer was a guest of Travel South USA.
