Trip Report: VLC-ZRH-IAD-SAN part II
While I was relaxing in the lounge, I checked my email and found out that my ZRH-EWR flight was delayed EIGHT HOURS! How could a flight be delayed so long? The agent in the lounge unfortunately could not rebook me because the computers there do not have access to the United system, but she did help me identify some Swiss flights which had availability. Still in the lounge, I called United using Skype, and was told to go to the gate of an earlier ZRH-EWR flight because there were a couple open seats. I took the tram over, went through security, and found that it was a weight-restricted flight (Boeing 757) and so there was no space available. The Swiss agents there had varying degrees of helpfulness - one said there was absolutely no space available on any flight either United or Swiss, while others would be more helpful and friendly later. I then called United a second time and got an agent who would reroute me through FRA and IAD, but did not transfer the upgrade I had already confirmed. After a lot of running upstairs and downstairs to various desks, and calling United a third time and reaching a competent, confident agent who expertly got me onto a ZRH-IAD flight with upgrade intact (there was space in Business but none in Economy, which is why other agents did not see availability for me), I was finally confirmed on a new itinerary that got me back to California for Christmas Eve. The automatic rebooking that the system provided for me forced me to stay overnight in EWR and get back to SAN Christmas Day.
Anyway, the nice Swiss ladies provided me a 20 CHF voucher for "refreshments" due to my flight delay. Although my alternate flight and connection would land me in SAN earlier than my original itinerary...but who was I to question this gesture? 20 CHF is about $22, and got me the bounty of a bottle of water, freshly squeezed orange juice, beef jerky, and the last minute addition of the apple because the clerk at the snack stand said it would bring the total to exactly 20 CHF.
Then it was time to board the Boeing 767-300 to IAD. The other bonus of this change in itinerary is that I switched from an ex-Continental Boeing 767-200 with recliner seats to a new United plane with full-flat beds.
Lunch started with almonds and my water with lemon. Now there's a real lemon!
The best part of the whole meal was the appetizer - giant shrimp with an Asian-y chile cilantro dip.
None of the main course choices stuck out to me, so I went with the steak with Delmonico's sauce, chive mashed potatoes, and extremely overcooked beans and carrots.
Then came the pre-plated cheese, crackers, and grapes. I just had some of the cheese to taste.
Then came the ice cream, which I had with butterscotch, nuts, and whipped topping.
Midflight, I got hungry and got an oatmeal raisin cookie from the galley. The flight attendant then came around the cabin distributing them, which is nice because sometimes one forgets there are snacks available.
Before landing, there was a snack of a half of a chicken wrap served with salsa, fresh fruit, chocolates, and a tasty but unidentified vegetable accompaniment consisting of diced vegetables (not sour, as one expects vegetables of that kind to be).
Overall, a pleasant flight with a couple hours spent sleeping in the lie-flat bed - a huge improvement vs. the waiting room benches the night before - and watching movies and TV on the video-on-demand system.
