Pandemic-era Trip Report: SFO-ICN-PVG United Polaris Business Class
Finally, after a week-long holiday in the US turned into a 10+ month stay, it was time to go back to China. But going back wasn’t an easy task. First was a matter of getting a visa. Then it was a matter of getting flights to go back. Flights restarted over the summer with two flights a week on United, and two on Delta, increasing to four flights a week each in the fall, and recently American Airlines added one flight a week. Demand for seats going to China remain enormous, so for example a one-way flight a couple weeks from now from San Diego to Shanghai on United runs an eye-popping $18,964 for business class, with economy class and premium economy sold out!
Besides finding the flight itself, China also requires two COVID tests, a PCR test and an IgM antibody test, to be taken within 48 hours of boarding. So I researched testing agencies, one quoting $449 and the other $195, and made a reservation and prepaid the $195 agency (which I highly recommend - US Specialty Labs).
So you can imagine that my heart nearly stopped when I received the following text message a few days before departure saying that the flight “will not be operating!” I knew that flights were cancelled for a couple days the week before departure, but didn’t think my flight was affected. I called United right away, and the agent said that it was cancelled but then reinstated soon after, I guess within the 40 minutes from the time I received the text to when I called? Then 3 hours later they sent a follow-up text, along with emails to both of my email accounts saying the flight was NOT cancelled. They probably got many panicked phone calls!
What probably happened was that my flight was originally nonstop, but then they added a stop in Seoul-Incheon for crew change, and in that process the original flight needed to be pulled and the new flight with the stop was added in. This was the arrangement for both United and Delta flights starting in the summer, and Delta continued that arrangement but United went nonstop in the fall. I read on Flyertalk that the crew transport and accommodations in Shanghai were very poor, probably because it’s all super-regulated now due to COVID concerns, so the ICN stop allows the crew to avoid overnighting in PVG. So one crew operates SFO-ICN, another crew picks up ICN-PVG-ICN, and then another crew operates ICN-SFO.
So 2 days before departure, I took the two tests. That same evening, I received the test results, which I then submitted to the Chinese Consulate in Los Angeles for approval. I was traveling right at the switchover between two approval systems, so I submitted to both. One resulted in a stamped form, and the other a green QR code.
The other restriction for travel to China is that the Chinese authorities allow only 75% of the aircraft to be filled on inbound flights. So I’m glad United is operating its largest aircraft on the Shanghai route, the Boeing 777-300ER. I’m also glad they’re using this airplane because it has the new Polaris seats!
So with all of the testing done and loads of paperwork prepared, checking in to the flight and boarding were very smooth and uneventful. Boarding took two steps. First, to enter the boarding area, I had to show my paper boarding pass and the green QR code. The code wasn’t scanned - the agent just looked to see I had one.
I thought it was interesting that all signage was in Chinese, with no English to be found! This sign says “Business Class Rows 1-18.”
The second step of boarding was this new biometric system. I’d never seen this before in the US! In fact, the first and only time I’d encountered this was in Beijing, on a China Eastern flight to Shanghai. It was such as surprise to see the machine pick up my face and let me through the boarding gate, and was a bit creepy because I have no idea how China Eastern got my face data. I chalked it up to being in China, and having my face recorded somewhere, somehow.
But here, I was even more surprised, because once again, they used facial biometric data to allow me to board, but I don’t know how they got that data to begin with. When they scanned my passport perhaps? With this system, the benefit is that it’s completely contactless. I had to take off my safety goggles and face mask, look at the camera, and then a green check mark appears. No one touches the boarding pass or passport (though at the previous document check, someone did touch my boarding pass).
Once again in the jetway, only Chinese signs were put up!
Then I found my seat for the next 16 hours. I have to say I absolutely love the new Polaris seats, especially these ones that are closer to the windows. They feel so private, and at the same time I love the storage cubbies, the placement of the power outlet and headphone jack, and the nice side table to put things on. Bedding and amenity kits were the same as they were pre-pandemic.
On takeoff we had a wonderful view of San Francisco. I don’t think I realized it was so… square!
By US! This was the longest time I’d spent in the US since I moved to Spain 8 years ago.
For lunch, the choices were “beef, fish, or pasta,” or a bit more elaborately described, “short rib, salmon, or ravioli.” Paper menus were one of the things cut, so I did ask for a bit more description about the salmon. The flight attendant read on the paper that there was some kind of red curry sauce, which sounded good so I ordered that.
The meal looked a bit more like a premium economy or domestic first class meal, with everything presented at once. Everything was covered too: the nuts, the salad, and the entree. And note that the water is served in an unopened bottle, with a plastic cup. I actually like having the individual bottle of water!
The salad had shaved fennel and yellow bell peppers, and came with a little bottle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The bread roll was identical to the packaged roll that comes with economy meals. The sauce for the entree comes in separate container. I guess this is how they normally come, but usually the flight attendant would pour it onto the dish before serving.
Thanks to other trip reports, I knew the ice cream was missing, so I asked the flight attendant for my cup.
The salmon entree was excellent, I must say. The fish was still moist and flaked easily, while red curry sauce was robust, and packed a punch with its spice! It was served on a bed of carrots, bell peppers, and celery (not bok choy like the label said). The patty to the right I guess was the “risotto,” but it wasn’t rice, or only rice. I detected some quinoa in it too. It was also richly flavored. Overall, a very successful dish that I’d gladly order again!
Dessert was the vanilla bean gelato, which is also served in economy class. Impressively, if you look at the ingredients list, it’s very natural with few ingredients. I really like it - it has a clean, vanilla flavor, and a clean, not gummy texture too. I think the business class sundaes might use the same ice cream manufacturer?
With the one-tray service, one of the benefits is that the meal service was very rapid, ending about an hour after takeoff. Total flight time was about 12 hours.
So it was time for some rest, after a sleepless night of packing. I asked for a mattress pad, provisioned on the longer long haul Polaris flights, and spread out my duvet. It’s a really comfortable way to travel.
I got about 3 hours of sleep, and continued with my viewing of Titanic. Amazingly, I had never seen it before. And perhaps because so few films have been released this year due to people not going to movie theaters, or because United is trying to save money, or a combination of the two, but the entertainment selection had a lot of older films.
Midway through the flight, a flight attendant came through with a basket of these turkey and cheese sandwiches.
These are identical to the ones they give on transpacific flights in economy class, except in economy class they come in a bag with some chocolate, like M&Ms.
Some time later, the flight attendant came around with a snack basket. Other options included potato chips and almonds. These were what I was hoping to get on my SAN-SFO flight, but that flight was too short for snacks.
Then maybe about an hour and 20 minutes prior to arrival in Seoul, we were served a pre-arrival meal. I saw the passenger across the aisle getting this single sandwich, so I ordered tomato juice with my meal in order for the meal to be a bit more filling.
The “French twist croissant” was warm, and contained a rather meager slice of Canadian bacon and an egg, and maybe some kind of tasteless yellow sauce that appeared in the middle eating (a version of hollandaise?). The breakfast sandwich was quite bland and bready, and I was left feeling hungry so I had a Kind bar that I packed.
One can see that Seoul is really “on the way” to Shanghai, along the great circle path from California to China.
I think this is Seoul! After spending much of the year watching Kdramas (Crash Landing On You - my first Kdrama and still my favorite, Designated Survivor: 60 Days, Vagabond, Secret Garden, Itaewon Class, What’s Wrong with Secretary Kim, Mr. Sunshine, and Hospital Playlist), I developed a greater affinity to Korea and would love to visit again soon!
Yup, this must be Korea…
Passengers were asked to stay seated, while the original crew stayed on and waited for the new crew to board. Once they boarded and did their safety checks, we took off again. The stop in Seoul-Incheon took about an hour and a half in total.
Sad to hear that the Asiana brand will disappear with Korean Air is buying up the airline, but good to hear that they aren’t planning any layoffs.
Flight time was quoted as 1 hour 44 minutes.
I liked seeing the little dots of light in the sea - shipping vessels I would presume?
On this flight, they handed out just two things: the Arrivals card and a bottle of water.
Finally we arrived in Shanghai. I noticed that there were workers suiting up in hazmat suits next to the plane, and then realized that they were probably going to offload the baggage from our flight!
All in all, this was a very comfortable journey, thanks to the wonderful Polaris seat and comfortable bedding. While I could have used a bit more food (and less bread), I’m still thankful that United operates this route, and that they actually have food. Apparently, Chinese carriers flying transpacific do not have meal service at all. Instead, upon boarding you find a bag with bottles of water and packaged snacks, and that’s all you have for the whole flight. So in comparison, United’s service is truly first class!
