Hello Everyone,
This is a trip report back in July 2019 when I went to Chicago for a business event. On the way back home to San Francisco, I flew back on a United Boeing 757-300 otherwise known as the "pencil" since it has a long narrow fuselage. This was only my second time flying on the 757-300. For this flight, I chose to upgrade to First.
Here's the plane that will take me to SFO. This plane was actually originally delivered to American Trans Air in Feb 2002.
Here's another view of the plane. Registration N77865.
Waiting at gate C21
Once boarded and seated, here is my seat for the flight - 6F. Plenty of legroom. But no IFE.
View from my seat.
My pre-departure drink was orange juice.
After a long taxi finally reached Runway 9R
O'Hare Airport is just massive.
Passing over the mighty Mississippi River
Hot towelette before starting meal service
Starting with hot tea and warm nuts
Meal consisted of chicken with quinoa and tomatoes, salad and bread
After a couple of hours of flying, finally in California and flew over Mono Lake
Over the Sierra Nevada mountain range. Actually it's hard to tell but overflying Yosemite at this point.
On the descent, passed over Fremont and surrounding cities
Final approach and over San Mateo Bridge
About to touch down on Runway 28R
Parked at the gate
Nice review and great aerials! I love a 757 and flying out West on a clear day is always a treat.
All UA 753s should have streaming IFE, but maybe yours wasn't working...or maybe they weren't all outfitted yet in 2019.
It's interesting to see premium cabin catering from 2019 because that's basically the benchmark for the cost-cutting we see in the pandemic-era and beginning of post-pandemic era. Major US carriers were making service improvements in those boom years before Covid, and for a while we'd been brought back to 2008 sadness...though it's already starting to get better...let's hope it continues.
Thanks for sharing!