I was fortunate enough to fly business class from DCA to Lima and return, on our trip to Peru. I knew the flight from DCA to Houston would be just a normal business class seat (standard on most domestic flights), but the flight from IAH to LIM was United Business/First, with lay flat seats.
Ya’ll should know my love for sleep. And therefore for lay flat seats. Amusingly, I can actually fall asleep anywhere (and pretty much anytime), but waking up rested without a crick in my neck or stiff legs is just fantastic. Seriously.
The last time I flew business class was on the way back from Bangkok, and well, we all know that foreign and domestic carriers are not made equally. So while I was thrilled to have a lay flat seat, I wasn’t totally sure what to expect (or not to expect) from a United international flight. The ANA service and equipment was just incredible (and perhaps sadly, the best ramen I’ve ever had).
Happily, I was pleasantly surprised. The flight attendants were quite nice, and attentive but not annoying on all four legs. Most importantly, the lay flat seat was very, very comfortable. The pillow was cushy, the blanket/quilted duvee was not rough or too small, and I had more than enough room to spread out and, well, sleep! The seats fit fliers up to about 6’3, and are 21″ wide, which is more than enough space for most travelers.
We flew on a 767-300, which had a 2-1-2 configuration in Business/First. Beware that if you are sitting in the window seats, it can be a weensy bit tricky to hop over the other person (e.g., just be careful). I was flying with my mom so it wasn’t a big deal for me (and, like a horrible traveler, I can go a very long time without getting up anyway). But if you are one of those good fliers that likes to get up and walk periodically, definitely keep this in mind.
The video screen was large and the selection of movies was quite sufficient. I’m horrible at keeping up with movies at home, so when I’m not sleeping, I enjoy the opportunity to sit back and enjoy some new releases with zero guilt that I’m not “doing something I should be”. I honestly don’t remember any of the food on the way home, but the dinner on the way down was simple (roasted peppers and some chicken) and seemed fresh (crispy lettuce for the win), which I appreciated.
As always, I love to critique the products provided to Business/First customers, because, well, why not? ANA’s L’Occitane products are some of my favorite, so United wasn’t going to live up to that, but I was curious.
The offer Cowshed products (made for SOHO house in England), in a nice pouch that I find more useful than other pouches…it has a hook for easy hanging (whether in a restroom or other crowded space where you don’t want to put something on a sink), and I actually think the stylized United zipper pull is a very cute addition. I’m a sucker for weird things like that. I know, it’s strange.
The Cowshed products smell very naturally, not perfumey and not overly scented. They also work quite well–the chapstick (always appreciative of new chapstick as I lose chapstick on a daily basis), actually moisturizes, as does the hand cream. The face wipe leaves your face feel refreshed, yet clean. I wasn’t expecting much from these products, but I was pleasantly surprised by their effectiveness.
But, serious digression ahead. Can’t help it.
Can we talk for a moment about the name? Cowshed? Who in branding thought that was a good idea? Growing up on a ranch, cow + shed = lots of cow patties (cow patties are cow shit), and a very, very bad smell. There is absolutely no connotation of “Cowshed” that comes up with any other picture in my mind. Plus on the products, they have clever little tags, like “cow pat” on the lotion and “lippy cow” on the chapstick. Since I’ve already established that cow patties = cow shit, I’m not sure how they got to “cow pat” on the lotion. And what is a lippy cow?
I can assure you that their products are neither made from or smell like cow shit. Well, at least I think they are not made from cow shit…I guess I should go back and double check that…they do say all natural…they can’t be making products from organic cow shit, right? Eh, if they do, I’m just going to embrace the fact that I moisturized with cow patties. Fantastic.
All in all, particularly with the fantastic deal on the Business/First seats (about $400 more than economy round-trip from DCA), it was a great experience. Every chance to fly in business rather than in coach is appreciated, enjoyed, and certainly not taken for granted. It is a privilege that results hoarding lots of miles to try to make it happen again!
