LHR: Getting Here Was Half The Fun

We're in the Star Alliance Arrivals Lounge at LHR. A hot shower is very refreshing after flying more than 12,785 miles SYD-SFO-LHR in about 25 hours from takeoff time at SYD to touchdown time at LHR. It's a real treat to be admitted with our Business Class tickets. Pancakes and bacon after the shower and a little Internet time add up to a pleasant experience.

Our flight on the Upper Deck of a 747 was very good. UA's computer systems weren't sophisticated enough - or maybe they just don't care that much - to notify the crew that we were crossing the Million-Mile mark, but when I mentioned it the FAs congratulated us.

Our flight SFO-LHR on a 777 with the old configuration was less satisfactory, although still better than riding in back. This particular crew more or less confirmed the rumors that employees on the LHR runs are there by seniority. Our old-style seats didn't work that well, and it's obvious that UA is minimizing the maintenance on them, pending the conversion of the rest of the fleet to the new configuration.

Still, it was okay.

We'll hang out here for awhile before heading to our hotel, since after our showers and a light breakfast it's only 7:40 a.m. here. We enjoyed some splendid views of London outskirts, including those rows of white houses with red roofs that look remarkably like a German town from the air.