Triangle Trip

As a frequent flyer of United in and out of San Francisco International Airport (SFO) Terminal 3, here are some hot tips for you:

1.  When flying on a domestic flight out of Terminal 3, you should always go through TSA security checkpoint near Gate 74 and 75. Gate 74 and 75 is located between the domestic and international terminals. It is called out “Boarding Areas” (the bottom red dot) if you refer to the map below.

The Gate 74 and 75 checkpoint is to the left of the Ticketing area, opposite side of the regular boarding area. No one is aware of this security checkpoint as it is geared towards travelers coming from the international terminal or BART. Lines here are always shorter than the Premier lines.

2.  When you are in transit through SFO from domestic to international terminal, the best approach is via the bus interlink. The bus is located near the Yankee Pier restaurant or Gate 72. Referring to the map above, it is the 2nd red dot from the top. You will need to go through a door near the information booth, then down the stairs to the waiting area. The bus comes every 15 minutes or so. Going by bus means you will be able to avoid going out of Terminal 3, taking the Airtrain, and go through security screening at the International terminal.

Try these two tips and let us know your thoughts.

Star Alliance is probably the best airline partnership out there. United, US Airways, and Air Canada in North America. BMI, Lufthansa, and Swiss among others in Europe. Asiana, ANA, Singapore, Air China and a couple others in Asia, which is probably the strongest aspect of the alliance. The Star Alliance Gold status is the highest status within Star Alliance, with benefits such as lounge access for any of the Star Alliance partners on any international flight, priority check-in and boarding, and extra baggage allowance.

Now you can get Star Alliance Gold by becoming Premier Executive on United or Gold on US Airways, but that requires you to bank 50,000 actual flown miles or 60 segments in one calendar year. There’s actually a better alternative: bank miles with Asiana Airlines when flying with United, US Airways, or any other Star Alliance partner.

Asiana Airlines requires you to fly only 40,000 miles or 50 segments and the qualification period is 2 years, not 1 year, to become Asiana Diamond, which gets you Star Alliance Gold. Not only that, your Asiana Diamond status is valid for 3 years, not just 1 year like United or US Airways.

No more banking miles with crappy US domestic carriers.

There is a lot of things wrong with US domestic airlines. But I think the #1 thing that is wrong is the quality of service. Onboard a US carrier, flight attendants are rude, not helpful, and impatient. I think they are still mad their pensions disappeared.

They bark commands rather than politely asking. They don’t attempt to help when people are struggling to put luggage in the overhead bins. They are irritable when you ask them for anything.

I remember flying back from Asia on United last year when sometime before landing I asked one of the flight attendants for the US customs and immigration forms. She responded with a very surly response to the effect that they had passed them out many times and was annoyed that I had asked. But she did say she would get them for me. She then proceeded to have a 15 minute personal conversion with the person seated directly behind me. I never received those forms from her.

I decided afterwards that I would never fly a US carrier to go to Asia. This past year I went to Asia several times and each time I had pleasant experiences on ANA, Asiana, Singapore, and Korean Air. There is a world of a difference. You can yell at the flight attendants on these Asian carriers and you will get a gentle apology. You can be a body builder and they will still attempt to help with you with your luggage.

Not only in terms of quality of service but they are world class in a different aspect. They can fit in the aisles with plenty of room, are easy on the eyes, and they didn’t roam the earth with dinosaurs. Damn those US discrimination laws and labor unions.