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Home » United Airlines » When George H.W. Bush Flew United Airlines First Class
United Airlines

When George H.W. Bush Flew United Airlines First Class

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 6, 2018November 14, 2023 6 Comments

a man and woman standing next to each other

As the world remembers the life of former U.S. President George H.W. Bush, I was made aware of a story that took place in 2010 aboard a United Airlines flight to Beijing.

Reader Ken sent me the following e-mail, which I want to share with you.

Dear Matthew,

I thought you might appreciate this story about George H.W. Bush. In the spring of 2010 I was flying from Chicago to Beijing in United Airlines first class. I thought I was first to board the flight, but noticed several people standing in the first class cabin. As I made my way to my seat in 1A, lo and behold there was George H. W. Bush and his wife Barbara already seated in the cabin. Mrs. Bush smiled at me and the former president nodded his head.

While I figured they probably just wanted to be left alone, how often do you get to spend 13 hours with a former President of the United States? I eventually worked up the courage to approach them and was struck at how kind President Bush was. Perhaps gentle is the better word. We briefly made small talk about China and why he was flying commercial. Giving me his undivided attention, he made me feel like I was the only person in the world. He also asked about my reasons for going to China and actually seemed happy to engage in conversation. While most of his entourage retreated to business or economy class, one agent kept a close eye on me as we spoke. But I got the sense this sort of thing happens often. It was an incredible memory to speak to him.

What a great memory this is. I’ve flown with many politicians over the years, but never had the chance to fly with an ex-president. As the world remembers the life of George H. W. Bush, this anecdote is a reminder of his approachability and humility.

image: Esther / Flickr CC 2.0

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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6 Comments

  1. Phil Duncan Reply
    December 6, 2018 at 12:16 pm

    George Bush, RIP.

    He was from a generation of politicians from all over the world who acted with integrity.

  2. Robert Reply
    December 6, 2018 at 12:17 pm

    My father was principal of our small, rural high school. We won some sort of drug-awareness award and a small number from our school were invited to the White House to receive the award from the then sitting President George H.W. Bush. I wasn’t part of the group in attendance but my dad had nothing but good to say about the President. We have a lasting memory, a picture of the President shaking my dad’s hand and handing him a framed certificate. The President was looking him right in the eye, completely invested in that moment. I’ve long had a huge respect for anyone who treats those around him/her as an equal, it has shaped my life.

  3. Heather Reply
    December 6, 2018 at 12:49 pm

    I went on a bender of memoirs written by White House staff members and across the board, the Bush family was universally loved by everyone.

  4. Richard Reply
    December 6, 2018 at 3:54 pm

    I got meet President GHW Bush under some strange circumstances. I was a pilot on a Continental flight that flew a trip to California ( I’ve forgotten the city) As we started boarding, we were informed that we had a special party that took up all of first class. It was former President Bush and his Secret Service contingent. The lead Secret Service guy visited the flight deck and briefed us. All was well until, on departure, we developed a mechanical anomoly that gave us a warning that the langing gear didn’t retract properly. The emergency procedure required that we had to slow and re-extend the gear. Since this was very abnormal, we had to invite the lead Secret Service guy, told him of what we had to do, and he briefed the President. We did the procedure, it solved the issue and we proceeded to KIAH with no further issues. After landing, the President stopped by the flight deck and visited for a minute to thank us for the few minutes of excitement. I wish I’d gotten his autograph but didn’t.

  5. Torben Retboll Reply
    December 6, 2018 at 11:24 pm

    George H W Bush may have been kind to those who were close to him. But there is more to say about the life and public career of this man. For more information and details look at the following item:

    “The ignored legacy of George H W Bush: War crimes, racism, and obstruction of justice,” by Mehdi Hasan. Posted on The Intercept on 1 December 2018.

  6. Rick Banzhoff Reply
    December 7, 2018 at 3:12 am

    One of the lessons of life: if you can’t say something nice, it is best not to say anything.

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