I thought my flight to Tokyo on United Airlines, with only 10 passengers in business class, was pretty cool, but my return flight was cool on a whole different level: I had the entire 48-seat cabin to myself.
United Airlines 787 Business Class All To Myself
This truly was not planned. When I checked in for my United flight from Tokyo to Los Angeles, the flight was booked 4/48 in business class. That’s cool, but I’ve had near-empty flights before.
However, while enjoying my lunch in the ANA Lounge I took another peak at the flight status and noticed I was suddenly the only passenger in business class:
Could it be? Would it just be me?
I checked again before boarding and saw I was still the only passenger. I figured an employee or two would want to get on, but I boarded to empty cabin.
Immediately, Susanne walked over, cheerfully introduced herself, and told me the cabin would be all mine!
Shortly after, the door closed and we were on our way.
When you’re all alone in business class, you call the shots when it comes to the service flow. LaVonda, the purser, came over, introduced herself, and essentially told me I would have four flight attendants at my beck and call during the flight.
I felt almost awkward: what would it be like to have flight attendants fussing over just one passenger in a huge, empty cabin?
My fears quickly melted away, as Susanne brought over Mary and introduced her to me. “Mary is the cook.” Susanne said. “She’ll help you eat whenever you want, as much as you want!”
I smiled. The “problem” (if you want to call it that) is that I had stayed up the entire flight on the way over so that I could sleep the entire way back. But how could I sleep through what may be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity?
We took off to a beautiful sunset and I leaned back into my seat. The ladies offered me a wide selection of liquor, but my diet does not permit it (besides I cheated with a glass of whiskey in the lounge) and I stuck to water.
How boring, they must have thought.
United’s steak is generally reliable out of Narita, so I ordered that, requesting that Mary make it as rare as possible.
Oh, it came out rare all right…
(proving that airline meat, even though partially pre-cooked, can still be cooked to order)
The steak was flavorful as usual out of Japan, as were the potatoes and veggies. It came with rosemary sauce, which was also delicious.
After dinner, Susanne showed me I had my own snack station and then brought me some pajamas and a mattress pad.
We ended up chatting for over an hour (she’s seen so much with United and was just so much fun to speak to) before I finally went to sleep with 7 hours and 23 minutes left in the flight.
Five hours later I woke up feeling refreshed. Susanne noticed I had sat up and walked over to wish me good morning, offering me coffee.
Breakfast was either a cheese omelet with pork sausage or sawara yuan with yuzu sauce, taro, tawara rice and assorted vegetables. I requested both and was happily obliged (and thanked for helping to reduce waste).
Unfortunately, I found the Japanese fish incredibly dry and only took a few bites. The cheese omelet, however, was simple and delicious.
With less than an hour before landing, I continued my great conversation with Susanne and also asked for a picture with the flight attendants who took such great care of me:
Thank you to Susanne Lyons, Mary Reichman, and LaVonda Moore!
We flew over Malibu and LAX Airport on the way in then circled around over downtown Los Angeles, The LA Coliseum, and SoFi Stadium, which hosted Super Bowl LVI, before landing on-time.
Everyone thanked me on the way out, but I felt like I really needed to thank them. What a memorable flight, in the best sense of the word.
CONCLUSION
In the bowels of the pandemic, I flew to London for a funeral on the same aircraft, which had only one passenger. There, I also enjoyed excellent service. But having not even one other passenger to share the cabin with was so cool and so surreal.
For the sake of the airline industry and world travel, I hope I will never have an experience like this again. But I must admit, it was a great one that will make me smile for the rest of my life.
I hope that you still replaced your mask after bites and sips. #science
you’re a good looking chap, Matthew
“How boring, they must have thought” yep, same thought here….over your diet?
Unless it’d have killed you I would have gone all out (as I sit in 8K over the Atlantic heading home from IST satiated full of mediocre wine….but full trolly service).
Does United offer a check-in paid upgrade for economy passengers? Or do they hav a dumb “protect the integrity of J” rule like Delta?
Seems like a wasteed opportunity for UA to potentially grab some extra $.
I think there were only nine passengers in economy. Everyone had their own section!
I thought this was an April Fools post at first! As a monthly UA tranpac regular, I have had the wonderful pleasure of being on each of their flights…but never all at once…and never as the sole passenger! #Brilliant #ThanksMatthew
I believe I had LaVonda in a pre pandemic flight to Munich. Of course the cabin was full but I distinctly remember her because she seemed to always materialize in the appropriate moment and took good care of me. I believed it helped I was in the middle section of a 767. Man those seats are the best, you get service from both sides.
Great trip report! Cheers!
Happy April! LAX-LHR resumes in 2 weeks! So exciting!
I have traveled United to Newark many times to family but never had special treatment like that I wish
You were the only passenger in business and they still gave you your salad and main course at the same time. That certainly sounds like the United I know.
Is this an indictment of japans ridiculous covid polices or the fact that no one chooses United Airlines?
Japan is not open to tourists at this time.
As Japan is still only open for residents and the Japanese don’t appear to do much international travelling, I would expect ANA & JAL to have similar load factors.
Had a similar experience. Solo passenger in first class on LH from FRA – JFK (A340-600). Business class passengers kept peeking through the curtain to see who was this “special” passenger. Mid-flight the captain came out to ask if everything was ok. I said “yes”, and he replied, “enjoy yourself”. I did. Had the purser give me the official print-out from the manifest showing the headcount as: “1/42/250”.
I was once the only passenger on a plane but did not get such good service.
I was also potentially one of 2 passengers on a plane but I was using a hidden city ticket and couldn’t board. On a different flight, I got on the plane and snuck out, to try to hide my hidden city trick but couldn’t do it on this flight due to the light load. It was a CLT-MCO flight that I skipped out on.
Sweet. If CX doesn’t put a 77W on JFK-HKG, I’ll be on UA LAX-NRT to catch Qatar QSuites to DOH then AUH and EX B787-9 1st home.
Great report, journeys like this don’t come up very often and you have to make the most of them when they do.
Back during SARS-COV1 as it’s now known in 2003, I scored SIN-LHR as the only passenger in F on Singapore Airlines. That was really special too and I’ve never forgotten it. It was operated on a 744 which wasn’t quite the F of today but great all the same.
Great pictures, especially the ones approaching LAX! Do you have any tips on taking those photos?
Thanks. I sat in 3A for most of the flight, but moved to the starboard side for landing because it is that side that always has better views of LA and its landmarks.
I would take a full business class cabin on Singapore, Cathay, Emirates over an empty one on United.
If Japan not open right now how did this trip happen? Did u use mikes or cash??
he did a LAX NRT roundtrip layover mileage run without exiting NRT to Japan
So, I”m intrigued and I’ve started looking at the SFO/NRT trips. I’m doing my own research, but do you know of any changes to Covid testing different from your experience earlier on this “lunch” trip?
I thought Japan was re-opening this month. No changes to testing that I am aware of.
I also experienced First Class on a flight from Aruba being the only passenger in first class. There were 7 people in the back of the plane.. It almost makes you feel guilty to have so many people there to help you. They didn’t even require me to wear a mask. They gave as much food or drinks as I wanted. I just found the whole thing quite strange, but fun!
Glad they didn’t do a “for weight and balance” we needed to move a few folks up front.
On some of my flights on SAS between Chicago and Copenhagen during the pandemic, I have been the only passenger in business class.
Love this. What a great experience. I still recall my exclusive LH F cabin ten days or so before travel shut down from Europe. It was bittersweet in that the experience was incredible but I also knew why and that it would likely be my last flight for months.
Stupidity of the air companies have no limits. They rather fly with a single passenger in their business class than offering lower prices and fly with full capacity.
Coach class passengers fly like sardines in a can.
It will come the day we will have to pay to use the bathroom. Chicken or Pasta?
Breakfast? Frozen bread.
Domestic flights with over 4 hour duration, meals for purchase. Absolutely ridiculous.
But Whole Foods exist to save us with a very good $8.00 sandwich.
I am flying SIN- NRT- ORD using lifemiles on Tuesday in biz. Let’s see what the load is like in J!
Finally got the itinerary to work without an airport change, a 15hr layover in hnd, or an overnight in NRT.
Wish it was the new seat 🙁 but still exciting. Interested to see what NRT looks like empty. Once in a lifetime experience.
Assume the Ana lounge is open?
Ah yes it’s open… you flew there for lunch loll
I’m interested if a return journey is always considered “transit”.
Incidentally. If my flight from nrt to ord got cancelled while I was e route to net how would they deal with me? Ie if I had to stay overnight.
Matthew:
I am really interested in scheduling a trip like this from SFO while seats remain available. I am doing my own research but I wondered if you knew of any Covid related testing/travel changes since you took your trip?
Thank you
From my understanding (I am flying April 7) Japan has no requirements whatsoever for transit passengers.
I originally had a flight booked ord hnd syd and I couldn’t see any testing requirements for japan
Sorry I reposted a question you already answered- thank you.
Also, Matt, I really enjoyed this trip report. Fun adventure. You mentioned in the last write up that your test lasted two days. Isn’t it 24 hrs prior only for the USA entry? Or was the first trip on your itinerary the flight to Tokyo?
All 3 flight attendants looked to be in their 60s or above. As someone with family members working in their 80s, I have no problem with working at that age but we need to be practical and responsible here. Working as an accountant or architect is one thing. Working in a demanding role like that of flight attendant is best left to people in their 20s and 30s while they are gleeful, fast, and capable of performing in an emergency. United and the other big ones are old lady airlines. What happened with American aviation. At least Europe understands that people in a customer facing role in hotels and airlines should be young.
What a disgusting, narrow minded comment Jackson Waterson.
Sorry, but that’s just another reason to choose an Asian carrier over American when flying to Japan. I know I will have a more enjoyable long haul flight experience with young flight attendants. I couldn’t help but notice how old their flight attendants are, and in business class for that matter. In American: Seniority > customer service.
Great, looking at your smug face again instead of the cabin.
In fall 1979 I was the only passenger in F on an evening United flight LAX-SFO. The upgrade from coach was $7.00. The flight attendant was very friendly and helpful; she brought four gin-and-tonics in one hour. My then-(soon to be) wife picked me up in SFO. “You’re driving,” I said. We went out to Goat Hill Pizza.
In 1994, I caught a flight from Panama City, Panama to Miami.
Had the whole smoking section to myself. Only one steward, but we ended up talking and smoking the entire flight
Must be nice hopefully 1 day
Back in 2006 I booked an early morning flight with AZ from FCO to VCE. Got to the airport bright and early and discovered I was the only passenger on the plane. Actually couldn’t believe they were going to fly – seemed ridiculous. But they needed the plane up in Venice so they had to take off. An entire MD80 to myself…
Nice but sad it was empty due to absurd Japan covid policy.
I had this experience in a Qatar Airways flight from Doha to Berlin a couple years ago, with a last minute upgrade.
That flight is usually packed!
Flight attendant told me to order anything I wanted to keep her busy. She even made me a espresso martini (something QA does not offer). She did not know how to make one, so I gave her the basic idea. She nailed it
Nice. Just like an anime harem.
How is that a “premium ” meal service.
It really is an embarrassing dinner service. The trayliner looks like a J-cloth used in kitchens.
United airlines,the shitshow of the airways.