Hi and welcome to my latest FR which consists of a one day trip from SFO-PHX.
I had made this same trip last August but at that time the miles were credited to my BA's account which qualified me for Bronze status. This time I will credit the miles to my AA's account in order to achieve EXP status.
I decided to skip the outbound portion and concentrate on my visit to the Admirals clubs at gate B and higher A. There are 3 AA clubs in PHX, but the one in the lower A by A7 and A9 is closed and being renovated until further notice. Upon my arrival I did some spotting.
On to the club at gate B - the larger of the two and accessed through an elevator. I was greeted by one of the three agents at the reception desk and welcomed inside the lounge. Right behind the reception desk there is a small business area with printer and computer terminals.
The buffet, bar and WC's were located in the back. There were some high chairs facing the tarmac along with couches and a few dining tables by the bar.
My selections.
WC's
It got busy at times but never too crowded. Afterwards I decided to explore the other lounge in the A gates.
This sister lounge was small and it was located at the gate level, so no elevators or stairs were needed to access it.
Upon entering and to the right side, there is the business center along with a few couches.
If you go to the left side of reception there is a storage area, WC's, a hallway with the buffet display, bar and more seating areas.
As with the other lounge, there are also some high chairs facing the tarmac for those who like to do plane spotting, although you will not find much variety on this side of the terminal.
Buffet with crisps (which were not available at the other lounge), containers of salsa, one type of soup, cookies, brownies, crudites, cheese cubes and crackers.
My selections.
Soon it was time to head to the gate and thankfully mine was very close to the lounge. I wanted to get a duplicate boarding pass and when I asked the gate agent she told me jokingly that only if I bought lunch for her and her co-worker. For all the negative perception that U.S. has received, I have always found their ground crews to be friendly and approachable. This was the same experience when I flew them back in the 90's through their hubs at CLT and PIT.
My bird at the gate.
I waited at the last minute to see if I could get upgraded but unfortunately this did not happen. Back in SFO I was told that I was #1 on the list when I waited for an upgrade but the same thing happened and the F cabin was checked full. It surprises me that on a Sat. it's so hard to upgrade on this route. I guess there are too many elite members in AA's program.
But I had a bulkhead emergency exit with plenty of room and that made it OK. The FA positioned by my row said that she saved some room on the overhead and invited me to place my carry on above. Nice and thoughtful.
Door was closed and we taxied to the runways.
Bye PHX.
A little snack with my drink (Diet Sierra Mist).
Approaching SFO.
If this is your first time flying into SFO, you become concerned that you would land on the water as you keep descending.
Until all of a sudden you see the runway. Phew! Maybe some would kiss the ground upon exiting the plane.
The French have arrived.
We are not in Kansas anymore.
See more
Verdict
US Airways
7.5/10
Cabin10.0
Cabin crew10.0
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Meal/catering5.0
US Airways US Airways Club (Concourse B)
7.9/10
Comfort7.5
Meal/catering7.5
Entertainment/wifi8.5
Services8.0
Phoenix - PHX
8.4/10
Efficiency9.0
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.5
San Francisco - SFO
10.0/10
Efficiency10.0
Access10.0
Services10.0
Cleanliness10.0
Conclusion
I rated the lounge by the B gates for this report. The AA Clubs were adequate given the size of the PHX hub. It would be interesting to see the remodeled lounge once it opens again.
A comfortable flight with a bulkhead emergency exit seat. I can't ask for more. FA's were professional and friendly.
0 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
Thank you Adan for this report and lounges hopping. Nice spotting at PHX. We are not in Kansas anymore. : You'll have to explain this to me, I don't get it !
PHX is great for spotting because it allows you to get close shots of the airplanes at the gates and when they are taxiing.
The phrase We are not in Kansas anymore is from the famous film The Wizard of Oz. It has become a popular expression meaning that one is not in a quiet, familiar or comfortable surroundings anymore. It often used when someone is in a strange environment or in a place or situation outside of your comfort zone or understanding.
SFO is one of those places that could surprise visitors at times. ;)
How were you able to access the lounges ? - My charm ;) Maybe I learned a few tricks from the master of airline espionage himself. :P
Nice to have two soups anytime in the AA lounges now, even if it doesn't especially appetizing - Never judge a book by its cover. Have you tried them? They are not bad at all. ;) I can picture you having seconds or thirds.
Oh unforgivable ;) - Yes, a cardinal sin. But let's look at it this way - without transgressions there would not be redemption, right?
You don't like the cherry tomatoes even so they look great - I guess I don't share your enthusiasm for popping up those cherry tomatoes. :P
See you soon for another episode of your AA EXP quest - Stay tuned. The last trip will be this Friday when I go back to Rio again. This time I will take a one day side trip on AD out of SDU to GRU, so hopefully the aerials will be spectacular. I'm crossing my fingers.
Another PHX turn huh? not the most exciting of mileage runs, but I guess it gets the job done and is a quick easy trip. Did you buy your tickets from AA.com as a codeshare? If so, that's probably why you couldn't upgrade. US Operated flights have to be bought on USAirways.com and be on US ticket stock (037) for the automatic upgrades to work. Otherwise you can only upgrade during check-in or be waitlisted at the airport. The problem with upgrade at check-in is that anyone with Elite status can upgrade themselves. So if a Gold checks in a second earlier than an ExPlat, he/she can grab that upgrade by just changing their seat to F. I wasn't a fan of the US system as it becomes a free for all if you don't clear at the window. In two weeks this won't ever be an issue anymore since all flights will technically be AA Marketed/Ticketed and operated with the reservation systems integration.
Well, this issue will be a thing of the past as you said. I am now in GIG on a more exciting mileage run and let me tell you that I received much better service flying in Y out of JFK than on my previous flight in J out of MIA. Perhaps it is a crew issue out of MIA.
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52 reviews
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12 Comments
Nice spotting at PHX.
We are not in Kansas anymore. : You'll have to explain this to me, I don't get it !
PHX is great for spotting because it allows you to get close shots of the airplanes at the gates and when they are taxiing.
The phrase We are not in Kansas anymore is from the famous film The Wizard of Oz. It has become a popular expression meaning that one is not in a quiet, familiar or comfortable surroundings anymore. It often used when someone is in a strange environment or in a place or situation outside of your comfort zone or understanding.
SFO is one of those places that could surprise visitors at times. ;)
Thanks your stopping by.
How were you able to access the lounges ?
You were only flying domestic legs, weren't you ?
Nice to have two soups anytime in the AA lounges now, even if it doesn't especially appetizing
Buffet with crisps (which were not available at the other lounge)
Oh unforgivable ;)
You don't like the cherry tomatoes even so they look great
A great crew is always enlightening a flight
See you soon for another episode of your AA EXP quest
How were you able to access the lounges ?
- My charm ;) Maybe I learned a few tricks from the master of airline espionage himself. :P
Nice to have two soups anytime in the AA lounges now, even if it doesn't especially appetizing
- Never judge a book by its cover. Have you tried them? They are not bad at all. ;) I can picture you having seconds or thirds.
Oh unforgivable ;)
- Yes, a cardinal sin. But let's look at it this way - without transgressions there would not be redemption, right?
You don't like the cherry tomatoes even so they look great
- I guess I don't share your enthusiasm for popping up those cherry tomatoes. :P
See you soon for another episode of your AA EXP quest
- Stay tuned. The last trip will be this Friday when I go back to Rio again. This time I will take a one day side trip on AD out of SDU to GRU, so hopefully the aerials will be spectacular. I'm crossing my fingers.
Thank you for your support and comments Gilbert.
Nice spotting at PHX, a US Airways airport ^^
The landing is quite impressive the first time to SFO, I agree :)
Thanks for sharing!
Well, this issue will be a thing of the past as you said. I am now in GIG on a more exciting mileage run and let me tell you that I received much better service flying in Y out of JFK than on my previous flight in J out of MIA. Perhaps it is a crew issue out of MIA.
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