lizzyq

United flight was fine, I was on the 10.30pm flight, so grabbed a quite nice burger in the airport before boarding so I could maximise my sleeping time and not bother with the airline food. The one thing they didn't provide in economy or premium economy and always used to was a pillow and blanket - they were only set out on the bigger seats further forward I always travel with a neck pillow and a lightweight wrap in my hand luggage so I was OK, but I thought I would forewarn you.

Lion in Winter

Strange. Even budget Aer Lingus issued those.

robin1234

Thanks for that. On Air Canada, there was pillow + blanket even in regular economy.

As for timing, the thing I disliked about the AC flight from Ottawa was that it usually left around 22:30, meaning they are serving a full dinner at like midnight, which is, honestly, ridiculous. My United flight from IAD is at 18:30, which, to me, is much more civilized, since it means that at least the first half of the flight is a time I’d be up anyway. I’m flying premium economy. And I’d rather arrive at LHR at 06:30 than at 10:00 or whatever.

(I never ate the midnight dinner, but I found the rich cooking smells that accompanied the food service to be quite nauseating at that time of night.)

Whichever way you play it, though, I hate overnight flights. Once, from Ottawa, I paid thousands extra to go business class. Honestly, it was only marginally better than flying economy. You still weren’t going to bed for the night, even though lying flat. ..

lizzyq

In the past United have always had pillows and blankets placed on the seats right to the back, I don't know if they provided them on request as I snuggled down straight after takeoff. Maybe it is a "covid thing". Premium economy was how I flew and there was plenty of legroom for me at 5'7" tall.

As for timings I prefer the later flight as I am more likely to sleep on it and prefer arriving mid-morning rather than the crack of duckfart
.

robin1234

That is my problem. I absolutely cannot sleep on a flight. I feel pretty bad by the morning, but as soon as I walk out of the plane, adrenaline kicks in and I’m raring to go. So I’d rather that happens at 06:30 than at 10:00. My destination - Costa Coffee and a large Americano. Then I really know I’m in England.

Mercury39

They were available in economy on the recent United flight I took (IAD to LHR) but you had to ask for one, according to the announcement they made on board.

lizzyq

I must have missed that one - there was a lag between sound through my headphones (plugged into the classical mix) and that over the PA so the announcements were all echo-y and unintelligible. I slept anyway.....