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United Airlines - Kuwait (KWI) to Washington, DC (IAD) - First Class Flight UA 981

Hard to believe it was a first class flight

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Flight Information: United Airlines – Kuwait (KWI) to Washington, DC (IAD) – First Class Flight UA 981: I booked the 11:40PM First Class flight on United Airlines from Kuwait to Washington, DC. It was the only direct flight operated by United Airlines from Kuwait to Washington. (Click here to read our Kuwait hotel and restaurant reviews and click here to read our Washington, DC hotel and restaurant reviews.)

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Check-In: The United First Class flight check-in was fast and convenient. They had a separate line for First Class passengers so aside from the uber thorough security; it was very easy to check in for my United first class flight from Kuwait to Washington, DC. Once checked in, I headed straight to the airport lounge.

The Lounge: Since I was flying United First Class, I had access to Pearl Lounge, an airport lounge I’ve used countless times. Click here to read our review of the Pearl Lounge at the Kuwait Airport.


First Impressions: When I finally boarded the Boeing 777 plane, the flight attendants greeted me and showed me to my seat. The United First Class cabin looked outdated and in dire need of an update. So far service was good, the plane itself not so much.

The Cabin: The United First Class cabin had three rows of a 1x2x1 configuration and outdated décor. The seats were the lay flat beds, but the cabin surely didn’t exude first class.

The Flight (Service/Food/Drink): Once settled in, I waited for a flight attendant to offer me a refreshment as is standard on a first class flight, but all I got was a no-name amenities bag with the standard necessities such as eye shades, socks, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc. This was not a good start for a 14 hour flight!

The seat had one small and one large comfortable pillows and a blanket. The bed was indeed comfy and laid flat. There was no video on demand, but they brought us a tray with several videos so we could pick our own video to watch. I had a flash back to years ago when this would have been something special. In today’s world with video on demand and dozens (if not hundreds) of channels to chose from on other airlines, a basket of tapes was just unacceptable.

Shortly after take-off, I request a glass of Sauvignon Blanc. My order was quickly filled, but instead of bringing the bottle out, presenting it and pouring it in front of me, like is done on most first class flights, she just brought it to me already poured in a glass; so much for presentation and first class service. On top of that, it was warm. Was this really a first class flight on a large American carrier?

Once all the drinks were served and everyone was settle in, the flight attendants came to take our dinner orders.

The menu was small compared to other first class flights I’ve flown, but at least there a few things that sounded appealing. The menu on my first class flight from Kuwait to Washington, DC was as follows:

Starter:
Creamy tomato basil soup

Salad:
Fresh seasonal greens with julienne carrots, tomato wedges and croutons (garlic and herb or classic vinaigrette dressing)

Main Course:
Pan-seared filet of beef with morel mushrooms sauce and potato Dauphine with green beans and sliced carrots
Chicken piccata with thyme sauce and green fettuccine and ratatouille
Muttabak-Style dory filet with season basmati rice and dakos

Champagne:
Cuvee Diamant Brut NV.

White wines:
Bourchard Beaune du Chateau Premier Cru Blanc 2007 Chardonnay
Groom Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc – Adelaide Hills

Red Wines:
Domaine Des Senechaux Chateauneuf-Du-Pape 2008
St. Supery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005 Napa Valley

Port:
Graham’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 2005

Spirits:
Absolute Vodka, Tanqueray Gin, Bacardi Rum and Glenlivet Single Malt Scotch plus five other scotches.

Liqueurs:
Disaronno Amaretto, Bailey’s Irish Cream, Kahlua and Courvoisier VSOP


For dinner, I ordered the tomato basil. Served in a small cup, it actually was better than I was anticipating. Next up was my salad; it was actually fairly fresh and almost tasty.

After two decent courses, I was ready for my main; a great main would have hit the spot! But, my fillet of beef was anything but great. Overcooked, greasy and a poor excuse for a filet of beef, it was a big letdown. I really expected more from a first class flight on United Airlines!

Just a few bites of my beef later, I set it aside and hoped the dessert of Chocolate Cake would at least end the dinner on a high note. The two words that come to mind when thinking of the chocolate cake now, are old and awful.

After a less than impressive dinner, I decided to sample the cheese plate. Cheddar, Danish Blue, and Kashkawan cheeses with red grapes and crackers were served; decent presentation and passable tasting cheese.

Once done with the cheese plate I ordered a cognac and espresso. The cognac, Courvoisier VSOP, was warm and the espresso nonexistent.

Two words to describe my first class dinner on United… Not Bombastic!

After dinner I watched a movie, yes, I dug through the basket of tapes and found one worth watching. Sleep came shortly thereafter and for the next eight hours I struggled for a refreshing sleep.

An hour or so before landing, breakfast (a mediocre cheese omelet with fresh fruit) was served.

Service throughout this First Class United Airlines from Kuwait to Washington, DC was inconsistent, unfriendly, disappointing and not even acceptable for economy class.

Arrival: We arrived on time at 6:40AM at Washington Dulles International Airport. And, finally one good thing about my flight (other than it being over) was that my bags were actually one of the first to arrive on the conveyor belt.

Overall Impression We made it safely from Kuwait to DC, other than that, there is not much good I can say about this United Airlines First Class flight. My rating for United Airlines first classflight UA981 is Not Bombastic!

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Additional Information:
Flight Time: Approximately 14 hours

Airline Partners:: Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, BMI, Egyptair, Lot Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, SAS, South African Airways, Spainair, Swiss Air, TAP Portugal, Thai Air, Turkish Airlines, US Airways, Air China, Shanghai Airlines. Other Airline Partners: Delta, Mexicana, SilkAir, Virgin

Airport Codes:
Kuwait - KWI
Washington, DC – Dulles – IAD

Be sure to read our Kuwait hotel and restaurant reviews and our Washington, DC hotel and restaurant reviews.

5 Star and Luxury Hotel, Resort,
Restaurant, Airline and Travel Reviews,
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