Southeast Asia: October 2025: Days 1 and 2: Positioning in Hong Kong

Southeast Asia

Days 1 and 2: Positioning

The last flight of UA 801, LAX-HKG, as they add on BKK/SGN tags going forward. Menu.

Menu.

Captain Jim Denton always brings out his in-flight widgets and explains the flight plan to the front cabins.

As an #AVgeek I love it when the flight crew does this.

@laxtoluxury getting invited up to the cockpit.

Captain Petrovitch and Captain Denton with #AVgeeks.

United x Meridian headphones are finally rolling out.

They suck. They suck less than the previous ones. But they still suck.

What the heck is this salad and proscuitto?

Shrimp and lotus. Not bad but not inspired.

Quality control checking the ice cream.

Snack cart.

10 hours later they were just about out of mid-flight snacks.

Lemon cake was.... fine.

Hi Rajneeta!

Shrimp congee is always good.

15hr 3min flight time (actual), 7.284 miles (IFE), 8,144 miles (Flightaware), 7,260 miles (great circle).

One stop from HKG to Asia-World Pacific Expo station.

Walking outside.

Hong Kong SkyCity Marriott Hotel has a crowded lobby.

Industrial view.

Powder room was spacious.

Upgraded to a suite.

Bedroom.

Bathroom.

Thanks, housekeeping.

Welcome card and gift.

For months and months, looked like my upgrade was going to go through on United flight 820, LAX-HKG-BKK (re)-inaugural. Then in the last few weeks leading right up to the flight, things started to fill up... so chewed on it, knowing I likely would have a 20+ hour day for the inaugural flight double-header after arriving in Hong Kong, and decided last minute to change from the evening departure that was a direct (not a non-stop) flight from Los Angeles to Bangkok, to the morning departure with an overnight layover in Hong Kong.

Changing from UA 820 to UA 801 had some unexpected benefits; got to fly with Captain Brian Petrovitch, who, aside from being one of United's most senior and most experienced 787 captains, was also flying the HKG-SGN inaugural (and the 2nd return SGN-HKG), got to fly with Captain Jim Denton, who does a terrific job showing off all his in-flight maps and stuff and is almost as senior as Captain Petrovitch, and then, to my surprise, got to fly with @laxtoluxury and the film crew; aka United's social media team who would be covering the inaugural flight double-header. Final surprise of the flight was also being able to fly with Raj again, one of United's best international pursers based out of LAX.

The flight was full of entirely indifferent food, great service, and some good conversation, punctuated by long periods of sleep as everyone doing the inaugurals after arrival focused on stockpiling sleep.

The morning departure from Los Angeles to Hong Kong leads to a late afternoon arrival in Hong Kong, the Marriott is barely one stop away via the MTR (would be walkable if they ever finished the construction), and to my surprise, while the area available and open to pedestrians was not large, it was actually a pretty good place to go for a run, with relatively little traffic, very okay sidewalks, and decent lighting for an outdoor run. Caught up with some fellow inaugural flight chases in the hotel lounge after my run as well-- wouldn't call lounge food a proper dinner, but it was free at least.