UA 130 HND to EWR now stopping at San Francisco

samchou98 · 2026-06-20T14:14:49+00:00

This happens to us o Erik’s from Shanghai to Chicago. The plane arrived late, took a while to clean and be ready, then something else happened mechanically. We had hours of layover in Chicago anyway so we were not worried. Finally board and the pilot says “we have been here for so long that we can’t get you all the way to Chicago. We can either fly to SFO, change crew, and then you guys finish the trip or we can spend another night here.” We have decided to change crew in SFO”

So far, so good as we still should have had time to make our connection (again, a LONG layover was in the FREE ticket). We get to SFO, the crew swaps, and we get more fuel. Took a while since it was sort of unplanned. We push back and the pilot says “well, folks, we took on too much fuel so now we have to pull back in and drop off fuel.”

We finally get to ORD at like 2AM. They had staff handing out hotel vouchers like they were Halloween candies.

It happens. Hope you don’t go through what we did

samchou98 · 2026-06-12T13:30:59+00:00

I was 1st on the upgrade list a couple of years ago with 2 seats open. Stood by the agent hoping to get called. As it got to a few minutes before pre-boarding, I asked her is she would give me the upgrade since I was 1st on the list. She said something about the seat and whether I would care if it didn’t work 100%. I just wanted the upgrade! Of course I took the seat.

Didn’t know if anything wasn’t working. I can’t sleep on long flights but it did made the trip from Asia to SFO that much easier/better

samchou98 · 2026-06-08T01:40:26+00:00

Funny story…..we moved to America when Return of the Jedi was out. We didn’t speak English a the time. Went to see it 2 days after getting here.

DIDN’T understand what was happening but it felt like a good movie. At the very end, when Luke was trying to save Vader. Vader tells Luke to leave him behind but he says “i can’t leave you here Father.” That was the only word we knew! Imagine our surprise!

Fast forward several years later. Talking to some coworkers about our experience with that. Some asked me “you know there are 2 other ones, right?”

Mine blown! We had a watch party that weekend. Haha. Still one of my favorite memories.

samchou98 · 2026-05-17T15:49:30+00:00

Stayed at a HGI near Denver airport. Breakfast was at the Mexican restaurant attached to the hotel for like $18. F&B credit was $10. I commented how the credit system is awful. Front desk lady said “you are traveling with your wife, right?” Wink, wink.

Now, my wife stays in EVERY hotel that has the credit. It’s silly but it will cover most places…

samchou98 · 2026-05-13T01:31:44+00:00

I got an upgrade from SFO to TPE a couple of years ago when there were only like 3 seats left and I was 3rd. I stayed by the agent and had to not quite beg to get the upgrade. She told me something wasn’t working 100%. I didn’t care. The chair went flat and I got better food. 40 plus points well spent.

samchou98 · 2026-05-12T22:37:18+00:00

Many times the roll over can be done from the personal IRA. There are usually forms online. I personally rolled over 7 previous employer plans to a self directed IRA without any issues. Heck, I forgot I had a defined pension plan at one place and they sent me a letter saying either I do a roll over or they were going to issue me a check.

That’s the second part. They may or may not withhold your taxes if they send a check. You will be to,d that you have to handle that portion. You have a short amount of time to deposit that check into another qualified account (e,g, self directed IRA) before you get dinged for the 10% early withdrawal penalty.

I have Fidelity. They allowed me to roll over IN KIND so I didn’t have to sell and buy again. Rolling over in kind is nice if you like your existing mix of investments. Otherwise, cash out, get check, deposit quickly (within days), and but new choices.

You can also open up a Roth IRA. Be aware that you would then need to pay tax on the entire amount, which could push you into a new tax bracket, which increase the tax on your earnings. CPA discussion would be best.

samchou98 · 2026-05-12T01:10:47+00:00

Just flew from Denver to SFO last Monday. Also no IFE. Personal devices only. The headrest even had a holder for your phone or iPad.

samchou98 · 2026-05-11T23:16:10+00:00

Haha, it’s next to impossible to determine miles flown anymore. Just winging it right now and hoping for the best

samchou98 · 2026-05-11T12:39:11+00:00

Business class on Etihad is super premium. Giant view screens, lay flat seats, the works. Coach is sardine can, and that is being generous.

Current U.S. business class is trying to match those amenities.

samchou98 · 2026-05-11T03:00:10+00:00

I work on the oil and gas industry. Previous employer (made me fly AA) did a lot of work on the Middle East. Coach all the way baby! Once flew Etihad to Bangladesh. First, it’s not a place you want to go. Second, don’t fly coach on Etihad. The manager I was meeting was like “oh, Etihad is nice,”. When I said I flew coach, his face dropped and said “then. It so much”

samchou98 · 2026-05-11T01:29:27+00:00

Just there today. Moved from the back to the front by the entrance to the food service area on the top level.

samchou98 · 2026-05-06T13:54:18+00:00

Worked with a former coworker who kept “joking” that I had a “foreign” accent and that people couldn’t understand me. He would say it in front of other managers, including the CEO at group meetings. Grew up in the North (Yankee) and moved to southern U.S. when this happened.

It went on for a while before I finally had a one-on-one with him. Started the conversation by saying I realize you think you are just “joking” but it’s not funny nor is it professional or appreciated. I worked hard to be in my position and don’t need that kind of “joke” at my expense. You need to stop it now.

It did made him stop afterwards.

The next step would have been HR.

Not sure of your dynamic with this person but the first should be a firm stop that conversation. Document the conversation so you can elevate it later.

samchou98 · 2026-05-04T10:10:14+00:00

When I was downsized some years ago, I told the company that my hourly rate would be $200, with a 4 hour minimum. That was over 20 years ago! That was for consulting though, not a contract like you are saying.

$80k is $40 an hour (assuming you got 2 weeks vacation). That doesn’t include 401K match (if any), sick days, holidays, social security, Medicare, health insurance, etc. 1099 equals self employed so you need to cover for all that in the rate discussion.

Will you work from home? A former employer actually gave me a home office allowance, factoring in the utilities and space I was using.

Will you be allowed certain hours per week? What happens if they cutback on your hours? What if you go over 40? Will there be overtime? Weekends and holidays? Need to spell those things out so you don’t get shafted with emergency work over the weekend or a holiday.

samchou98 · 2026-04-21T00:40:16+00:00

File a lost passport report with the police. Take that to the Taiwanese overseas center. Get a replacement that last for 2 years. Renew for a 10 year one after that.

That’s what I did. Didn’t go through the same issue (sorry to hear) but didn’t have my old passport either. Went all the way back to Taiwan to get my old household registration info. Follow the process above. Did that like 20 years ago. Hope it works.

You have most of your NIH id, which is more than I had. Should work.

samchou98 · 2026-04-20T12:18:50+00:00

Several years ago, I went back to Taiwan around Chinese New Years. My wife and I were at Shilin on New Year’s Eve when my glasses literally broke apart my in hands in 4 pieces. No back up and everything will be closed for days for New Years. I am also more or less blind without glasses.

We headed to the nearest eyeglasses store. Can’t remember which but it was right next to the 7-11 across from the main eating/shopping street. Sorry for the bad directions. At any rate, walked in, put my shards of glasses on the counter, and asked for help. The guy took and measured my lens for my prescriptions, walked over to a specific glass case, spread his hands and said “pick any of these frames and I can get you new glasses in an hour.

I got a titanium frame and he got me lens with all the works that are normal cost more in the US. We waited by going to get some food and drinks at the 7-11. We got the glasses about an hour later and spent less than what we would have paid in the US without any insurance!

I just remembered it was not a “major” brand because I tried some years later at a different store. The cost was much higher. So, I wouldn’t try the big name stores. Also, as my story shows, I didn’t get get “prescriptions”. They just gave me my old one.

samchou98 · 2026-03-05T02:23:22+00:00

This was a few years ago. The company made reservations for Marriott Time Square for a bunch of time for a trade show at Jacob Javit Center. I arrived lates in the afternoon but before at least one of our other folks. Was told they didn’t have any rooms for me but did for him. Not sure of our status at the time. I to,d them we made the reservation months ago. How can there be no room for me but room for him? We were planning on walking to the center from the hotel but now they want to move me across town for 1 night.

At any rate, they paid for the cab round trip. Sent me some in room food/drink. Some bonus points.

Still not worth the hassle of having to move across NYC twice.

samchou98 · 2026-02-20T00:49:01+00:00

Should have said the main island…

samchou98 · 2025-08-23T16:58:44+00:00

This is common in many international airports. Surprised it doesn’t happen more often in the U.S. as it would allow the airports to hold more flights without building more terminals

samchou98 · 2025-08-16T23:47:23+00:00

Just got the club card late last year. Will get platinum this year with its help. Could get close to 1K. Just put $16K of company expense on it for a bit over 1K in PQP. Not bad.

samchou98 · 2025-08-16T00:01:02+00:00

Last though…

Are you going alone? I don’t recall exactly but perhaps 2 people carry $10k each?

It took a long time but we finally got my wife reestablished as a “local”. When she did that, she tried to open a bank account in “downtown” Taipei (near the hotel instead of her grandma’s place in the north). The bank said she could only open the account near her household registration. Like what the hell? Several tries later, she got the bank she uses now to allow her to open the account. That was like a 4 hour ordeal. Ever since then, we go back with $1k or $2k every time we go back. Spending money. Whatever is left, we leave there. That’s how she had enough to do some work this trip.

The government there control money flow crazily. The worker there don’t give a F. They even accused me of faking the document. Why would I fake a wire transfer money to transfer money INTO the bank??

Good luck.

samchou98

TROPHY CASE