Hi Everyone,
It’s been a while since we first announced the improvements we’re making to our p.s. Premium Service between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles (LAX) and San Francisco (SFO), and today I have an update for you.
First, a recap of some of the key features of our refreshed p.s. product:
- 28 seats in United BusinessFirst with 180-degree flat-bed seats
- 48 seats in Economy Plus with even more legroom than before (36 inches)
- 66 seats in United Economy
- Complimentary in-seat audio video on-demand entertainment
- USB and standard 110v power outlets accessible from every seat
- Gogo Wi-Fi (and coming later this year: connection speeds up to 3x faster)
This first aircraft to be reconfigured is already in modification and will take to the skies by March. Over the subsequent 8-9 months we will complete the transition, but during this period, there will be a mix of B757 aircraft flying on these routes. Since the configurations are very different, we will be taking some steps to ease us through the transition and minimize the impact of aircraft changes. Here are some of the highlights:
- All p.s. flights will operate as 2-cabin regardless of actual configuration starting on Jun. 6. By the summer, we expect to have already reconfigured several B757 aircraft. However, in order to minimize the impact of unexpected substitutions, we will only sell p.s. flights as 2-cabin. We will update our systems this weekend to reflect this change.
- Wondering about who gets to sit in those first three rows in the previous United First cabin? We’re reserving these seats for customers who had previously booked in United First, as well as Premier members who are already confirmed in United Business. Specifically, Global Services, Premier 1K, Premier Platinum and Premier Gold members can select one of these seats at any time if available, and Premier Silver members will have access to them at check-in. Note that during the transition, these seats will be branded as United Business, rather than United First. Nearer to the end of the reconfiguration process, we’ll start marketing the premium cabin on all aircraft as United BusinessFirst.
- How to tell if you’re on a newly configured aircraft. The best way to know is to look at the seat map on united.com, which would show 28 seats in United Business. However, keep in mind this is always subject to change. Also worth noting, seat maps will generally reflect the older configuration until a few months before departure, when we start to have a better idea of what kind of aircraft will be scheduled for a specific flight.
- The Global First Lounge at JFK is scheduled to remain open after June 6, welcoming Global Services members seated in United Business on p.s. flights, as well as customers on connecting United Global First itineraries. We’ll share more information about the future of our lounges at JFK later this year.
- Upgrade policies are the same. You can still request an upgrade on p.s. using RPUs, GPUs and award miles. And, we continue to waive the co-pay for Premier members requesting MileagePlus Upgrade Awards.
We’ll publish more details on the transition in an article on the United Hub in the coming days. As always, thanks for your feedback, and please “pardon our dust” while we work to give you a refreshed p.s. experience.
Aaron Goldberg
Sr. Manager – Customer Experience Planning
United Airlines