Just came back from a LGW run.

I was already aware that rows 6 & 7 on the A300s are being converted to coach seats, adding 2 new rows in place of Envoy 6 & 7.

The FAs also mention that new plans are to get rid of those row 1 sleeper seats and replace them with regular Envoy seats. Can't say when this will happen.

There was conflicting info between different FCs. One group says that the bulkhead behind row 1 will be taken down so that 2 rows of Envoy seats may be placed in the cabin, creating a net loss of one row or 6 Envoy seats. The other group says that the bulkhead will go, and row 1 replaced with Envoy seats. This would mean a net loss of 12 Envoy seats.

Also some issues with the IFES in those new coach rows as they can't get the monitors for the seats.

Have any other FTers caught wind of the latest on row 1?

Barry

This has been in the works since mid-2004. They have not had the $$ to spend on it.

The net loss in Envoy will be 6 seats with 24 to 32 added to coach.

One of the best things going for Chairman's Preferred is that, in escence (though not technically), you can get a double upgrade. That is with your DMUTA.. cert you can move from economy, to Envoy, to row 1 Envoy which is similar to a lie flat first class seat. In my book, this is a double upgrade. There is no other USA based program that officially offers such a similar double upgrade to its preferred customers. I don't think when this was going on that US marketed this as well as they might have. This move will then diminish DM and take away one I would call it moderate advantage that DM had above any other FF program.

. . . This has been in the works since mid-2004. The have not had the $$ to spend on it . . .

True, but the point is that the change is now on the more proximate horizon, certainly not immediately, but increasingly likely as the merger works its way to its conclusion.

Barry

Im sure if US could find a way to milk or chicken crates in their to pack more coach in they would! Maybe they could take all of the seats out and put overhead bus-style handholds in??? Im thinking a typical 330 could fit maybe 700 standees in it?

They are claiming poverty and time on adding real Envoy seats to the new 757s for transatlantic service this year--would it not be funny if they pulled envoy/sleeper seats out of the 330s before then?

I would not put it past the sandcastle.

They can allways claim they are taking the seats out to put them in the 757...

Im sure if US could find a way to milk or chicken crates in their to pack more coach in they would! Maybe they could take all of the seats out and put overhead bus-style handholds in??? Im thinking a typical 330 could fit maybe 700 standees in it?

Lovin it.
:p

We had heard that they scrapped the plans to remove the row 1 seats due to cost, and that they are going to charge a premium for those seats, or offer to US1's.
It had definitely been stated those seats will remain.

I do believe however those last two rows of Envoy are going coach.

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs? As a CP, I still expect to be screwed over by US Airways if I fly it, based on recent experiences, and expect to end up in a middle seat in coach. Are CP upgrade chances to even a regular Envoy seat for a mid-week flight in late spring, for example, pretty decent?

Thanks.

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs? As a CP, I still expect to be screwed over by US Airways if I fly it, based on recent experiences, and expect to end up in a middle seat in coach. Are CP upgrade chances to even a regular Envoy seat for a mid-week flight in late spring, for example, pretty decent?

Thanks.

I have NEVER not gotten had the first row when I've requested it. I'm on the 330 3-5 times a year. As a matter of fact, except for once, I've always gotten the exact seat I wanted. (And when I didn't get it, when I boarded, the guy in "my" seat asked if I'd switch with him--sweet! ^ )

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs? As a CP, I still expect to be screwed over by US Airways if I fly it, based on recent experiences, and expect to end up in a middle seat in coach. Are CP upgrade chances to even a regular Envoy seat for a mid-week flight in late spring, for example, pretty decent?

Thanks.
I've been in row 1 everytime I've wanted it, and when we to took the family to FCO a year or so ago, we had all six of them.

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs?Using miles, I got two of them to FRA in May. Unfortunately, we're waitlisted for 767 Envoy from VCE-PHL.

Flying out of PHL to Europe, my own travel experiences: (* = as CP )

2005:

LGW UG to Envoy ( wife & I )
MAD UG to Envoy ( wife, son, & I )
MAD UG to Envoy ( wife & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy (wife & I )

2006

LGW* UG to Envoy ( row 1 )
LGW* UG to Envoy (row 1 wife, son & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy
LGW* UG to Envoy (wife, son & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy (row 1 )
LGW* UG to Envoy ( row 1 )


As you can see, US is treating me like dirt. :rolleyes:

Barry

Any idea on your fare class, did you use miles, etc?

I'm a CP and have some TA travel planned... in mostly W class, so no miles and no certs, but I have a great smile!

Flying out of PHL to Europe, my own travel experiences: (* = as CP )

2005:

LGW UG to Envoy ( wife & I )
MAD UG to Envoy ( wife, son, & I )
MAD UG to Envoy ( wife & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy (wife & I )

2006

LGW* UG to Envoy ( row 1 )
LGW* UG to Envoy (row 1 wife, son & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy
LGW* UG to Envoy (wife, son & I )
LGW* UG to Envoy (row 1 )
LGW* UG to Envoy ( row 1 )


As you can see, US is treating me like dirt. :rolleyes:

Barry

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs?

I make at least monthly trips to Europe on US, primarily LGW, but also FRA enroute to CPH. I am upgraded on B fares without fail, and get a seat in Row 1 on about 75% of the flights.

I make at least monthly trips to Europe on US, primarily LGW, but also FRA enroute to CPH. I am upgraded on B fares without fail, and get a seat in Row 1 on about 75% of the flights.

I'm flying to LGW on a B fare early next month and I'm currently waitlisted - do you normally get your upgrade when you book or at upgrade window?

(Apologies for the mini-hijack)

I make at least monthly trips to Europe on US, primarily LGW, but also FRA enroute to CPH. I am upgraded on B fares without fail, and get a seat in Row 1 on about 75% of the flights.

What is your routing to CPH, I have friends there... I presume you are near PHL... PHL-FRA-CPH? Is that a LH codeshare at the end? I can never get US website to be happy about a BOS-FRA-CPH routing.

I can understand your luck with B fares.. Im uh.. cheap and usually am in the W, V and S buckets... since I'm paying for me and my significant other.

It was confirmed on usaviation.com not too long ago that the row 1 seats will stay. It makes no $$$ sense to remove them only to replace them with standard Envoy seats - especially if they can charge a slight premium for people who want them.

The row 6-7 downgrade to coach is absolutely true. And, if those seats could be put in the ETOPS 757's next winter, then it makes great business sense. Otherwise, the 757's will get their own.

I'm flying to LGW on a B fare early next month and I'm currently waitlisted - do you normally get your upgrade when you book or at upgrade window?

(Apologies for the mini-hijack)

As soon as I'm ticketed I call to have the miles pulled for the USE1 upgrade. Only if the flight is 2 to 3 in the future have I actually gotten confirmed upgrades at that time. The confirmed upgrade occasionally happens at the 7 day window (I call to politely check) and if not at 7 days, then in the last 3 or 4 years, always at the 3 day window. Sometimes you have to ask the International agent to call inventory control, and sometimes the agent will voluntarily call. But inventory opens the upgrade bucket and voila!

Amazingly, it was only a year ago that apparently the agents were instructed not to call inventory control, though many did anyway.

What is your routing to CPH, I have friends there... I presume you are near PHL... PHL-FRA-CPH? Is that a LH codeshare at the end? I can never get US website to be happy about a BOS-FRA-CPH routing.

I can understand your luck with B fares.. Im uh.. cheap and usually am in the W, V and S buckets... since I'm paying for me and my significant other.

I typically fly PHL-FRA-CPH, using US on the PHL-FRA leg and SAS (codeshared with LH) on the FRA-CPH leg.

The advantage of the B (or Y) fare is that the upgrade on US only costs me 10,000 miles, rather than 30,000 on the other 3 fares that you can upgrade with miles.

As soon as I'm ticketed I call to have the miles pulled for the USE1 upgrade.

Ta

It was confirmed on usaviation.com not too long ago that the row 1 seats will stay. It makes no $$$ sense to remove them only to replace them with standard Envoy seats - especially if they can charge a slight premium for people who want them.

The row 6-7 downgrade to coach is absolutely true. And, if those seats could be put in the ETOPS 757's next winter, then it makes great business sense. Otherwise, the 757's will get their own.

Im beginning to hear the opposite. Now I hear that Row 1 will go and that two rows of envoy will take their place. The rear envoy cabin will become coach. Net effect should be the loss of 6 premium seats.

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs?

Last December going PHL-LGW, with paid Envoy tickets, my CP coworker called the CP desk to try and get us in row 1. No joy on the eastbound red eye, not that it matters as I'm unable to sleep on a/c, even in the 321 row 1. But he got us row 1 coming back.

Comes time to check in at LGW, and they print out 3G and 4G boarding passes, ...?! So sorry, the a/c today is a Boeing!

NYCommuter,

I have been to Europe many, many times over and only 1 time that I did not get row one. I have always cleared at the 7 day window.

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs? As a CP, I still expect to be screwed over by US Airways if I fly it, based on recent experiences, and expect to end up in a middle seat in coach. Are CP upgrade chances to even a regular Envoy seat for a mid-week flight in late spring, for example, pretty decent?

Thanks.

I have never been able to sleep on flights. I find that since I am sitting up, usually watching a movie or reading that I'm more comfortable in the business class seats than in a flat seat.


Jay

(Apologies for the mini-hijack)

:eek: :eek: :eek:
Hope you were not in an airport or airplane as you typed this... :p :p

Im beginning to hear the opposite. Now I hear that Row 1 will go and that two rows of envoy will take their place. The rear envoy cabin will become coach. Net effect should be the loss of 6 premium seats.

If this is true, the net loss will be more than 6 premium seats...it would either mean a reconfig of the galleys/lavs or reducing pitch to fit them all.

Air Canada (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Air_Canada/images/Air_Canada_Airbus_A330_A.gif) does it with 5 rows between 1L and 2L, but they also have a lav in front and behind the cabin.

USAirways (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/US_Airways/images/US_Airways_Airbus_A330.gif) , however, has a forward lav adjacent the cockpit, and then 2 behind row 5.

Northwest (http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/Northwest_Airlines/images/Northwest_Airlines_Airbus_A330.gif) does it with almost 6 rows, except the right side of seats where they have just 5 rows to accomodate the rear lav.

All thee of the above mentioned airlines still do this with 60", so it's going to be a question of whether US wants to reconfig all those other components, and even then I can't see how they'll get 6 full rows and have adequate restroom/closet/galley space.

Any idea on your fare class, did you use miles, etc?

I'm a CP and have some TA travel planned... in mostly W class, so no miles and no certs, but I have a great smile!

Better score some DS0089's or have a really great smile.

. . . Any idea on your fare class, did you use miles, etc?

The 2005 flights were mostly Q fares, perhaps an H on one leg or so. We UG with 30K and one of us puts our son on our record locator.

In 2006 I've flown mostly B fares to LGW. The B UGs require 10K miles. My wife and I use our CP certs on one flight with a Q fare. Our son flew on one B fare and one mixed fare H/B. This year has been nice flying for us since our son has built up a stockpile of miles so that we can fund his UGs from his own DM account.

We're also confirmed row 1 for a family MAD trip in July. Still sitting on one last cert.

Also looking to do IRE in September, but I think we'll try to snag a W fare since it's a shorter flight on a 57. It's not difficult sitting in coach so long as you can get an aisle seat and overhead space. ;)

Barry

. . .If this is true, the net loss will be more than 6 premium seats...it would either mean a reconfig of the galleys/lavs or reducing pitch to fit them all . . .

As I say in my OP, both FCs affirm what has long been on the drawing board -- the removal or rows 6 and 7 and the installation of 2 rows of coach seats ( creating a net loss of 12 Envoy seats ).

One FC says that row 1 will be replaced with Envoy seats ( which along with the row 6/7 deletion still leaves a net loss of 12 Envoy seats ). Another FC says that the bulkhead behind row 1 will be taken down, making one cabin, and that 2 rows of Envoy will replace row one ( creating a net loss of 6 Envoy seats ).

Looking at the cabin as it is presently configured, it looks to me like a tight fit to slip 2 rows of Envoy seats into the row 1/bulkhead space. Although the two closets could be pushed back to align with the front middle bulkhead which might leave enough room for 2 rows of Envoy.

I was hoping that other folks flying the A300s might garner additional insight from the FCs about what is really in the works. Of course the other question remains how much time remains before these changes move forward. I suspect that we'll get through the summer at least if not into next year.

Barry

Just how often is Row 1 actually given to CPs?

As a CP that makes upwards of one TA roundtrip per month on US, I have only missed row 1 on the A330 exactly one time in three years and that was on a CDG-PHL flight last summer.