jonpeddie

Four things that make United Airlines different.

As a 2.7million mile, 25+ year flyer with United, and a consistent 100k+ flyer I have had occasion to use other airlines, Star Alliance partners as much as possible.

Within the past 12 months I have flown in business class on Air Canada, Air China, EVA, Lufthansa, SAS, and Turkish Airlines, and I have discovered some significant differences between those airlines and United.

1. They are all 10% to 20% less expensive for the same or similar routing. At $3,000 to $5,000 a trip each, for two people, that is a very notable difference.
2. The quality of the wine on the other airlines is better, and unlike United, they don’t run out 3/4th of the way through the flight.
3. They are quiet. On United the first hour or more of flight is yak yak yak, and in multiple languages. United, please shut up. The other airlines don’t drone on and on about mileage plus, the meals on board, the duty free shop, keep the aisles clear, staying in your own section, etc, etc. And then the lectures before landing.
4. Turn on the damn heat. United Airlines is freezing cold, and if you complain enough, they will eventually turn on the heat. I usually carry a thick sweater when I fly United, I don’t have to do that on other airlines.
FYI - EVA has the best noise canceling ear phones (Emirates is the best, but I seldom fly them). United are near the bottom.
Some other difference between United and Air China, EVA, and Turkish is the configuration of seats. On a 777 United there are 2-4-2 seats across in business. On the other airlines its 1-2-1, same airplane, more room. And, the other airlines offer a mattress to put over the lay flat seat if you are going to sleep. Eva and China Air offer pajamas too. Just a whole level of service better, and for less money.
United says they are correcting this with their new Polaris international program, beginning in December this year.

Kacee

IMO one of UA's saving graces is they don't overheat the cabin and the seats still have individual air nozzles so you can get cool air. I find the overheated cabins on other airlines very very uncomfortable.

If you're cold, you can always put more clothes on; but if you're hot, you reach a certain point, and you can't take anything more off

mahasamatman

I agree with Kacee. This is one area where United is clearly superior. If you find it cold, it's trivial to solve that (as you have done). If it's too hot, it's difficult to address without violating community standards.

(Nine years between posts - pretty impressive!)

SkiAdcock

Points #1-3 I'd probably agree w/. Point #4 I find the opposite. If it's time for folk to sleep on int''l flights I've always found UA too hot/stuffy/hard to sleep. They cool it down when they want folk to wake up.

FWIW - I've never really found many travelers that consider UA better compared to other StarAlliance carriers in J/F.

Cheers.

ORDnHKG

Sorry, that is one thing people on flyertalk complain the most about, hot in every airline other than those base in US. Every single FTers had expressed one of the few things they like UA is the individual air nozzles so that they wouldn't be hot especially for a 12+ hours flight.

I can rarely get a good sleep even in F for airlines like TG, NH, or BR, just because the temperature is too warm. I had seen some pax even take off all their clothes and sleep naked except the underwear in F or C, just because it is too hot.



It seems like you are exaggerating the facts, as out of the 4 airlines you mentioned, base on what you claimed as "same plane", only 1 airline's config is 1-2-1 and that is BR's 77W. CA's 77W are 2-2-2, have the exact same sCO's BF seats on 777, 764, and 752. TK's 77W are even worse at 2-3-2. I may not have flown as much as you do, but at least I have flown all the airlines you had listed to know that is not the truth.

2-4-2 basically only on sUA's 747 and sUA's 777, if you are on sCO's 777 it is 2-2-2. You had flown 25+ year with UA and consistent 100K+ flyer but you are not aware of that ?

curt

Cabin temperature seems to be a really local issue. Most FT'ers seems to be from the US and feel miserable in everything above 15C. I absolutely hate those freezing cold cabins on US carriers (or ice cold meeting rooms, offices etc.). I have been on flights where I had already put on a sweater and a jacket and the clown in the row behind me ( in shorts, t-shirt and Teva hiking sandals) demanded the cabin to be cooled down even more. What am I supposed to do - bring a fur coat and down gloves on board?

thejaredhuang

United has the worst headphones imaginable in BusinessFirst, they sit on top of your ears and they pinch hard; I have a hard time wearing them for more than 30 minutes.

Rescmajster

agreed! in many countries A/C is kept 15-16°C, no matter if in hotels or planes. this is something driving me crazy and risking to let me fall sick. between red-eye flights and jetleg is easy to be tired and a very cold temperature easily brings a night of fever...
one of the things i like of TK is that the cabin is reasonably warm and i can stay in a t-shirt or eventually a light sweater and be at ease.

hope my tomorrow's flight MXP-EWR on UA is going to be at a nice spring temperature and not in a winter mood

catocony

It's far easier for someone who's cold to get an acceptable level of heat - bring a jacket or get a blanket. For those of us who like it below the 80-degree mark, there's not a lot we can do to get cooler. If I stripped down to a wife-beater and boxers, I would probably hear from the FAs and the captain.

SkiAdcock

Ok, is it only me? I think it's funny that the OP has mentioned multiple ways that UA is different than StarAlliance carriers (points # 1,2,3,5) & everyone is focusing on how hot/cold it is (point #4).

I actually know the OP in real life & while I don't understand why he decided to make this his 2nd post in 7 years (and I disagree w/ him on the hot/cold ), the other points are valid.

Of course I also said when I replied up thread that I don't know too many people who have ever said that any domestic carrier (not just United) is better than int'l carriers.

Cheers.

EmailKid

With one million miles flown (most on United/Continental), I have NEVER been on a plane where temperature is anywhere close to 15-16°C

And most of my travel has been in Exit Row, which is even colder.

Rescmajster

just landed in EWR after my first trip on UA Biz class from MXP (free upgrade for me!!!).
the temperature was quite cold, but still reasonable compared to other airlines.
the rest was all very good, including the food and the service.

Rescmajster

heheh...lucky you...till now the coldest i flew was LOT i think. generally i try to fly with warmer airlines such as TK

i know that BA is freezing as my biz partner is flying BA biz class since many years and he has a special bag with the clothes for the flight, including a thick pile and a jacket...

of course the feeling is also more subjective and many people can stay in shortz at 10 degrees which i cannot...

personally i think the temperature issue is much worse in the hotels where many times simply cannot stay...but this is off topic, may be can discuss on marriott forum

catocony

I've flown on dozens of airlines and haven't seen anything close to 15-16 Celsius. With the ultra-low humidity on planes, it can seem colder than it is. A cold plane is probably in the 21c range, with the exit row a bit lower.

RandomBaritone

Count me among those who prefer UA's cooler temps, and applauds UA for their consistency in that regard. 20c is perfect. Every degree above makes it exponentially harder for me to sleep.