Feb 2, 2017, 7:07 pm
How many are REALLY leaving UA?
May 24, 2015, 1:16 pm
#46
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: RDU
Programs: AS MVP 75k, *G LT, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 62
That's a new one. United Economy plus middle seat is now better than BusinessFirst on some flights 
Broken BF seat - still IMHO better than E+ seat
Dead screens - can occur independent of cabin
Noise from bulkhead - very predictable and if bothersome can get headphones or choose seat in front of cabin. Besides E+ is close to bulkhead too so faces same noise
Incompetent service - occurs in Y too, if not more frequently, unless one adjusts expectations in Y
Well next time anyone wants to downgrade mid-flight, come find me in 21C and I will happily take your BF seat in any condition.
Broken BF seat - still IMHO better than E+ seat
Dead screens - can occur independent of cabin
Noise from bulkhead - very predictable and if bothersome can get headphones or choose seat in front of cabin. Besides E+ is close to bulkhead too so faces same noise
Incompetent service - occurs in Y too, if not more frequently, unless one adjusts expectations in Y
Well next time anyone wants to downgrade mid-flight, come find me in 21C and I will happily take your BF seat in any condition.
I would not generalize it so broadly of course. Fact is that I arrived in better shape on TPAC/TATL flights with LH and CA Y than in UA C.
A reclining E seat did allow me to sleep for a few hours while the non-reclining C seat did not. Sleeping the first few hours on a TPAC flight is important to mitigate jetlag. And if there are empty seats next to mine in Y then it gets even better. Rows 9 and 10 in the 747 C are right in front of the E+ bulkhead which sounds just like sitting in the middle of it. Headphones can help mitigate the noise but not in a way that allows sleeping. Of course, someone booking his flight early enough can move more to the front of the cabin. On a TPAC that could mean booking more than a month ahead – not happening in my job.
I guess while feeling the impact of getting older I started looking at the experience more holistically. What really counts most for me is how easily can I recover from the flight and jetlag and in what mood do I arrive? That tends to have more impact on the quality of my life (and those around me).
I was on IAH-SIN recently in SQ Y and left the plane with a smile. Never happened in UA C and my wife noticed the difference.
May 24, 2015, 3:43 pm
#47
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
Also interested in this, as my experience with Y fares in old and new system is much more RPMs (sometimes as much as 3x) in new system.
May 24, 2015, 8:48 pm
#48
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: RDU
Programs: AS MVP 75k, *G LT, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 62
And TPAC C fliers are big winners, too. IAH-ORD-HKG-SIN-NRT-IAH are ~30k mls flown yielding 120k+ award miles for GS in C (would have been 60k under the old system).
Whether that's worth the hassle is another question that everyone has to answer for himself.
May 24, 2015, 9:08 pm
#49
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: LGA/JFK/EWR
Programs: UA 1K1.75MM, Hyatt Globalist, abandoned Marriott LTT (RIP SPG), Hertz PC
Posts: 21,169
75k cap
May 24, 2015, 9:15 pm
#50
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772
let me make a slight clarification: I fly B fare, which I was told is full fare, but I know some don't view it as full fare.
I would not generalize it so broadly of course. Fact is that I arrived in better shape on TPAC/TATL flights with LH and CA Y than in UA C.
A reclining E seat did allow me to sleep for a few hours while the non-reclining C seat did not. Sleeping the first few hours on a TPAC flight is important to mitigate jetlag. And if there are empty seats next to mine in Y then it gets even better. Rows 9 and 10 in the 747 C are right in front of the E+ bulkhead which sounds just like sitting in the middle of it. Headphones can help mitigate the noise but not in a way that allows sleeping. Of course, someone booking his flight early enough can move more to the front of the cabin. On a TPAC that could mean booking more than a month ahead – not happening in my job.
I guess while feeling the impact of getting older I started looking at the experience more holistically. What really counts most for me is how easily can I recover from the flight and jetlag and in what mood do I arrive? That tends to have more impact on the quality of my life (and those around me).
I was on IAH-SIN recently in SQ Y and left the plane with a smile. Never happened in UA C and my wife noticed the difference.
A reclining E seat did allow me to sleep for a few hours while the non-reclining C seat did not. Sleeping the first few hours on a TPAC flight is important to mitigate jetlag. And if there are empty seats next to mine in Y then it gets even better. Rows 9 and 10 in the 747 C are right in front of the E+ bulkhead which sounds just like sitting in the middle of it. Headphones can help mitigate the noise but not in a way that allows sleeping. Of course, someone booking his flight early enough can move more to the front of the cabin. On a TPAC that could mean booking more than a month ahead – not happening in my job.
I guess while feeling the impact of getting older I started looking at the experience more holistically. What really counts most for me is how easily can I recover from the flight and jetlag and in what mood do I arrive? That tends to have more impact on the quality of my life (and those around me).
I was on IAH-SIN recently in SQ Y and left the plane with a smile. Never happened in UA C and my wife noticed the difference.
I would be the other way round.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; May 24, 2015 at 9:40 pm Reason: merging consecutive posts by same member -- please use multi-quote
May 24, 2015, 9:46 pm
#51
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
May 24, 2015, 10:48 pm
#52
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: UA-GS, Hyatt-Defiantly Diamond, Marriott-Platinum, SPG-Platinum
Posts: 499
I am one of them.
Like many here in the forum I was focused on reaching the next milestone (2 MM) before moving on. I am on transpacific and transatlantic flights about 8-10x/year.
It would take me another ~2 years to get to 2MM but why would I want to do that? The two things I really cared for are the lifetime *G status I got with 1MM which gives me access to the NH, LH senator and Gold Kris lounges and a way to spend miles on LH, CA and TG.
During some of the last few UA transpacific flights I ended up downgrading myself from business to economy mid flight because the situation in business class was unbearable (broken seats, dead screens, noise from the E+ bulkhead row, incompetent service etc.) and I wished I had booked an E+ seat instead from the get-go so I would not end up in a middle seat.
...and the AUS airport Hilton offers unlimited free parking :-)
Like many here in the forum I was focused on reaching the next milestone (2 MM) before moving on. I am on transpacific and transatlantic flights about 8-10x/year.
It would take me another ~2 years to get to 2MM but why would I want to do that? The two things I really cared for are the lifetime *G status I got with 1MM which gives me access to the NH, LH senator and Gold Kris lounges and a way to spend miles on LH, CA and TG.
During some of the last few UA transpacific flights I ended up downgrading myself from business to economy mid flight because the situation in business class was unbearable (broken seats, dead screens, noise from the E+ bulkhead row, incompetent service etc.) and I wished I had booked an E+ seat instead from the get-go so I would not end up in a middle seat.
...and the AUS airport Hilton offers unlimited free parking :-)
May 25, 2015, 12:49 am
#53
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772
Some data points:
-2014 MQD about $7000
-2014 RDM for airline activity about 180,000
I rounded both numbers.
I also anticipate my MQD to drop given how the USD has firmed up.
Last edited by DHalltheway; May 25, 2015 at 1:02 am
May 25, 2015, 1:13 am
#54
Moderator: United Airlines
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Plat 1.995MM, Hyatt Discoverist, Marriott Plat/LT Gold, Hilton Silver, IHG Plat
Posts: 66,854
cpm = 7000*100/80,000 ==> 8.75 cpm , sub 9 cpm??
How , were (typical route) are you finding B fares for 9 cpm???
IME B fares are 30-40 cpm range.
What's your secret??
May 25, 2015, 1:32 am
#55
In Memoriam, FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Benicia CA
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold 75K, AA 3.8MM, UA 1.1MM, enjoying the retired life
Posts: 31,849
May 25, 2015, 1:47 am
#56
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772
My cpm for EQM isn't as low as your calculations, but it is definitely less than double (or 18cpm).
Most RT are 23-25K BISM for about low-mid $3K based on old exchange rate, based on today's FX it is probably sub $3K.
Last year I did have some help because some of my flights were re-routed due to IRROPS etc, so I earned a few 1000s here and there.
BTW, I am based in Asia.
yep.
I have limited earning outside flying so it is also a pain.
My ROI flying non-UA is alot better, especially after UA killed partner awards.
Last edited by DHalltheway; May 25, 2015 at 2:14 am
May 25, 2015, 4:16 am
#57
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: RDU
Programs: AS MVP 75k, *G LT, Bonvoy LT Plat, Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 62
Wow. There's just so much here to not believe. We GS are usually J-Fare paying flyers and you're looking for free parking at a hotel off airport? I've flown twice as much as you this year, last year, and the year before, and I've never had a had a broken J seat. Even if I had, they can be manually reclined. Why would a J-fare-paying customer need *G for lounge access? And blaming UA for bulkhead noise? Oh my...
Because he may not anymore pay J-fare on his personal trips once he is retired. And then he needs the LT *G for access, which was the motivation behind the 1MM.
It is good to know the J seats can be reclined manually. Nobody knew about that on board.
It was a personal trip and hence in Y - maybe that is the reason why I paid less attention to the seat width and more to the other aspects. The Y seat was ok, it seems to move a bit to the front when reclining.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; May 25, 2015 at 7:59 am Reason: Merge
May 25, 2015, 5:01 am
#58
Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: Planet Earth
Programs: | *G | STE | HGP ♦ | SPG Au | MR Au
Posts: 3,772
Probably a combination of things - food quality, service delivery, professionalism of staff, ability to sleep (the a/c seemed considerably quieter)
It was a personal trip and hence in Y - maybe that is the reason why I paid less attention to the seat width and more to the other aspects. The Y seat was ok, it seems to move a bit to the front when reclining.
It was a personal trip and hence in Y - maybe that is the reason why I paid less attention to the seat width and more to the other aspects. The Y seat was ok, it seems to move a bit to the front when reclining.
All I want is a flat seat for flights longer than 7 hours. I prefer the Continental seats over the United seats.
AVOD is a luxury I enjoy but I can survive without it.
I don't care if the food is UA Y.
I don't care if the engines / AC are really loud.
I don't care if the FAs are [jerks] and scream at me when I ring the call button.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; May 25, 2015 at 11:53 am Reason: Profanity is not allowed
May 25, 2015, 5:25 am
#59
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: NYC, LON
Programs: *
Posts: 2,771
During some of the last few UA transpacific flights I ended up downgrading myself from business to economy mid flight because the situation in business class was unbearable (broken seats, dead screens, noise from the E+ bulkhead row, incompetent service etc.) and I wished I had booked an E+ seat instead from the get-go so I would not end up in a middle seat.
May 25, 2015, 7:21 am
#60
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 1999
Location: ORD/MDW
Programs: BA/AA/AS/B6/WN/ UA/HH/MR and more like 'em but most felicitously & importantly MUCCI
Posts: 19,719
And if you can add that you don't care what time / day you reach your destination, congratulations - you are the new UA's target market.
Last edited by FlyinHawaiian; May 25, 2015 at 11:54 am