spin88

Well then United will be off my "buy" list. The 744 is tight, and I will only do it if its mega-cheaper, and I am going with the family, the 777 in this configuration will be unbelievably bad, even in E+ I will already not book the 787 in Y for this reason. Very short sighted. But I just made gold on DL, so can continue the assent to DM on them.

halls120

So. UA is going to cram in 10-15 extra seats instead of keeping E+ a desireable product? I can't wait to see how they spin this as a flyer friendly move.

nikolastojsin

Sorry if I am misunderstanding here - but are you saying that Business (C) cabin will be 3x4x3?

JOSECONLSCREW28

No BusinessFirst (J) will be 1x2x1.

cerealmarketer

Here are comments on KLM's 777-300, which has a 10 abreast Economy Comfort configuration (with only 34 inches of pitch there) and 425 (!) seats

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/klm-f...777-300-a.html

Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HODLxPes2IA

Seat map

http://www.seatguru.com/airlines/KLM..._777-300ER.php

And they're going slimline this year

http://thedesignair.net/2014/11/14/k...omy-interiors/

At least on the UA domestic 777 they were considering 9 abreast E+ up to a late stage:

http://aviationweek.com/commercial-a...-777-retrofits

luckypierre

Here's a spin
"Roomier than Air Canada's HD configuration."

Longboater

With this configuration, its pretty safe to say these will do EWR-India flying at the minimum. (I'd hate to be in the rear for EWR-BOM with this configuration). Well the good news is that we will finally see the new BF seat, which will very likely look like AC and QR's new J class seat. I really hope they chose a new fabric design, not something that looks like the early 1990, and a new livery. (Ok never mind, with this management not going to happen). With 3-4-3 in the rear for both Y and Y+, United has officially won the race to the bottom. Hell, even Doug Parker's reconfigured 772s have some regular Y seats nine abreast, costing roughly half of a MCE seat. With these changes, I wouldn't be surprised if J class sees an uptick in purchases. After Delta finished installing direct aisle flat beds on their widebody fleet, management stated J class purchases went up, in some markets significantly.

Kmxu

After UA management reviewed the following review on China Airlines' 3-4-3 configuration (a sample is given below from seatguru.com), they would declare that we help Americans to slim down inside B777 after a 15 hour trip. This is flyer friendly!!!

"These seats are 17 inches wide most other 777-300ER are at least 18 inches wide. Believe me that 1 inch makes a difference on a 14 + hour flight. If you're 5 foot 7 inches or less tall and 175 lbs or less in weigh the economy seats are ok. China Airlines' 3-4-3 confguration is money making scam., others use 3-3-3 configuration."

LaserSailor

However, many groups like them.

Shareholder

AA's 77Ws have a separate Y+ cabin, fully divided off from the regular Y cabin with its own washrooms (2) and 3-3-3 seating (IIRC 36 seats in total, comp to elites otherwise to full fare Y customers). This gives a very different atmosphere from UA's E+, not unlike BA's WT+ cabin (though no enhanced menu). So far no confirmation that UA's E+ will not be 10 across as with the rest of the Y cabin. Nor that C will be 1-2-1 as on AA's planes.

bocastephen

I know the AA product as my friend spends a lot of time there since almost never being able to use their VIPOWS

I will keep an open mind until the product is announced officially, but since FT is for speculating, and a pig is a pig even when it wear lipstick, my money is on UA going 1-2-1 in BusinessFirst and 3-4-3 in E- and E+ with the only differential for E+ being an extra few inches of legroom - and the new seat will be a stiff, hard slimback design no more than 17.1" wide (and maybe 16.9" wide) that ups the ante on physical discomfort for long distance flying.

If I am wrong, I will donate $50 to Doctors Without Borders - would anyone else like to join me in taking or opposing that bet? At least one group will win something regardless because in the end, none of us will.

I can imagine Hunter Keay being invited (or inviting himself) to the seat prototype meeting and screaming "not hard enough!! they won't feel their spines. Harder!!"

luckypierre

It just makes my blood boil to see padding being given away.

LaserSailor

Doctors without pre-boarders, Shirley

bocastephen

Actually it's being taken away, right out from under your you-know-what.

I thought my pelvis was going to crack last week SEA-IAH in a slimline 320. I might have well sat on a wooden park bench or church pew for 4 hours.

Shareholder

UA has to eventually go 1-2-1 since all its competitors save for BA -- which has yet to announce its new C/J configuration for wide bodies -- offer this now. AA's old 777s will be reconfigured this way by this time next year, most of the international 767s have been reconfigured, and its 787s have arrived with 1-2-1 in J. I've flown AA's new 77W J seat and it offers lots of work and storage space, something the exUA wide bodies sorely lack, and a very comfortable lay flat in all positions. The Y+ 3-3-3 cabin has a comfortable Y seat with good leg room, but what really works for me is that it is actually a separate cabin, curtained off from both Y and J, hosting two dedicated washrooms which are in addition to the four for the J cabin.