ZBigFam

So just flew my first United business first flight. Typically fly Emirates but there just isn't a route that makes sense going to Brazil for north America on Emirates.

Anyway...I was as to be expected disappointed in terms of the hard product, no privacy and entertainment options dim when compared to Emirates.

I will say though that the food was better than Emirates in terms of taste! Food wasn't presented with as much pomp as it is on Emirates but the beef fillet that I ate was as good as anything I have had in the air! It was a perfect mid rare and so tender!

I will say though that the stewardesses on Emirates are much better and seem much more eager to do their job. United it really seemed liked they hated their job and didn't want to be there.

CO_Nonrev_elite

As with any airline, it really depends on the aircraft on the day and the crew on the day. You fly LAX to ATL on an express jet or fly it on an internationally configured 777. If you happen to get the good aircraft on the day, then people assume that is the norm for the specific airline, then they fly an E175 the next time and think it's the worst.

I flew 6 Emirates longhaul (8hrs or longer) segments in Feb/March in business and in first class. 4 of the 6 flights didn't have 180 flat beds. Everyone assumes that every one of these mega carriers (EK, SQ etc) all have flat beds, but they do not. I have had multiple AF, LH, TK etc flights recently for longhaul and none of them of late have had 180 flat beds. Every United International plane has 180 flat beds.

I'd say that the customer service on all of the others is consistently better on the others though.

jmanirish

I agree with your statement, but LH doesn't have a single widebody that doesn't have 180 degree lie-flat seats so not sure what you were flying.

Madone59

You'll get a lot of that on US carriers - especially on premier international routes where the older FA's are getting their first scheduling pick. Since moving from UA to AA I can vouch, as can many others, that isn't a UA specific thing.

Thanks for sharing your $0.02 - I think UA BF/ GF gets more grief than it deserves some times so.

halls120

All LH widebodies in international operation have true lie flat seats.

channa

Except on UA, the E175 is one of UA's more comfortable planes.

Productivity

The comment about staff on non-US airlines is 100% accurate. On the more valued flight segments, I routinely have old staff that really don't look like they care anymore and a good segment of them are actively trying to suck the happiness out of life.

More than product or anything else, this is what makes me try to pick non US airlines for longhaul international whenever I can.

ZBigFam

I flew on an old 767....it was old and sure showed it's age. There wasn't much room, the staff was using empty economy plus seats as busing stations and piled up dirty dishes etc on the seats.

The lack of privacy was the most disturbing part, it really felt like economy plus with better food.

The sleeping situation was decent, it was actually about the same comfort as on EK business in their A380, it's just that the seats weren't leather, you didn't have your own mini bar, no snacks through out the meal etc.

Again the food was great, and reading the CEOs letter I can see that his message has spread throughout the airline.

Honestly United doesn't need to have the best hard product, they just need to focus on the core things, food, privacy, and customer service. Everything else is a plus or minus that I can factor out of the equation.

Plane-is-home

I agree that the taste of food on EK isn't close to TK, LX, LH,
But compared to UA GF it's 70% of the time on par.
Of course the shower, the eat when you want what you want, and the way better service far out way UA. The EK FC seat is ok for sleeping, but my favorite was the fixed bed that LH used to have on the 747-400.

5khours

No. Ever fly HKG<>SGN on UA?

Ditto. That and the leased 77Ws that TG used to fly.

DA201

That is because it is operated by one of the Guam based 737s.

UA FAs are hit or miss (like all US airlines). I would think you might like the UA hard product better than EK. Unless you are always on a A380, the hard product on UA BF is usually better (except for those 8 across 772s). EK 777's, A340's, and A330's all have 7 across business and have very narrow seats. Even the A380 business seats, which are much better, are still narrower than UA BF seats. What EK has which UA lacks is the presentation/soft product. UA has no shower, plastic cups (even in GF), no fancy gold seats, etc.

If you were on an 8 across 772, then you can ignore the whole hard product thing, because those BF seats are awful.

Baze

Hmmm, I think you need to qualify this statement. The CRJ200 I flew from San Francisco to Victoria Canada is an international plane/flight and it definitely didn't have 180 flat beds.

fly747first

UA also flies A319s/A320s to several Canadian markets and none of them have flat beds.

JOSECONLSCREW28

I'm pretty sure he was referring to the aircraft flying TATL/TPAC & deep S. America not those flights using 737 & 319/320 aircraft.

chinatraderjmr

EK has been recruiting heavily in the US for cabin crew. A few years ago I didn't know one American F/A with Emirates while today I have at least one on most of my long hauls. It's amazing how great they are. It all boils down to company culture. (that's not to say I have not had great crews on UA but it's not the same priority for American carriers as it is for some others.