flyerbaby19

Something I wonder...why do announcements like these even matter? Don't think make orders and change them like 10x before they actually take delivery? Isn't an announcement like this pretty much meaningless because they can and will likely continue to change it before planes actually show up? If we pull up old threads when they announced the original order, wouldn't we say all the calories in that discussion were wasted since it changed today? And then in a few years when this order changes, this thread will have been a complete waste of everyone's calories?

EmailKid

Nothing new. UA picked up used A319s from China Southern and B737s from Copa.

uastarflyer

aah, too bad. The updated front cabin of course beats the old Hawaii F, but the horrid tradeoff in the main cabin is harsh indeed.

drewguy

The two aren't inherently connected, but clearly UA has made the business decision to go 10 wide with the next cabin refresh of the 777, which it makes sense to do at the same time as the polaris refit.

spin88

And I have made the business decision not to fly in Y on the 77W or the retofited 772, and put up with a seat that is .6" narrower than the seats on a 737, along with having aisles that are 1" narrower so that if one is on the Aisle, one gets bumped by everyone as they go by. Just cost UA a shot at a $7000 sale (which went to CX). And if you read the comments on this and the HD plane, I am not the only one avoiding UA for this reason.

BBSHOPSINGER

I'd be interested to know what kind of coach ticket costs $7K. For that much money, why not fly up front?

Exleftseat

Maybe he has a large family? Just saying.

sbm12

Way to early to know which planes will fly where 5+ years from now with any certainty.

DELee

Since we're talking about United Air Lines (or, as I refer to it as United Continental), they'll still be flying the same 738s and 739s. Unfortunately.

And maybe even being a MOM (customer that is).

David

spin88

4 seats, family trip. If I were on my own/business I would have flown J or PE, but PE was $850/seat (and there was no PE on the inner asian flights), and everyone agreed that we could blow the $3400 in some better way.

My remaining loyalty to United has been around the fact that I could get 4 reasonably comfortable seats in E+ for family trips, and usually at a good fare (good for when we book anyway) and then being *G we got lounge access. However, United (and on this trip EVA) are so to speak "off the list" with 3-4-3 on a 777. No one would be comfortable. I have put up with indifferent service, crappy opps, and the dog food served by United, but no way I am going to be jammed into a seat that is either (a) the size of a 737 seat for 14 hours (the B789), or (b) .6" less than a 737 seat (the 777).

The A350 provides enough width - and I've sat on it - to make it an ok ride in Y. Not quite as nice seat wise as a 777 in 9 across or an A380/A330, but the quit and extra humidity make up for that.

From a personal standpoint, United going with this aircraft vs what else they are planning to offer is literally the difference between me considering flying United and not flying them at all.

p.s. for business travel where a client/court would look askance at a J seat, I have bought very expensive last minute Y tickets (e.g. $5000 SFO-ICN, SFO-CDG, SFO-LHR, SFO-NRT) I then got upgraded by UA, or bought into J. Part of the reason why airlines cater to business travelers is that buying tickets later, they often get charged more....

halls120

Same here. When UA goes to 10 wide on the 777 and still won't offer a true PE, I'll be flying elsewhere. I'll probably come back when the A350 is actually on the property, but when UA retires its last 767 that will be the end of my UA long haul flying in coach.

sbm12

Sure, because there aren't 100+ 737MAX also on order.

AA will still be flying a ton of 738s in 5-10 years, too. It is taking new deliveries this year.

ELAL

Just hope United directly installs CH9 on these new aircraft.

halls120

Why would they? it isn't on the 787s.....

Exleftseat

Same here. No need to wait for the Airbus, though. It's nothing special. Well, one blogger's "favorite" airplane because it has window shades and a camera on the stabilizer. To each his own. But leave it to UA to make this plane customer unfriendly. They got four years to find out how.