United Airlines' First Boeing 787 Dreamliner Begins Assembly
Aug 18, 2011, 9:11 am
#61
Join Date: May 2009
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I wonder how many people who love to keep the window shade up will be furious to learn that all of the window tinting on the 787 can be controlled from the FA station, just like the cabin lighting. So when they want to have the cabin dark they will no longer need to ask, just a flip of the switch and they will be done.
Aug 18, 2011, 9:22 am
#63
Join Date: Mar 2010
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Sometimes I get a twang of motion sickness, which I cure by staring out the window for a while.
Get one of those eye covers if the light bothers you that much.
Aug 18, 2011, 9:42 am
#64
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- the tinting breaks on long intercontinental flights
- the window is stuck tinted for countries that require shades up during takeoff and landing - probably less of the problem if you can still see through
Thanks.
Aug 18, 2011, 9:49 am
#65
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: CA
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What I am curious about is whether they have a backup method if:
- the tinting breaks on long intercontinental flights
- the window is stuck tinted for countries that require shades up during takeoff and landing - probably less of the problem if you can still see through
Thanks.
- the tinting breaks on long intercontinental flights
- the window is stuck tinted for countries that require shades up during takeoff and landing - probably less of the problem if you can still see through
Thanks.
Aug 18, 2011, 9:51 am
#66
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Aug 18, 2011, 10:00 am
#67
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Aug 18, 2011, 10:02 am
#68
Join Date: May 2011
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You may not have heard of this, but its law in some countries and its growing in popularity around the world. The reason is similar to why the airlines dim the interior lights during takeoffs and landings at night.
In short, its for safety in the event of an accident. With the window shades up, passengers and crew can spot dangers outside the planes before they open an emergency exit. Dangers like fire, water and running airplane engines can be hazardous if someone opens an emergency exit right into them.
During bright daylight, it also allows your eyes to adjust to the brightness outside, which could be critical during an accident.
In short, its for safety in the event of an accident. With the window shades up, passengers and crew can spot dangers outside the planes before they open an emergency exit. Dangers like fire, water and running airplane engines can be hazardous if someone opens an emergency exit right into them.
During bright daylight, it also allows your eyes to adjust to the brightness outside, which could be critical during an accident.
Aug 18, 2011, 10:30 am
#69
Join Date: Feb 2002
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Could we possibly see a different configuration on the 25 UA birds? I presume the 787/a350s were going to be 3-Cabin on UA, or being so far out, perhaps that decision wasn't made.
Also, I find it interesting they released a PR statement calling the C cabin "BusinessFirst", instead of just "United Business". If they are in fact keeping BF, the only logic I could think of is that it may possibly "cushions the blow" per say of not having an F cabin to upgrade into, so "hey, you get a BusinessFirst hybrid (PMCO CO 2-cabin), which has more storage space than 3-cabin (PMUA) C". This would imply that they then intend to differentiate between the two different B/E Aerospace models they both use for C, both possibly being dissimilar enough to name and sell differently.
That would mean, of course, that the two would be different products, and 3-cabin C would be "that one with more seats thrown in and has less privacy and storage of 'BusinessFirst'". So then what, do you price the two differently? Are service levels identical between both? These points ultimately has me leaning on the side of both products simply being named and sold as "United Business" - Having the C cabin being named (and possibly sold) differently depending on whether it's 2-cabin or 3-cabin (PMUA or PMCO) C seems to create more noise and other issues than it's ultimately worth.
Also, I find it interesting they released a PR statement calling the C cabin "BusinessFirst", instead of just "United Business". If they are in fact keeping BF, the only logic I could think of is that it may possibly "cushions the blow" per say of not having an F cabin to upgrade into, so "hey, you get a BusinessFirst hybrid (PMCO CO 2-cabin), which has more storage space than 3-cabin (PMUA) C". This would imply that they then intend to differentiate between the two different B/E Aerospace models they both use for C, both possibly being dissimilar enough to name and sell differently.
That would mean, of course, that the two would be different products, and 3-cabin C would be "that one with more seats thrown in and has less privacy and storage of 'BusinessFirst'". So then what, do you price the two differently? Are service levels identical between both? These points ultimately has me leaning on the side of both products simply being named and sold as "United Business" - Having the C cabin being named (and possibly sold) differently depending on whether it's 2-cabin or 3-cabin (PMUA or PMCO) C seems to create more noise and other issues than it's ultimately worth.
The BizFirst distinction basically means a business class with no middle seats and upgraded meal svc. That may be the attempted name distinction.
They've never tried to extract a premium price for it, and frankly the only place it really matters is the 777. No legacy CO 747s and the 767s/787s too narrow for middle seats.
AA has done it this way for years...part of fleet 3 class, the 2 class gets upgraded biz meals and it's 767 with no middles. But no name difference.
At the end of the day UA was the only carrier in the world exclusively 3 class intl. Not even CX, NH, or SQ are. It was an anachronism.
But when the PS flights go 2 class I'll bet they trot out the BizFirst moniker and carry on COs anachronism.
Aug 18, 2011, 10:38 am
#70
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Posts: 12,485
What I am curious about is whether they have a backup method if:
- the tinting breaks on long intercontinental flights
- the window is stuck tinted for countries that require shades up during takeoff and landing - probably less of the problem if you can still see through
Thanks.
- the tinting breaks on long intercontinental flights
- the window is stuck tinted for countries that require shades up during takeoff and landing - probably less of the problem if you can still see through
Thanks.
Aug 18, 2011, 10:41 am
#71
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Aug 18, 2011, 11:23 am
#72
Join Date: Dec 2005
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If you are in the Everett area, you can:
http://www.futureofflight.org/fof_Boeing.html
I wonder what position it is in (1-4) right now. In the 4th position you can see it pretty well from the observation deck. There is a sign put on every aircraft with the customer and that aircraft number for that customer so you should be able to identify it. I am sure no seats in it yet and you can't see inside
Maybe I will go check it out this weekend.... hmm...
I hope it works like a car. The driver can control all the windows but by default individuals can also control. Another switch can disable local control and keep all us kids off the button
http://www.futureofflight.org/fof_Boeing.html
I wonder what position it is in (1-4) right now. In the 4th position you can see it pretty well from the observation deck. There is a sign put on every aircraft with the customer and that aircraft number for that customer so you should be able to identify it. I am sure no seats in it yet and you can't see inside
Maybe I will go check it out this weekend.... hmm...
I wonder how many people who love to keep the window shade up will be furious to learn that all of the window tinting on the 787 can be controlled from the FA station, just like the cabin lighting. So when they want to have the cabin dark they will no longer need to ask, just a flip of the switch and they will be done.
Aug 18, 2011, 11:28 am
#73
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Also, I find it interesting they released a PR statement calling the C cabin "BusinessFirst", instead of just "United Business". If they are in fact keeping BF, the only logic I could think of is that it may possibly "cushions the blow" per say of not having an F cabin to upgrade into, so "hey, you get a BusinessFirst hybrid (PMCO CO 2-cabin), which has more storage space than 3-cabin (PMUA) C". This would imply that they then intend to differentiate between the two different B/E Aerospace models they both use for C, both possibly being dissimilar enough to name and sell differently.
That would mean, of course, that the two would be different products, and 3-cabin C would be "that one with more seats thrown in and has less privacy and storage of 'BusinessFirst'". So then what, do you price the two differently? Are service levels identical between both? These points ultimately has me leaning on the side of both products simply being named and sold as "United Business" - Having the C cabin being named (and possibly sold) differently depending on whether it's 2-cabin or 3-cabin (PMUA or PMCO) C seems to create more noise and other issues than it's ultimately worth.
That would mean, of course, that the two would be different products, and 3-cabin C would be "that one with more seats thrown in and has less privacy and storage of 'BusinessFirst'". So then what, do you price the two differently? Are service levels identical between both? These points ultimately has me leaning on the side of both products simply being named and sold as "United Business" - Having the C cabin being named (and possibly sold) differently depending on whether it's 2-cabin or 3-cabin (PMUA or PMCO) C seems to create more noise and other issues than it's ultimately worth.
I don't think so, though maybe. The space between door 1 and door 2 on the 777 is about 60" more than on the 787. That means you lose a row. And there are only 26 seats in zone 1 on the 777 so that puts you at 20 (or possibly only 18 if they do full rows) to fit in that area.
Aug 18, 2011, 11:46 am
#74
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS, AA Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 444
Hilarious ... I just booked EWR-FRA-FCO to avoid the seat masquerading as a business seat on the CO nonstop EWR-FCO.
Aug 18, 2011, 11:48 am
#75
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: NYC
Programs: UA GS, AA Gold, Marriott Gold
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Aren't the first routes supposedly IAH-AKL and IAH-LOS ... anyone else surprised that a small F cabin (perhaps one row of 3 seats) couldn't be filled on such long routes?