tuolumne

Some notes, both in Y and BF:

-Phones: Yes, it's true. Both iphone5/galaxynote2 lost all bars (at&t) upon entering aircraft. colleague's sprint galaxys3 seemed to retain a bar, however.

-Windows: First impressions of the windows are that they are noticeably larger, and grant a more open, airy feeling to the cabin. The dimming feature, however, is a bit slow to work, but slightly entertaining nonetheless. Did have sun blaring through, and window did generate and give off heat, however. I've seen ANA has rubber plugs that go over windows, and I can see why they may be desired by some. I'm guessing Boeing is aware of this problem and will correct it down the line (one hopes)

-Lighting: Very similar to the 737 Sky interior. A nice change from regular wide body lighting, but I didn't think of it much beyond boarding and deplaning, maybe it would be more apparent at night. With that said, nothing like the extravagant material Boeing/UA used in promoting the 787 (mockup interior).

-Humidity: Surprisingly I did notice this much heralded advancement. As noted previously, however, some window condensation issues were noted that seem to go beyond what is present in other equipment types.

-PSUs: Modern, clean look. Also has integrated air nozzles, unlike other pmCO widebodies

-Bins: one word: Large. Very nicely damped and well designed. Handle reminds me of the boot release on a VW vehicle.

-Quietness: Yes, it really is very quiet. ^

-Y cabin: Maybe I've had one too many trips in the 747-400 Y section, or I'm just thin, but the 17" narrowness honestly did not bother me. Yes, the 763/4 and 777 feel wider, but then again, so did the old barcaloungers in C v. the new lie-flats. Where this may be an issue is the bulkheads, where there are permanent dividers installed. Fuselage width becomes apparent in the narrow aisles, however. Did not sit in a Y window seat, though, so can't confirm the earlier report of shoulders in the fuselage being uncomfortable.

The cushioning of the seats, however, is too thinly sprung for my behind. Not as comfortable as the IPTE 747/767/777s, or 2-class 767-300/400s. Seat fabric has a generic, off the shelf look that borders on low-rent.

Entertainment: One is immediately reminded of the intended delivery date of these first batch of aircraft. While the AVOD interface is updated from other pmCO equipment, it is still not as nice as the pmUA one. And while the LCD size is perfectly acceptable, it's smaller and what looks to be a generation behind the new equipment in the 2-class 767s.

-C cabin: Standard fare pmCO lie flats. Length seems to be more in line with the 757 and 2-class 767s than the 777. Select seats have generous foot hole cubbies, but most have the small unit that only fits one foot. Apparently the 787 was penned as the launch vehicle for the pmCO lie flats back in 2008, and while they may have set the bar then, five years later they are just mid-pack products.

The width of the cabin again makes itself known, as the BF cabin comes off as a tighter version of the 777, which isn't exactly a good thing. The aisles are noticeably tight, and the overall atmosphere is that of being squeezed in. The 3-class 747 and 777 may be 2-4-2, but they manage to appear and feel more open and inviting, in my opinion. The 2-2-2 on the 3-class 767, with 16ft cabin width, still too manages to appear more open v. the 18ft wide 787.

In addition, I realize these were pmCO ordered, but I couldn't shake the feeling that "this would be so much better if I was seated in F".

Conclusion: The aircraft itself is actually a nice advancement. The interior, however, is a letdown. I understand that the seats require advanced lead times and that the first batch of aircraft had already likely had their entire interiors ordered long before Boeing imposed lengthy delays, so I give UA some understanding here. Still, it's clear that the interior is a trip back to 2008. I'd image that going forward the Y entertainment systems will be upgraded to be in line with the new 2-class 767s, and one would expect a new C product long before the 50th unit gets delivered.

In sum, wonderful airplane, average/below average C, average Y.