Originally Posted by
EWR764
It's fascinating to me that AA can introduce a new Business Class product, improve the quality of the meal service, roll out new china and flatware, upgrade the hard product dramatically (on two airplanes) and market it effectively, all within a span of a few months.
United, on the other hand, is <thisclose> to completing a fleetwide flat bed mod (if a dated product) yet nary a peep from them about anything related to the business class product, aside from sporadic print ads. The entrees are tired, the serviceware is the same boring, generic pieces both carriers have used for the better part of the last 20 years, and not a single thing about the product feels fresh or unique. The only thing that makes the BF product still enjoyable these days are the excellent crews that really take pride in their occupation and deliver the service in a friendly, professional manner. Of course, great crews are an advantage that competitors have too... otherwise the product is thoroughly unremarkable in every single way.
Does United really have someone in charge of marketing? Or have they just put their hands up, saying, "Screw it, we don't care anymore"?
Totally agree. If I was running the marketing at UA, I would insist that they make a change in the F and C cabins at least once a month so there's something to keep the pax interested and talking about the product. Anything, different color blankets, new menu items, new brand of toilet paper.... anything.
Originally Posted by
eponymous_coward
I'm pretty sure Cathay is using the same basic hard product for CX F as UA is- it's just furnishing it in a lot classier fashion- woods and colors instead of plastic and grey.
But the layout is pretty much the same "pod"/reverse herringbone style, and it struck me how similar they were when I sat in 2A on a CX 747, the same seat I sat on in a UA 747...
Not the same, but I think UA actually has a pretty decent hard product in F. The only thing I don't like is the lack of privacy which could be ameliorated, by a) modifying the armrest on the aisle side of the seats by adding a privacy screen which can be raised and lowered, and b) shutting the curtains between the F and C cabins.