Originally Posted by
Shareholder
AA's 77Ws have a separate Y+ cabin, fully divided off from the regular Y cabin with its own washrooms (2) and 3-3-3 seating (IIRC 36 seats in total, comp to elites otherwise to full fare Y customers). This gives a very different atmosphere from UA's E+, not unlike BA's WT+ cabin (though no enhanced menu). So far no confirmation that UA's E+ will not be 10 across as with the rest of the Y cabin. Nor that C will be 1-2-1 as on AA's planes.
I know the AA product as my friend spends a lot of time there since almost never being able to use their VIPOWS
I will keep an open mind until the product is announced officially, but since FT is for speculating, and a pig is a pig even when it wear lipstick, my money is on UA going 1-2-1 in BusinessFirst and 3-4-3 in E- and E+ with the only differential for E+ being an extra few inches of legroom - and the new seat will be a stiff, hard slimback design no more than 17.1" wide (and maybe 16.9" wide) that ups the ante on physical discomfort for long distance flying.
If I am wrong, I will donate $50 to Doctors Without Borders - would anyone else like to join me in taking or opposing that bet? At least one group will win something regardless because in the end, none of
us will.
I can imagine Hunter Keay being invited (or inviting himself) to the seat prototype meeting and screaming "not hard enough!! they won't feel their spines. Harder!!"