<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by trentis:
as the aircraft were originally going to UA, they would have been fitted with a Y+ cabin, right? </font>
Sorry, but I don't think so. Besides, UA's seats and specs are far different to what AN seems to be suggesting will be the norm for the airline. Besides, not all the 320 airframes that seem to be destined for AN are UA slotted a/c. The demo 320 that came down was in UA livery, but that doesn't really mean much - final outfitting (seats, IFE etc) is done on a customer by customer basis - if the a/c are going to AN "as new" they won't have UA interiors.
I think Y+ would be a mistake for AN. AN needs to go a AA style MRTC concept - sway the pax by telling them "we have 2" more than any other domestic airline - at every seat!" - that way, some jo blow who pays full fare Y at the last minute to fly to SYD will get decent pitch, even in a middle.
I believe that AN need to focus on what is individual to them that QF/DJ don't have and what is right for the customer. So: push e-check in, set up and push a decent FF scheme. set up and push a better pitch in Y - even if you have to lower your A320 capacity to ~136 or so, I believe this, if managed properly, will still lead to decent LF's and yield. Fly "smarter" - don't put on gourmet food in Y and J when everyone knows it's next to impossible to get a decent airline meal - concentrate on giving value that the customers want. Give laptop power at every seat (see QF and DJ match that!). Make your product appeal to those who will want to buy it, and make those who want to buy it higher yielding pax - business pax - they may well be happy to sit in Y if they get 2"+ more of legroom, laptop power, e-check in and a decent service level. These are the things they care about.
All IMHO of course.
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RichardMEL, UA 1K
A Star Alliance Member.