Sat 32J outbound and 33A inbound (open row) IAH SYD IAH and they were the most uncomfortable seats I have ever been in for a long haul. My ahse was literally (instead of figuratively) sore after 7 hours. It got painful actually. I put 4 Y pillows down and that barely helped. I have flown a lot over these decades and I know Y is Y, but I'm normally able to get a good 4-6hr nap on them with my regimen of taking a benedryl with red whine, but these seats were so un-padded and uncomfortable.

I had to put 2 more pillows down for back-support but the metal frame still penetrated thru that. I love flying UA but I'm flying other airline if I cannot get PP(PY) seat, but unfortunately PP seats are also sub-comfortable and not well-designed for my 6ft5 body (e.g. my head goes well above the headrest and the leg rest rests around my calves instead of the feet which it was designed).

On the checkin for return SYD IAH there was an offer to buy PP for $500usd, for $33hr I really should have snapped that up.

Also the Y forward cabin is not as private as you think as the PP(PY) pax use the lavatories behind the fwd Y cabin.

I love me a good ultra-longhaul nonstop redemption at a deep discount but holy cow those slimline seats are painful after 8 hours.

Yes unless you're bulkhead