Originally Posted by yogi
I do think I am proposing is an experience more like SQ's executive economy. That set up may have been born out of the needs of a 18 hour flight...
It was born out of the reality that an Airbus A340-500 can't do EWR/LAX-SIN with a full passenger and cargo load, and since Airbus widebody planes maximize cargo space over passenger space, SQ could not put a full load of people in, so they had to make Economy "super" so people would pay the higher fares needed to make the flight pay for itself.
When SQ swaps those birds out for 777-200LRs that can do LAX/EWR-SIN with 300 passengers and full cargo, expect their usual 32-34" pitch and 17.5-18" wide Economy cabin like on their other 777 equipment, though they will probably put in a small Premium Economy cabin.
UA's reduction in seats has resulted in fares going up 50-100% (from $200 to $300-400 R/T) and you can hear the howls from all the serial upgrading FTers who now have to pay double to upgrade into a Business Class cabin light-years ahead of what they had on the 767-200s. But they're paying it, because the Business Class product is worth it.
Yes, UA's Economy Plus pitch on the 757ps is weaker then it is on their other 757s, as well as the Airbus twins, but it is better (in pitch and IFE) then what you got with the 767-200s that used to travel this route.
If UA's stated goal is to become more internationally focused, the need to do a good job at connecting those east coast bound Asian business travelers, and the west coast bound European Business travelers.
UA already has decent presence in this area, offering LHR/FRA/CDG-SFO/LAX. LHR and FRA are hubs for two of their Star Partners (bmi and LH) which allows connections all over Europe. UA also offers ORD/JFK-NRT, ORD-KIX and ORD-HKG. And NRT is UA's intra-Asian traffic hub as well as an intra-asian hub for SQ and NH. You don't need to fly into JFK or LAX/SFO to then get to the other side of the country unless you need to be in those cities ahead of time.
And if you do need to run between the west and east coasts, UA offers First Class for those people (where they can fly F and C on the international segments) as well as Economy Plus (for when they cannot).
I am not targeting the existing premium customer who now buys the F seat, I am targeting the E customer that would pay more to not be a sardine for 5-6 hours.
That is why UA created Economy Plus - so they have some room to work. Especially if on a 777/767/Airbus, with the wider seats, which are often available between UA's hubs. And between SFO/LAX-JFK, you get fed. And with all the businessfolk on this board kevetching that UA taking away food from every other Region 1 flight means they'll go hungry because they don't have the time to eat between the office and the plane (or vice versa), you'd think that alone would carry the day for UA.
