I always pay for the E+ seats when flying UA in the states. I don't want to take any chances with their E- Y product!!!

No bitterness, I just don't give them my business because they don't deliver on their obligations like every other *A member. (except maybe Brussels Airlines, but thats a different story)

Yes, meaning that the HKG airport train is more comfortable than UA E-!

I have an idea. For you *Gs that fly United in Y often (my condolences), wait at the gate until the final boarding call so as to board the aircraft last, look for an empty E+ seat and walk up to it and plop your butt in it like you own the place. The only worries are a lack of overhead baggage space and being caught by an observant FA. If you get caught you could just pull out your BP and say you made a mistake.

Could that work?

If I have the malfortunes of EVER flying UA again will try it and let you know if I get busted or not?...LOL:D

AGREED!...about to hop on the Airport Express in a couple of hours!^

The main risk of that is discovering that there are no E+ seats available and having to walk back into the zoo to take your E- seat to fight for overhead space with the people who brought their babies only for the carry-on allowance (I swear these people exist).

I just got off an AC77W in Y and I must say the extra 1" was amazing (first time in AC Y since I started flying UA). The flight was still torturous, but it was enough to make me seriously reconsider my TPAC flying on UA in the future. If there's no E+ left by the time I book, I'll just fly AC out of YVR.

Like I said earlier in the thread, this likely won't work because I've seen UA FAs auditing E+ after boarding and charging people who are in seats they haven't paid for.

There are numerous seat poaching threads in which the view is that what you suggest is theft of a service. My view is that if you want E+ you should either ask nicely and hope for the best, earn it through status on UA/CO or pay for it.

yup.... and BYOF (bring your old food)

Well I am gonna test this little theory once and see if I can weasel my way into E+ without having to grovel for a seat at the gate!:D
...stay tuned!;)

I've seen more enforcement of this by UA FA's, & in YYZ, I've seen the GA's board and do this. And I applaud this. I just don't see how taking an E+ seat, unless you are assigned to one, is any different than just plopping down in a J seat when you are in Y. No matter how much status you have.

E crappy + is not J class my friend!:td:

I literally just got home from a YYZ-SFO-ICN / ICN-SFO-YYZ trip on United, and had to pay for E+ on every segment. The SFO-ICN legs were on a tired old 747. On that aircraft, the United E+ was no different than AC's normal Y seating on a B767, A330 or B777 (and the regular economy seating looked waaaay tighter!! Is that even legal???).

I only flew the Friendly Skies because AC was asking almost double what UA charged (nearly $4,000 versus $1,800, taxes in). Even with paying for E+ it still came out to less than half.

I trust you also enjoyed your big screen enterntainment :P

The 747s E+ is 34", thats 1/2 inches more than AC "premium" seating.

The 747 E- is 31", exactly the same pitch as on AC in the back on 767/77W/A333

So going with your reasoning, is AC's economy even legal????

The 747 seats, are however, the smallest in the fleet - 17" is not wide enough for North American arses.

Just put 19,000 on an Aegean card and you get the benefits of 1K plus domestic lounge access. Best of all worlds.


-- this was a mobile reply to a post a while back about switching to UA. I hit reply to that post but I guess mobile doesn't quote and reply. Bahhh.

I know that I have made bookings on CO.com and it let me select E+ on UA flights (obviously) for free. It doesn't always work, but you might as well book on CO.com if at all possible to take advantage of this.

hmmm interesting!^:D

Not suggesting E+ = J. What I am suggesting, is like, J, E+ is a different product than regular Y, and taking a seat in E+ when you are not entitled to it, as was suggested in the post I was responding to you, is no different than taking one in J when you are not entitled to it.

The comparison of seat pitch is an interesting one. I remember reading somewhere that newer seats have thinner materials and thus actually provide more space than older generation ones do.

Seat pitch is measured from top of seat back to top of seat back, so a seat with thinner padding could potentially add an inch or so of space. This would explain why seats on airline X with the same pitch as that on airline Y actually seem roomier. I find that WS's 737-600/700 feel tighter than AC's 320, yet the seat pitch on the 737 is supposed to be greater than on the 320. My knees tell me differently, however.

E+ is NOT a different product IMO...but mearly smoke and mirrors especialy on B-747 with 17 in seats...and please sneaking into E+ is not like you are trying to seank into J on AC....that's like comapring an apple to a pear!!! I'll take my chances thank you very much and sneak in E+ next time for the hell of it...heck if I can survive the Fire Breathing Dragons in YYZ MLL Domestic a meager UA FA should be a breeze!...LOL:D^

^:D:D Keep us posted. I do not have the misfortune of flying UA so can't test it myself.

True.. less J seats.. and likely an FA having a seating plan..

Compared to E+ which is half of Y basically.. definitely can blend in without likely being questioned..

If I have the misfortunes of flying UA again anytime soon will do!:D^

I've seen gate agents checking boarding passes of those in E+ to ensure they are sitting in their assigned zone. Sneaking into E+ is no different than stealing a candy bar from Wal-Mart. Will that single theft bring down the company? No, but its still theft.
Why not loosen the chains from your wallet and pay up for what you want. It isn't all that expensive. My company puts me in E. I pay up my own dime for E+. At least I can sleep at night knowing I've not been cheating or stealing.....

+1, it is theft of a service!

Theft means stealing something of value!....pllleeeassseee...E+ is nothing near something of value worth stealing!!!!:td:

It is something that otherwise carries an extra charge. If, by your reasoning, it carries no value; then why are we debating whether or not someone should try and poach an E+ seat when being assigned E-. If there is no distinction between the two, it would be a moot issue.

Because UA shouldn't be denying us the seats that we give them in return to their members on AC!
I am taking justice in my own hands and will plunk my arse on an E+ in the very near future if I ever have the misfortunes of flying on one of those TIN CANS ever again!...end of rant.^:mad:

I don't really understand this point - I live in Vancouver, so I fly United for most of my US-bound flights. (AC wants me to go through their YYZ hub - Flip that.)

From a pure seating perspective, E+ is way better than anything in AC's Y class. On UA I can actually work on my laptop in E+. Can't do that anywhere on AC.

What exactly are we 'giving' Mileage Plus members on AC? There's no E+ on AC's domestic flights...

I don't wish you "good luck" in your enterprise. E+ is a cost plus product and basically you will be stealing it. UA FAs do keep an eye out for such moves, so I look forward to hearing how you do.

Duh we give you access to our preferred seats and exit rows and bulkheads!:td:
I say throw the lot of you right at the back of our bus by a toilet and sandwich two screaming babies while we are at it as well!^:D

...stay tuned as I am a branded thief now on FT!...so what sue me for an E+ seat!^

Tell that to the judge. UA provides additional space for a prorated additional charge. You either buy it by the flight, or in bulk by paying the annual upgrade fee. Or by earning elite status on the airline. It is not a STAR entitlement! Curious, you don't feel E+'s extra inches are really anything of value, but you want to sit in those seats and take advantages of them. How do you spell H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-T-E !

Didn't you mean to say RECIPROCATE?

Why dont you just not fly UA if you hate the airline so much? Out of principle, until they give you E+ that you feel you are entitled to because you fly 100k on their competitor every year....

Good luck sneaking into E+, when they question you, just start waving your Aeroplan card and scream I am SUPER Elite.... But dont forget to tell them its nothing of value anyway...

EZESE it would seem your gripe lies with Air Canada for allowing *A elites access to AC's premium seating as an added benefit. UA has chosen a different business model and they are free within the terms of Star Alliance to do so. You as the consumer have the choice to fly with them and be bound by their terms and conditions. Just as I have the choice to fly AC or any other airline and be bound by their terms. We are all still bound by the law.

Granted, certain destinations warrant the exclusive use of one carrier, though I have to say that AC has a more monopolistic position than UA does in many respects, and sometimes consumers like us don't have a choice.

You still haven't given me a convincing argument that it is justifiable to take a product you are otherwise not entitled to. Your only reasoning it seems is "AC lets UA elites take our premium seats for free." I think the last time I heard an argument along those lines was at the playground.

This thread was started to report on the issue at hand (UA E+ with AC*E). Please report your experiences and advice and leave politics for another thread. One may have different views on airline policies but this is really taking it too far. If discussing the fairness of AC vs UA premium seating restrict yourselves to OBJECTIVE arguments!

Your initial question does seem to have opened up a powder keg. I hope that you have been able to find some answers to the question you raised. I guess it can be summarized as follows:

E+ to *G not by default.
OLCI for free, maybe by chance/luck
Check-in, maybe, depending on Agent
Gate Agent, maybe, depending on Agent
On Board, probably buy up or march of shame back to assigned seat

The only way you can be guaranteed the seat would be to pay for it if they are available.

IME when checking in a non-status holder, if they didn't already have an E- seat assigned and OLCI doesn't offer a seat, it will offer you the buy-up. Don't bite, and take your chance. It will usually result in an assigned E+ seat.

If you value seat selection, then I would advise to pay as this will give you some flexibility. (I'd take an E- aisle over an E+ middle any day).

Only because I was a 1K years ago when UA was a REAL airline!:D:td: