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United to "slim" the A320 fleet

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Old Aug 19, 2012, 10:42 am
  #1  
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United to "slim" the A320 fleet
Looks like United is following in the path of slimline seats. The A320s will be refit starting in 2013, including adding an extra row of seats to the aircraft according to a report from Apex. These are the Recaro BL3250s, a/k/a NEK on Lufthansa.

http://blog.apex.aero/cabin-interior...boost-revenue/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...ir-a320-fleet/

I've flown on these seats with LH a few times. If United doesn't opt for the "comfort" package with better padding then folks are going to be longing for the legacy CO seats before too long.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 10:47 am
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Looks like United is following in the path of slimline seats. The A320s will be refit starting in 2013, including adding an extra row of seats to the aircraft according to a report from Apex. These are the Recaro BL3250s, a/k/a NEK on Lufthansa.

http://blog.apex.aero/cabin-interior...boost-revenue/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...ir-a320-fleet/

I've flown on these seats with LH a few times. If United doesn't opt for the "comfort" package with better padding then folks are going to be longing for the legacy CO seats before too long.
One would hope they opt for the AC outlets and whatever IFE option UA goes for (wifi, DTV, or some hybrid seatback tv/personal handheld device). Or I'll have more reasons to avoid the A320s.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 10:53 am
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Too many long routes to choose these now. :/
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 10:59 am
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United to "slim" the A320 fleet
Now that explains the bigger bins when they were already reasonable

And the downgrade of United continues. The current A320 is about the most comfortable domestic narrow body, especially when comparing E+.

More empty seats for them to fly
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:08 am
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Originally Posted by uastarflyer
And the downgrade of United continues. The current A320 is about the most comfortable domestic narrow body, especially when comparing E+.
+1

Great seat pitch, width, and comfort. So of course it's got to change.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:10 am
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Ugh AS and now UA.

However, it is plausible that UA has a new goal for the A320s where those birds will focus more on the midcons and ~1-3 hour long flights, where the more efficient newer 738s/739s, along with the 757s, will do more transcontinental flying.

The NEK seats were perfectly fine on LH flights for me since it was mostly sub 2 hours, but those seats are not comfortable for longer flights.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:14 am
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Originally Posted by channa
+1

Great seat pitch, width, and comfort. So of course it's got to change.
I'm sure you've realized, if you've sat in LH's version of this seat, that the shortened pitch comes at the expense of seat thickness on LH's planes.

Anyway, this can only be an advantage for us that have access to E+. The exit row seats must remain where they are for evac purposes, so the added extra row has to be behind the exit rows (and not affect the seat pitch of E+).

That means, if they switch to slimline seats, E+ seats should get an extra 1" of legroom over current design.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:19 am
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This has been in works for some time in an attempt to improve the horrid economics of the A319 fleet in particular. I've heard a few different rumors, including an added row in Y behind the exit row or an added row of F.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:24 am
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Originally Posted by sbm12
Looks like United is following in the path of slimline seats. The A320s will be refit starting in 2013, including adding an extra row of seats to the aircraft according to a report from Apex. These are the Recaro BL3250s, a/k/a NEK on Lufthansa.

http://blog.apex.aero/cabin-interior...boost-revenue/
http://boardingarea.com/blogs/thewan...ir-a320-fleet/

I've flown on these seats with LH a few times. If United doesn't opt for the "comfort" package with better padding then folks are going to be longing for the legacy CO seats before too long.
The post 3/3 UA mess plus NEK is why I have shifted much of my travel to OW.

Those NEK seats are hard and unpleasant. I've flown many km's in them and they haven't gotten any better.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:27 am
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United to "slim" the A320 fleet
I have sat in those seats on LH and even for short flights they are very very very uncomfortable.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:37 am
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I have tested the comfort package, which AS is installing, and the seat is much better than what is found on LH.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:45 am
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Originally Posted by sxf24
This has been in works for some time in an attempt to improve the horrid economics of the A319 fleet in particular. I've heard a few different rumors, including an added row in Y behind the exit row or an added row of F.
Where is the proof in this? I have not heard about bad econmics on the airbus series. And slimline seats. Awful!
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 11:45 am
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Originally Posted by exbayern
The post 3/3 UA mess plus NEK is why I have shifted much of my travel to OW.
Thank goodness AA isn't installing them in their 777s, too. Oh, wait.

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Old Aug 19, 2012, 12:00 pm
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The PMUA Airbus fleet need all they help they can get to stay competitive in seat mile costs with the PMCO Boeing NG fleet.

Adding seats to the Airbii will help reduce their seat-mile costs to be inline with the Boeing NG fleet.
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Old Aug 19, 2012, 12:06 pm
  #15  
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NEK is brutal. Classic COdbaUA move here. Stay away from any routes over 1,000 miles.
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