There was a demonstration of the seat width crank on an old episode of the BBC series "Airport", where the PM of Iceland is scheduled to fly on IcelandAir. If I can figure out the ep number, I'll link to video.

Since all of UA's RJ flights are so short in distance and duration, I am happy with just a beverage service. :)

I followed this closely over the years with EVA which started offering premium economy (called Economy Deluxe (ED) then renamed to Evergreen Deluxe then renamed to Elite) since 1992.

They were initially very ambitious. The original plan was the 2/3 of the lower deck of the 744 had ED (F/C upstairs). They quickly realized it was not getting enough people and changed it to 1/3 of the 744 cabin.

Over the years, they tinkered with it - like having dedicated check-in counter and bag tag. ED classes also awarded more miles and required more miles to redeem.

When they went to the current generation on the 77W, they renamed it to Eltie and drastically shrank the cabin. The fare differential also went up over the years - initially, it was about US$200 more for LAX-TPE R/T but I heard now it is in the $400+ range. So, a lot of people are getting priced out/don't think it is worth the difference anymore. It also shows there is the demand for them to keep increasing the fare differential.

The interesting is when they join *A in 2.5 weeks, the "Y" booking code books into regular economy. The cabin also does not appear accessible for *A award redemption.

So, I thiink it would take years to grow a product like this and it also creates some interesting logistic issues. If done right, it is something that distinguishes an airline and attracts passengers. I just don't think UA can or want to undertake a true premium economy class at this time. So, E+ is really what we will have - maybe just a little more perks but nothing more...

"SAS Plus"
 

Here's SAS's new concept, announced (at least) in an email, this morning...

http://www.flysas.com/en/us/sas-glob..._CODE&vst=true

Similar to AA's Choice fares...

But, AA does not include the E+ seat.

http://www.aa.com/i18n/utility/bundles.jsp

Looking for a way to make travel more comfortable, convenient and worry-free? Choice Plus means you can call off the search. If your plans change on a moment's notice, it's not a problem. You can standby for a different flight or even change your flight on the day of travel with no change fee. You'll also be one of the first to board, check a bag, enjoy a free drink and earn more AAdvantage® miles.

If you're an AAdvantage elite status member, you'll receive all the benefits you already enjoy, plus you'll be able to check a third bag. AAdvantage® Executive Platinum members receive an additional fourth bag with purchase of this fare.

1 checked bag
Group 1 Boarding
No change fee (any difference in fares would still apply)
Same-day flight change
Same-day standby
Premium beverage on board
Pre-reserved seat
Earn 50% more AAdvantage miles


MCE (E+) Option:

http://www.aa.com/i18n/urls/seats.jsp

Main Cabin Extra
Main Cabin Extra seats provide more room between rows, creating additional legroom and more comfort
Group 1 boarding privileges are also included with Main Cabin Extra seats
AAdvantage elite status members and oneworld equivalents* have complimentary access to these seats and will continue to receive PriorityAAccess boarding as part of your benefits
Main Cabin Extra seats are available on select flights, with the majority of our planes targeted for completion throughout 2013


Complimentary Access

AAdvantage® Executive Platinum and AAdvantage® Platinum members receive complimentary access to Main Cabin Extra seats.

To celebrate the launch of this new seating product, we are offering our AAdvantage® Gold and oneworld® Ruby members complimentary access to Main Cabin Extra seats through December 31, 2013.

oneworld Emerald and Sapphire, and customers who have purchased a full-fare Main Cabin ticket receive advance complimentary access to Main Cabin Extra seats.

It's their "rebranded" inter european business class product - major fail from a failing airline in my view...

I'd rather be silver & take my chances if this option where ever offered on UA

Great sarcasm except it doesn't change the fact UA has several long ERJ routes including OKC/TUL-EWR. IAH-YYZ is another rough one but they "upgraded" it to a CRJ

When E+ was first introduced, it seemed that the middle seat was often left open. Now it is rare that the middle seat is left open. UA tends to use smaller aircraft on its long-haul and the middle seat is often filled with stand bys who have no status.

On more than a few occasions the person boards in the last few minutes and is excited that they got E+.

If it becomes truly a separate cabin, I wonder if this practice would continue.

If UA moves to a *real* premium economy product rather than E+, then they're no longer going to give it away to all us so-called "elites" for free. I prefer a crummy E+ that I'm sitting in to a proper E++ that I'm not sitting in, any day.

Besides, all these E++ classes lie somewhere way off any sensible price-value curve in my experience, though that may be too many Australian flights where premium cabins always cost twice what they do on other routes of comparable length :mad:

When UA introduced E+ combined with the program of keeping the middle seat open for elites, it was what I consider to be the high water mark in customer relationship building and loyalty creation.

We've fallen so far from that high point, it's hard to believe.

I believe those are too wide, TK tried that 2-3-2 layout in their so called premium economy "comfort class" and failed.

UA could have used those crew rest seat in Y (17, 18, 19 HJ on PMUA 777XC 23xx or PMUA 3 class 763 13, 14 AB) as premium economy seats. If you have sat in one of them, those seats have legrest and 3 times more recline than Y.

Sadly, you are correct...E+ in the incarnation you described is the prime reason I stuck with UA all of those years! I am afraid that we will never see the "good old days" again:(

Looks good but had you tried on any hard shell seats on other airlines like CX or NH ?

The drawback for hard shell seats are you don't really get any recline, your seats only slide forward "looks" like you are reclining. And when you slide your seats forward, you basically lose at least 2 inches of legroom.

It is the worst kind of seat to install as premium economy seats !


+1

NZ, VS, and TK (soon will be gone) are the only ones that have a distinct premium economy product, any other airlines basically a different seat, everything the same.


The difference is with BR, the old ED class was actually BR's old C seat, the new elite class is not C seats, it is essentially JL's domestic Class J.

Most other airlines like NH and NZ cannot pay a Y fare or use miles as *A award to book into economy either, so no surprise here.

Dunno if I agree with this point. Do you think they would sell out -- any more than the current E+ does (which would have to be part of your posit)? I've always wondered, from the first introduction of E+, just how many of these they actually (up)sell, vs. how many are "comped" to non-elites at the convenience of UA (or, on some flights, how many are filled by people I see simply moving up). ...But maybe they would sell more of a premium economy.

If they couldn't sell more of it (or sell it for much more money), they wouldn't do it.