Slimline seats reportedly coming to the 737 fleet in 2014 [confirmed]
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Slimline seats reportedly coming to the 737 fleet in 2014 [confirmed]
I've got on pretty good authority that UA has been demo'ing new slimline seats for their 737 fleet in the Willis Tower and that these will be installed starting in 2014. No word on whether this also means an extra row of seats being installed, but I know what I'd bet if odds were being made.

Planes currently equipped with the DirecTV kit will keep it through the end of the current contract, even with the new seats, but no new 739ERs are being fit with the system from what I'm hearing. Also unclear is if the new 739s will be getting the LiveTV/ViaSat internet or the Panasonic kit which the non-DirecTV planes are getting.
This should be interesting, to say the least...

Planes currently equipped with the DirecTV kit will keep it through the end of the current contract, even with the new seats, but no new 739ERs are being fit with the system from what I'm hearing. Also unclear is if the new 739s will be getting the LiveTV/ViaSat internet or the Panasonic kit which the non-DirecTV planes are getting.
This should be interesting, to say the least...
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Planes currently equipped with the DirecTV kit will keep it through the end of the current contract, even with the new seats, but no new 739ERs are being fit with the system from what I'm hearing. Also unclear is if the new 739s will be getting the LiveTV/ViaSat internet or the Panasonic kit which the non-DirecTV planes are getting.
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This sucks, plain and simple. I don't care if UA supposedly got the "padded" version of the Recaro seat...it's brutal. It's a far cry from the good Airbus seats, and IMO even worse than the CO 737 "park bench" seats. The ergonimics feel like they were never actually flight tested.
Race to the bottom.
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The main reason I fly united is for E+ (better comfort). After riding on these seats, I think I'd prefer a softer seat to the leg room. Lately, I've been sticking my jacket/fleece/sweater on the seat for extra padding.
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#6
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I think in 5 years all airlines will be using this seat. This will become the standard in the airline business. I still have yet to try the UA Slim Seats, are they really worse than the current 737 seats?
WN also changed there seats, and what get's me, they are now lower and my knees are in pain after an hour, not by behind.
As far as entertainment, I wish they would just install PTV's instead of this wifi streaming stuff. I've tried it on WN and it works, but after a 3 hour flight, my ipad goes dead.
WN also changed there seats, and what get's me, they are now lower and my knees are in pain after an hour, not by behind.
As far as entertainment, I wish they would just install PTV's instead of this wifi streaming stuff. I've tried it on WN and it works, but after a 3 hour flight, my ipad goes dead.
#7
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We are definitely moving in that direction. There is another version from B/E Aerospace which JetBlue is installing on their A321s and which is, IMO, quite a bit more comfortable than the Recaro version. Then again, I was on the BA A380 and they have a quite comfortable version of the Recaro seat so it is possible to have such. It just costs/weighs more.
Last edited by sbm12; Oct 2, 13 at 10:22 am
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We are definitely moving in that direction. There is another version from B/E Aerospace which JetBlue is installing on their A321s and which is, IMO, quite a bit more comfortable than the Recaro version. Then again, I was on the BA A380 and they have a quite comfortable version of the Recaro seat so it is possible to have such. It just costs/weighs more.
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It will be interesting to see at how people will react to the limited amount of plugs esp if there's no alternative IFE solution. I wouldn't want to be in the middle of Y with a school trip with teenagers carrying (and using) multiple devices (tablets, smart phones, laptops, etc) all at the same time.
Then again, I guess it's better than nothing (although I would probably be flying Spirit if I thought about that with everything).
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- lower to the ground
- shorter seat cushion (worst aspect of them IMO)
- not much padding
- just poor ergonomics IMO...the seat back isn't concave enough
- it LOOKS like the headrest is wide w/side "wings"...but it's fake, the outer 3" on either side doesn't have any hard support inside. So it just flops around...looks nice, actually cheap.
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Here is what I carry when I know I'm going to be sitting "back there" with no UG, or on long haul RJs (which I still hate unless they are E170/175/190). This makes the ride quite comfortable on the back section, plus raises your position in the seat, relieving the WN problem mentioned above.
http://www.tempurpedic.com/cushions/...eatcushion.asp
It's the best $89 I've ever spent. I'm sitting on it now, as a matter of fact. It also made my desk chair a lot more comfortable on those days that I'm not traveling.
http://www.tempurpedic.com/cushions/...eatcushion.asp
It's the best $89 I've ever spent. I'm sitting on it now, as a matter of fact. It also made my desk chair a lot more comfortable on those days that I'm not traveling.
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