Outdated planes
Jul 17, 2015 | 11:58 pm
#77
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Join Date: Jun 2002
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Just because a planned interior renovation, doesn't mean the lifespan of a plane would extend of another 10 or 20 years, you should know there are a few 744 retired only for a few years after IPTE completed.
A plane's life is not determined by how old or how new the interior is, it is about the hours in the air and cycles (take off and landing consider as 1 cycle, so if the hours are low but cycles are high, the plane still need to retire when it reach the number of cycles, as you don't what the repeat of AQ243 where cracks on the fuselage were not noticed due to metal fatigue because of high cycles back and fourth between the islands multiple times a day !)
No AVOD or no PTV may not leave a good impression of the airline, but would people stop flying AA and UA all together ? Absolutely not ! People care more about the price more than anything, or did you not read OP's first post ? (OP had stated choose UA because of the price !)
Last edited by ORDnHKG; Jul 18, 2015 at 12:18 am
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Jul 18, 2015 | 9:28 am
#79
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Jul 18, 2015 | 9:35 am
#80
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http://uk.flightaware.com/live/fligh...215Z/KEWR/EIDW
On July 14th, the flight lasted 5 hours and 2 minutes.
Jul 18, 2015 | 9:43 am
#81
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Jul 18, 2015 | 10:04 am
#82
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 723
https://uk.flightaware.com/live/flig...300Z/KEWR/EIDW
This is shorter than a transcontinental flight with blankets, meals, pillows and personal televisions.
It's enough.
Jul 18, 2015 | 10:06 am
#83
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 723
Yes and? That's pretty fast, intact it's only 20 mins longer than BOS to SFO http://uk.flightaware.com/live/fligh...055Z/KBOS/KSFO
I took this flight last year and it was around 6 hours 30 then too. It was comfy for me and just about at the range that I would've rather have had a wide body. United also flies a narrow body to Chicago and Washington from Dublin.
I don't see the issue. (although I think a narrow body the whole way to Chicago is a bit ridiculous)
I took this flight last year and it was around 6 hours 30 then too. It was comfy for me and just about at the range that I would've rather have had a wide body. United also flies a narrow body to Chicago and Washington from Dublin.
I don't see the issue. (although I think a narrow body the whole way to Chicago is a bit ridiculous)
Last edited by Owenc; Jul 18, 2015 at 10:11 am
Jul 19, 2015 | 2:02 pm
#84
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: DFW
Posts: 537
My return flight to IAD was a 757-200. Each seat had individual screens with on demand programming. This flight was much better, I just don't care for the 3 seats on each side arrangement. My favorite layout is three in the middle and two on each side.
Jul 19, 2015 | 4:51 pm
#85
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: SFO
Programs: UA Gold, Hyatt Discoverist, Hilton Gold, Barry's Silver
Posts: 1,319
Mine as well. That's the 767 layout. All airlines have 3-3 seating on the 757 and 2-3-2 on the 767.
Jul 19, 2015 | 4:56 pm
#86
Join Date: May 2004
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1k, US ex-CP, NW silver, Marriott plat, SPG gold, Hertz 5*
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To be clear, one may (as I did for many years) choose to fly United for its frequent flyer program, its routes or its prices. But in terms of in flight experience, I think United comes up short against a great many in coach and business (in which frankly I think you have include United Global First). Of what I've flown lately:
-Virgin America, Jet Blue, Delta (int'l domestic) I think are all better experiences by a measurable amount than United. American needs to finish its merger and still has some old old old J flying around, but I think will end in a better place.
-Lufthansa - old J is a joke but otherwise it's a quality airline. Y is a little tight.
-British Airways - Perhaps not what it used to be but much more professional flight attendants, much much better J catering and seats, better lounges, Y and Y+ a little better. Austrian and Swiss are miles better.
-Turkish has wonderful food and good seats plus a great lounge in Istanbul.
-Pretty much all of the major asian carriers. SQ, JAL, ANA, Garuda, Cathay. Even aspects of Air China compared favorably (though it uses the Continental seat). In some cases (SQ and jokes aside, Malaysia) the service is wildly better in Y, J and F. I will never forget being in Y on a lightly-booked flight on Malaysia and being addressed by my last name the entire flight by the flight attendant. EVA distributes pijamas and serves Krug in business.
-For what they purport to be, I also have had good experiences in Y on the LCCs (AirAsia, Tiger, Jetstar). Professional crews, reasonable fares, reasonable costs for add-ons like extra seating.
-The Mideast carriers are controversial but by all means do a better job in flight in all classes (on the ground/customer service is another story).
-South African Airways has a very reasonable J product with good wines and decent seats.
-Virgin America, Jet Blue, Delta (int'l domestic) I think are all better experiences by a measurable amount than United. American needs to finish its merger and still has some old old old J flying around, but I think will end in a better place.
-Lufthansa - old J is a joke but otherwise it's a quality airline. Y is a little tight.
-British Airways - Perhaps not what it used to be but much more professional flight attendants, much much better J catering and seats, better lounges, Y and Y+ a little better. Austrian and Swiss are miles better.
-Turkish has wonderful food and good seats plus a great lounge in Istanbul.
-Pretty much all of the major asian carriers. SQ, JAL, ANA, Garuda, Cathay. Even aspects of Air China compared favorably (though it uses the Continental seat). In some cases (SQ and jokes aside, Malaysia) the service is wildly better in Y, J and F. I will never forget being in Y on a lightly-booked flight on Malaysia and being addressed by my last name the entire flight by the flight attendant. EVA distributes pijamas and serves Krug in business.
-For what they purport to be, I also have had good experiences in Y on the LCCs (AirAsia, Tiger, Jetstar). Professional crews, reasonable fares, reasonable costs for add-ons like extra seating.
-The Mideast carriers are controversial but by all means do a better job in flight in all classes (on the ground/customer service is another story).
-South African Airways has a very reasonable J product with good wines and decent seats.
Even a couple weeks ago I flew a new LH F suite and the service was good, layout was nice, but for the life of me I couldn't get comfortable in the seat. Left with my back aching. Still would take it over a UA 787 in J, but it isn't a hands down winner.
I think people in this forum tend to fixate on one thing be it aisle access or bowing FAs or whatever and thinking that is the be all end all for all people. I have had lots of good experiences on UA as well as the other airlines and will keep being 90/10 UA/others. No one else meets my overall needs as well.
Jul 19, 2015 | 5:07 pm
#87
Join Date: May 2003
Programs: ZaeroPlan 0
Posts: 1,999
I think people in this forum tend to fixate on one thing be it aisle access or bowing FAs or whatever and thinking that is the be all end all for all people. I have had lots of good experiences on UA as well as the other airlines and will keep being 90/10 UA/others. No one else meets my overall needs as well.
Jul 19, 2015 | 7:34 pm
#88
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: LAN, FNT, GRR, DTW
Programs: UA Plat
Posts: 346
Call me crazy but I really like the 757-200 when I fly to Dublin. It is cozy and the AVOD is good. The seats are fine and the bins are a decent size. In comparison to the 767 I occasionally get to LHR with looped video on a tiny screen and the overhead bins that are the stuff of stand up comedians, I say the 757-200 is perfectly adequate for TATL. Besides, it allows UA to offer more frequent service to DUB.
I remember a few years back, maybe 2011/2 I was flying DL to Dublin a lot and they had an ancient relic on the route. I think it was a 767 (please correct me if people remember). They bought it from some outfit in Florida perhaps and it was domestically configured and was missing mid cabin toilets. Again my memory isn't good, all I recall is that going back to the UA 757-200 was a dream in comparison.
I remember a few years back, maybe 2011/2 I was flying DL to Dublin a lot and they had an ancient relic on the route. I think it was a 767 (please correct me if people remember). They bought it from some outfit in Florida perhaps and it was domestically configured and was missing mid cabin toilets. Again my memory isn't good, all I recall is that going back to the UA 757-200 was a dream in comparison.
Jul 19, 2015 | 7:38 pm
#89
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Jul 19, 2015 | 7:54 pm
#90
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 1,235
I just feel the need to get up and stretch my legs on a TATL and a single aisle aircraft makes that a bit difficult. I suppose it makes little difference when you're in your seat.
I also like an aisle seat and a single aisle aircraft naturally limits availability.
I also like an aisle seat and a single aisle aircraft naturally limits availability.
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Jul 19, 2015 at 10:31 pm Reason: Updated quote to reflect Mod edit