Flyer Friendly.

QATAR gave me pajamas in Business, as did ANA.

Has someone already answered UA? :p;)

Mutual admiration society for UA is clearly present and active!

Apart from pajamas, what did I complain about??
Non-revs was more explanation of what I have seen happen in AA First

Comments (obviously related to experience) about FAs? Seems like PJs are UA's biggest failure and they really don't take up too much room in carry-on. Comments about upgraders reducing FA attention - ironic, since you've admitted you're one. UA provides a GF cabin at a lower cost point than competitors. Unlike some competitors, it also allows upgrades and non-revs, of which you are benefitting. Since UA does not generate the same revenue per passenger in that cabin, they do not provide the same level of service. If you expect UA to provide the same level of service to upgraders, non-revs, and a couple of paid Fs that Etihad or Emirates etc give their more exclusive clientele, you don't understand the airline business.

Well I don't know about stand out.. now, I agree it's pretty bad they don't offer these amenities in 3 class F. I get they really wish they didn't have F at all..but they do, and they still sell the tickets for it at a premium, and until that stops they really need to differentiate it better. You could even look at it as how many people in a single day, or month, pay the differential between biz and F, at any level... and include the very basics you need these days to call yourself a real airline that has 3 class F international flights. The PJ's don't have to be the highest quality.

When I fly overnight I go to the restroom, take off whatever I'm wearing and put on a tshirt and sweat shorts..hardly differnent from PJ's... nobody looks at you or cares.. and in GF you have even more privacy than in biz.. I don't think anyone stands out..unless your're a 25 year old 6 foot tall swimsuit model with triple C's wearing something revealing from Victoria's Secret :D... I most certainly am not that...

The best thing about UA GF is the seat. I find it vastly more comfortable than the business first seat, mostly due to the extra width (and I'm not a large dude).

They sell it at a premium a lot less than they want to (therefore upgraders, NRSAs, discount deals). I'm flying OGG-LHR for $3100 in a couple of weeks. Domestic F between OGG and SF, GF to/from London. Not an upgrade - a discount GF fare. I'm not expecting pajamas. Non-revs and upgraders using GPUs regularly top off GF cabins. UA has decided to phase out GF. UA still offers it, but UA has demonstrated no desire to be competitive with most other carriers as they phase it out. It is 'way nicer than the BF configuration on the planes that GF is available. For now, GF is used mainly by those who feel UA gets them where they need to go (and cheapskates like me, upgraders, non-revs, etc). Most of these passengers know (as the OP seems to) that the experience is better on a plethora of other carriers. To buy a GF ticket, or upgrade into GF, and complain about FAs and no pajamas and non-revs, etc just seems ludicrous. The amenities are listed on UA.com - pajamas are not listed. I paid for my GF seat and I can't really complain. as the action was my own - I know what to expect from UA. I can read the amenities list, I've experienced the gamut of FAs and meals as probably the OP has. I know there's gonna be upgraders and non-revs sharing the cabin. I'll complain if the UA-defined experience doesn't go as expected or if there's an operational hiccup.

There's no doubt that it's better than BF, so if you need to burn GPUs it's a good burn.

Keep your expectations down compared to Asian or European airlines, and you'll have a good experience.

Even worse. Upgraders. People who want to be GF but can't afford it.

For me

medium haul I work - so J=F as far as workspace is concerned.

Long haul I sleep so J=F as far as bed is concerned.

I suspect there are more who feel like me, ergo F is a dying duck

delete

United doesn't provide material amenities for GF beyond J.

EWR doesn't have a GFL, outstations except NRT and LHR do not have GF lounges (and you can't use LH/LX/ FCL/T etc)

You do get soup and most importantly to people, considerably more personal space.

The real issue is space, specifically on the 2-4-2 777's and 747's. It really is not becoming of international C class. Until UA reconfigures, international F, even with the lack of soft product amenities, is much, much nicer.

But that is comparing UA to UA.

We should be able to compare UA to other carriers with international networks.

Officially no for ANA, ANA does have some PJ for C class pax, but it does not mean it is available for every single C pax, they are first come first served only. (If you don't believe me take a look at the ANA's own website yourself, you will only see cardigan for rent only)

I think the biggest issue with non-revs in GF is what it means for people further back in the airplane. You can have a situation with a high-status full-fare Y passenger in coach that's trying to use a GPU but fails to clear the upgrade into BF because it's full. Meanwhile, a non-ref gets an empty seat in GF. Some would say that a better way to handle that situation would be to bump a revenue passenger from BF to F that didn't even request an upgrade (assuming they're okay with it), then upgrade the Y pax with the GPU, and put the non-rev in coach. To not do so means you potentially have a high-value passenger in coach that wants to upgrade but can't and is fuming when they find out a non-ref is in GF. It's even worse for business when the first person that doesn't clear the upgrade from economy is trying to use miles on a discount fare - in that case, UA has to forgo the co-pay money they otherwise would have earned, in addition to having an angry passenger.

PREACH! ^

Of course, I am not running the airline, but IMHO, all the passenger upgrades should be doled out, and only then should NRSAs be accommodated.