williambruno1975

LarryJ

That makes sense. I think the economics have turned against new MAX 7s and A319s.

findark

Sort of.. the 739's extra exit was basically never used because the aircraft is not flown in a one-class configuration. So everyone was plugging it for weight reasons, to the point that the 739ERs were just shipping without them.

Ryanair has the inverse problem with their 738s -- they have to have a bunch of extra legroom seats because they legally cannot fly more than 189 pax for egress reasons. They commissioned the MAX 200 which is identical to the MAX 8 with an extra aft exit, the "200" being a reference to how it will help Ryanair jam 200 pax into a MAX 8.

CApreppie

Those old but powerful 757s can't continue forever so it makes sense to replace them. I was in a 753 and the bathroom was looking pretty dated recently, but at least it had enough room to move around unlike a new MAX.

The lesser range of a MAX 10 over a 752 will just lead to more stops to enjoy staring at the Gander mid-century classic terminal when flying west TATL.

EmailKid

You will be pining for that dated bathroom as 753s get refurbished and refitted with slimline seats

Bunky

Polaris concepts works with all aircraft. A unit is one straight and one angled seat.
Two units across plus one aisle, narrowbody
Three units across plus two aisles, 767
Four units across plus two aisles, 787/777/350
They all have different geometry due to width available and length of units.
I believe the narrow bodied version will actually be a bit wider, meaning a slight increase in the angled seat to get more units in from forward to back.
As to whether they'll fit up against a mid cabin lav is another question.
757 has a big issue with Door 2. Door 2 might be convenient, but it loses seats and flexibility of seating options.
I've wondered if UA could specify the mid cabin lav placement to be farther back to keep BF seats forward of the lav. Of course, there's probably an issue with lav servicing and closeness to window exits that would have to be addressed.

jmr50

They'd be crazy not to hold out on those 752s until the NMA is an option.

Although, at the right price, 788s might nibble on some of those routes too.

gene2632

I agree but the other half of the equation is not ready for that move yet.....

gene2632

I think Tryathelete's point is if I moved to LAS full time I could save a LOT of money over keeping my home in NJ where the taxes are HIGH and everything else is expensive. With those savings I could simply fly where ever I wanted to go and make my MM faster and easier than spending $6k doing 10 mileage runs from SFO to HKG....

Youngmiler

I would be very surprised if United put Polaris on a 737 MAX 10 or other narrow body. Cabin width on a 777 is 19 ft and means Polaris only needs 9.5 ft per aisle. A Boeing 737 cabin width is 11.7 ft, meaning United has to make up the ~2 extra feet by increasing the angle a fair amount and resulting in a loss of efficiency. This probably makes the herringbone layout like American Airlines has for the A321 transcon in First Class the best option for direct aisle access, but noticeably lower density than the 2x2 seats already found on the 757. While they could go with the JetBlue Mint and FlyDubai route (a mix of 2x2 with staggered individual seats), I don't think United would want to offer two separate products in the premium cabin. I assume the seat United is working on has more recline adjustments and some improvements over the existing 757 seat.

Kacee

LAX-SIN (789) and EWR-HKG (772) are clearly not viable based on published range figures, either. Yet UA flies them. I'm not saying the Max 10 has the range for TATL. But past history suggests that UA will make this decision based on how the aircraft actually performs, rather than generic published range numbers.

WineCountryUA

Prepare to be surprized
As it has been reported (and other sources)

Youngmiler

The Skift article says: "United’s flatbed-equipped 737s would enter the fleet just as the airline completes its multi-year project to add its new Polaris-class seats to many of its widebody aircraft flying internationally." It talks about Polaris going into their wide body planes and how they have had issues and confusion because Polaris is a class of service and a seat design. It doesn't mention Polaris seats going into the 737 Max 10.

The "other sources" states: "The carrier has a 'second prototype' lie-flat seat for the Max 10 that it will begin testing with passengers this fall, he says.The product would enter service when the aircraft begins arriving in 2020." I take this to mean they are improving the 2x2 layout seat, but I don't expect direct aisle access given the 737 cabin width. (If you have been on AA's A321 transcon, you would quickly realize no airline would make the entire premium cabin portion on a 737 direct aisle access, especially not when United doesn't even given P.S. customers access to the Polaris lounge).

Kacee

I'm missing the logic there. All three legacies currently use the B/E Diamond in 2-2 configuration in J on their narrowbody premium t-cons. That doesn't mean UA won't try something else on the MAX10. As noted upthread, the Polaris geometry (or something similar) could actually work in a narrowbody. The seat was designed to be space neutral to the B/E Diamond (i.e., same number of seats in same space).

EmailKid

LAX-SIN of course is / about to be second SFO-SIN.

Have not read about EWR-HKG, but there are plenty of reports about blocked seats on 789 from SIN in the winter.

As far as I know none of us here on FT have access to UA's books, but judging by how often J is sold out on this route and u/g are next to impossible, I am guessing UA finds it profitable enough. LAX-SIN, not so much (both going and coming back had non revs in Biz on my flights).

And to come back OT, while I'm no designer, where does it say that there have to be seats on either side with isle in the middle

Methinks having pax go beside the windos on one side or the other while having lie flats with all isle access on the other is a possibility.

UA, if you haven't thought of this (and I'm sure you have) please consider a finder's fee of lifetime flights in Biz for free to yours truly