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3-class F seat now sold as Domestic F/Polaris Bus,GS or J/C/D 1K? may select pre-OLCI

Old Feb 5, 2019, 6:20 am
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Last edit by: Ari
As of Feb. 5, only Global Services are able to select FC seats. The ability for 1K to reserve seats was removed. Existing 1K seat selections appear to be kept. In June 2019, the advance access for 1Ks on J/C/D fares was restored. [It appears this is not the case.]

Ex-GlobalFirst seats are selectable for all confirmed business class passengers at check in, even if >24 hrs from flight with GF seats (in the case of positioning flights).

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3-class F seat now sold as Domestic F/Polaris Bus,GS or J/C/D 1K? may select pre-OLCI

Old Feb 5, 2019, 7:38 pm
  #376  
 
Join Date: Aug 2015
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Originally Posted by MMBlakes
As of Feb 5th seats can only be selected by GS. 1K my be assigned Polaris FC seats close to departure time if there is availability.
I really, really, really hope that they do the fair thing; although I can already see them clearing non-revs in the FC seats rather than go through the pain of finding 1Ks and assigning them the seats.
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Old Feb 5, 2019, 7:54 pm
  #377  
 
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Originally Posted by JMBResona
I really, really, really hope that they do the fair thing; although I can already see them clearing non-revs in the FC seats rather than go through the pain of finding 1Ks and assigning them the seats.
Non-revs clear at the gate. If any FC seats are open before boarding starts, that (or at the Polaris Lounge, if available) would be the time to inquire about getting moved up.

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Old Feb 5, 2019, 9:15 pm
  #378  
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I would be very surprized if there were not more than 8 GS in business on any of these old 3-class flights -- especially as folks are seeking them and many already taken by 1Ks. Additionally, the number of available aircraft is decreasing -- more than 1/2 have been converting, with just 15 ? remaining and all will be gone by later this year, this will increase the pressure that the GS demand will fill these seats with some GS left in business.

It was a nice opportunity for 1Ks for a while, but the GS demand alone will likely be enough to fill all the seats going forward.
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Old Feb 5, 2019, 11:04 pm
  #379  
 
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Selected a former Polaris FC seat last week as 1K. Probably will never again have the opportunity to fly in those seats.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 4:02 am
  #380  
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Originally Posted by WineCountryUA
I would be very surprized if there were not more than 8 GS in business on any of these old 3-class flights -- especially as folks are seeking them and many already taken by 1Ks.
On my last two flights on an ITPE bird TATL (December 2018), there were less than 8 GS on each flight. As others have said, what a stupid thing for UA to do to 1K members.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 5:35 am
  #381  
 
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Originally Posted by stellarlight
Selected a former Polaris FC seat last week as 1K. Probably will never again have the opportunity to fly in those seats.
I will fly way out of my way to avoid this old configuration. UA FC seat is crappy! and overhead space in that cabin is normally full of crew bags! I did one of the last FC flights from Seoul to SFO, and was majorly disappointed. Particularly given that i could have used SIA suites for nearly the same price at a less convenient time.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 7:22 am
  #382  
 
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It would be nice if they at least honor our previous seat assignments in case the seatmaps go haywire again and we need to reselect.
I’m so paranoid about getting bumped back to a middle seat I’m wondering if it’s better just to move back to the business cabin now while there are still a couple windows/aisles left.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 8:43 am
  #383  
 
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Originally Posted by Z Man
I will fly way out of my way to avoid this old configuration. UA FC seat is crappy! and overhead space in that cabin is normally full of crew bags! I did one of the last FC flights from Seoul to SFO, and was majorly disappointed. Particularly given that i could have used SIA suites for nearly the same price at a less convenient time.
It is by all means superior to any of the 2-4-2 seats, right? And I guess more often than not there is still plenty of space in the overhead cabins. A lot more space than the new Polaris offers.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 9:06 am
  #384  
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Originally Posted by chavala
It would be nice if they at least honor our previous seat assignments in case the seatmaps go haywire again and we need to reselect.
Im so paranoid about getting bumped back to a middle seat Im wondering if its better just to move back to the business cabin now while there are still a couple windows/aisles left.
I have been wondering the same thing for one of our two flights. My wife and I only like Row 6. On one of our flights, all the aisle seats in Row 6 are taken so for that one we will play the roulette. It's the other flight that I'm wondering about: only 5 Business Class seats sold, 3 occupying the First Class area, 2 in the Business area so there are still aisle seats in Row 6.

They are always moving the goalposts. Last year we had to worry for two months if United would remove the 2K seat from my wife as she was only Platinum. Ended up with a Polarized plane. Now, that she got to 1K, we have to worry for two months for our seats. If we lose our seats, it will be really upsetting if they give them to passengers who are not GS.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:07 am
  #385  
 
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Originally Posted by chavala
It would be nice if they at least honor our previous seat assignments in case the seatmaps go haywire again and we need to reselect.
Im so paranoid about getting bumped back to a middle seat Im wondering if its better just to move back to the business cabin now while there are still a couple windows/aisles left.
They did not for me. Fortunately for my flight the seats hadn't been reassigned in almost two weeks (booked 20 but only 2 occupied), so I was able to essentially have my pick in the cabin.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:22 am
  #386  
 
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Originally Posted by onthesam
What an enhancement! I'm glad the brain trust at Willis Tower fully recognizes their loyalest customers / high spenders enjoy having benefits extended to them and then taken away. </sarcasm>
Originally Posted by PsiFighter37
Such a silly, stupid thing for UA to do.
I imagine the change came because of GS (who are even more loyal/high spending than 1K) complaining about not being able to get a FC seat selection after they were all consumed by 1Kers. It was a nice perk for those who were able to take advantage of it, its absence doesn't diminish any of the other perks that were promised.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:22 am
  #387  
 
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Originally Posted by chavala
It would be nice if they at least honor our previous seat assignments in case the seatmaps go haywire again and we need to reselect.
Im so paranoid about getting bumped back to a middle seat Im wondering if its better just to move back to the business cabin now while there are still a couple windows/aisles left.
I suspect that absent an equipment swap the seat's will stick. Of course with UA they could pull the double swap where you lose them but end up back on the original equipment....
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:27 am
  #388  
 
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Originally Posted by AceReport
I suspect that absent an equipment swap the seat's will stick. Of course with UA they could pull the double swap where you lose them but end up back on the original equipment....
A swap to Polaris would be great. It's the double swap or the seat maps suddenly disappearing (which happened TWICE already!).
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:39 am
  #389  
 
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Originally Posted by ExplorerWannabe
I imagine the change came because of GS (who are even more loyal/high spending than 1K) complaining about not being able to get a FC seat selection after they were all consumed by 1Kers. It was a nice perk for those who were able to take advantage of it, its absence doesn't diminish any of the other perks that were promised.
FWIW there have been plenty of seats available for selection since the policy change on most routes ex-ORD, only those seats were selectable in advance by those 1K/GS who book confirmed J rather than those confirm in Y and play the upgrade lottery (GS included). This change will likely most benefit those GS who book Y and then waitlist upgrades.

Access to the F cabin used to an amenity (rather than a perk). It devolved from an amenity to a mere perk when they eliminated the ability use a GPU or simply purchase access to that cabin. Now that amenity is no longer available and the perk has been taken away. The final elimination of the F cabin is a huge loss (though maybe only for for a very small subset of travelers who used to fly in it all the time).

I disagree with the sentiment that as an unpublished benefit, 1K should be grateful for the time that UA allowed us to select those seats in the first place and not despair about elimination of access to the cabin.
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Old Feb 6, 2019, 10:56 am
  #390  
 
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Originally Posted by onthesam
FWIW there have been plenty of seats available for selection since the policy change on most routes ex-ORD, only those seats were selectable in advance by those 1K/GS who book confirmed J rather than those confirm in Y and play the upgrade lottery (GS included). This change will likely most benefit those GS who book Y and then waitlist upgrades.

Access to the F cabin used to an amenity (rather than a perk). It devolved from an amenity to a mere perk when they eliminated the ability use a GPU or simply purchase access to that cabin. Now that amenity is no longer available and the perk has been taken away. The final elimination of the F cabin is a huge loss (though maybe only for for a very small subset of travelers who used to fly in it all the time).

I disagree with the sentiment that as an unpublished benefit, 1K should be grateful for the time that UA allowed us to select those seats in the first place and not despair about elimination of access to the cabin.
I agree that the practical inability to use GPUs/RPUs diminishes their value but that is a separate issue from whether 1Ks are allowed to select former GF seats in advance. As I read it, 1K may still get seats there, just not reserve them far in advance anymore.

I doubt United would have gone to the trouble of pushing out a change to policy like this (and rather abruptly after publicly announcing 1Ks would get to select seats in those cabins) if there hadn't been issues with higher level elites (GS) not being able to select them. The way I read it, flights that don't fill the former GF cabin with GS will still allow 1K to change into them but UA wants to give first priority to GS. I don't have a problem with that.
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