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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 14, 2019, 10:24 am
  #451  
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
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Is anyone aware of a recent change in policy around booking the old GF cabin? I just was upgraded on a FRA-ORD flight. In the flight search, the seat-map shows the middle seats in row 1 & 2 available (shows windows as occupied), but none of the GF seats are available to me through change seats (I am a 1K). I spoke with an agent at the 1K desk, and was told those are only being assigned by the airport, day-of (possibly to accommodate equipment changes to reconfigured planes with the Polaris hard product?).

Last edited by WineCountryUA; Feb 14, 2019 at 9:25 pm Reason: moved to master thread
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 12:17 pm
  #452  
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Originally Posted by cosmicg
Is anyone aware of a recent change in policy around booking the old GF cabin? I just was upgraded on a FRA-ORD flight. In the flight search, the seat-map shows the middle seats in row 1 & 2 available (shows windows as occupied), but none of the GF seats are available to me through change seats (I am a 1K). I spoke with an agent at the 1K desk, and was told those are only being assigned by the airport, day-of (possibly to accommodate equipment changes to reconfigured planes with the Polaris hard product?).
GF seats can only be pre-reserved by GS.
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 12:46 pm
  #453  
 
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That wasn't the case a month ago-- I pre-reserved as a 1K.
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Old Feb 14, 2019, 12:49 pm
  #454  
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Originally Posted by cosmicg
That wasn't the case a month ago-- I pre-reserved as a 1K.
Yes, it changed over the weekend of 2 February.
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 10:32 am
  #455  
 
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Are these seats really worth it? I have a choice of a direct flight EU - US in the non-retrofitted Polaris vs a connecting flight EU - US in these legacy F seats. I am 1K and the flight is a week away and I already selected 2K prior to this change going in. I understand the risk of a place swap, etc but is the different in seat really worth the hassle of a connection?
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 4:54 pm
  #456  
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Originally Posted by PrivatePilot
Are these seats really worth it? I have a choice of a direct flight EU - US in the non-retrofitted Polaris vs a connecting flight EU - US in these legacy F seats. I am 1K and the flight is a week away and I already selected 2K prior to this change going in. I understand the risk of a place swap, etc but is the different in seat really worth the hassle of a connection?
It's not immediately clear what the options for you are. The legacy Global First seat is, in my opinion, one of the most comfortable seats in the sky. It's significantly superior to anything else flying for UA right now. However, I would probably prefer a well-timed nonstop in anything other than 2-4-2 IPTE J over connecting for a mixed chance of GF seat or Polaris seat.
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 7:15 pm
  #457  
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such a silly policy to exclude 1K. Well ... more bookings this weekend on UA codeshare LH operated in C-class with a 95% chance my UG to F will clear. No-brainer. Thanks UA for not even making me think about booking UA metal
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 9:02 pm
  #458  
 
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I remember a post where someone said they would open up at check-in -- any truth to this?
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Old Feb 15, 2019, 10:24 pm
  #459  
 
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Just booked away from UA metal because of removal of access to the old GF cabin (seats were available). 2-4-2 - nope.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 12:11 pm
  #460  
 
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Originally Posted by findark
It's not immediately clear what the options for you are. The legacy Global First seat is, in my opinion, one of the most comfortable seats in the sky. It's significantly superior to anything else flying for UA right now. However, I would probably prefer a well-timed nonstop in anything other than 2-4-2 IPTE J over connecting for a mixed chance of GF seat or Polaris seat.
Sorry I wasnt clear. The options are:

1. Fly on the united first seat (2K) from BRU - IAD on a 777-200. However, I will have to wait 2+ hours in IAD and then take a ERJ back to EWR.

2. Fly direct BRU - EWR on a non-retrofitted 777-200 which has the 2-2-2 business cabin. Seat 5E is available which is a nice seat offering a lot of privacy since there is the crew rest next to you and the closet on the other side.

So the question for those that experienced both seats is if it is worth the extra hassle for the united first seat considering this will likely be the last chance to try it. Or am I not really missing that much vs the hassle of a layover/ connection? I am also not even 1K anymore and only have that seat as I booked/ selected in Jan when I was 1K. The rest of the cabin is 2-4-2 which I hate.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 12:46 pm
  #461  
 
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Originally Posted by cfischer
such a silly policy to exclude 1K. Well ... more bookings this weekend on UA codeshare LH operated in C-class with a 95% chance my UG to F will clear. No-brainer. Thanks UA for not even making me think about booking UA metal
If you were GS booking last minute tickets, you'd be very happy with the policy. Make GS happy at the expense of 1K being unhappy is an easy business decision.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 12:50 pm
  #462  
 
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Originally Posted by PrivatePilot
Sorry I wasnt clear. The options are:

1. Fly on the united first seat (2K) from BRU - IAD on a 777-200. However, I will have to wait 2+ hours in IAD and then take a ERJ back to EWR.

2. Fly direct BRU - EWR on a non-retrofitted 777-200 which has the 2-2-2 business cabin. Seat 5E is available which is a nice seat offering a lot of privacy since there is the crew rest next to you and the closet on the other side.

So the question for those that experienced both seats is if it is worth the extra hassle for the united first seat considering this will likely be the last chance to try it. Or am I not really missing that much vs the hassle of a layover/ connection? I am also not even 1K anymore and only have that seat as I booked/ selected in Jan when I was 1K. The rest of the cabin is 2-4-2 which I hate.
If you have never tried a GF seat, do it if you can. You will be able to tell your grandchildren that airplane seats used to be very comfortable and spacious.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 1:04 pm
  #463  
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Originally Posted by PrivatePilot
Sorry I wasnt clear. The options are:

1. Fly on the united first seat (2K) from BRU - IAD on a 777-200. However, I will have to wait 2+ hours in IAD and then take a ERJ back to EWR.

2. Fly direct BRU - EWR on a non-retrofitted 777-200 which has the 2-2-2 business cabin. Seat 5E is available which is a nice seat offering a lot of privacy since there is the crew rest next to you and the closet on the other side.

So the question for those that experienced both seats is if it is worth the extra hassle for the united first seat considering this will likely be the last chance to try it. Or am I not really missing that much vs the hassle of a layover/ connection? I am also not even 1K anymore and only have that seat as I booked/ selected in Jan when I was 1K. The rest of the cabin is 2-4-2 which I hate.
For that trip, I would just go with the direct flight. Reason is: if they just change your flight to another configuration and change back to the configuration with the former first class, you'll most probably lose that 2K seat and there's low chances that you'll get it back and some chances that you'll get a middle seat in the group of 4 seats. And that flight is kind of short.

If both choices had a connection then I would risk it. That's what I'm doing for my next trip to Europe where I have to connect through ORD and either through FRA (with the First Class seats) or EWR (no First Class seats as it's a 763). When I booked my flight, I could choose a good seat in First Class so I'm connecting through FRA. Maybe I'll regret that choice when I lose my First Class seat but at this point it would cost me too much to switch to the flight connecting through EWR.
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Old Feb 16, 2019, 5:52 pm
  #464  
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Originally Posted by 747FC
If you have never tried a GF seat, do it if you can. You will be able to tell your grandchildren that airplane seats used to be very comfortable and spacious.
I tend to agree - if it's for the once-in-a-lifetime factor rolling the dice could be worth it. Having flown in the GF seat in my life, I would take the nonstop in 2-2-2. IAD transfer to an E45 sounds painful.
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Old Feb 17, 2019, 7:21 am
  #465  
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Originally Posted by Live4Upgrade
If you were GS booking last minute tickets, you'd be very happy with the policy. Make GS happy at the expense of 1K being unhappy is an easy business decision.
$70k on 016 tickets last year ... no junk change either

I see the point, but I am actively booking away from UA metal because of it ... will a GS book away from UA metal? The GS I know won't ... for the better or worse.
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