Eric2203

I flew SFO-TPE and back this month in PP.

I enjoyed the extra room and, unlike Economy, my butt didn't start hurting after a couple of hours. The leg-rest is nice. The foot-rest is OK, but why do we have to first push it up in order to deploy it? If you have anything in the front pocket, it prevents the foot-rest from being pushed up the whole way and therefore being able to lower it to use it. Makes no sense. (PS: I was not in a bulkhead seat, obviously.)

What also doesn't make sense is where the audio jack, USB port and AC outlets are located. It's practically impossible to plug anything in them without getting up, even if you know that the armrest flips up, which most people don't. I rank that design decision as idiotic. Yes, idiotic. This is clearly designed by someone who doesn't use their own product.

There are no instructions for anything. I showed people where the audio jack was and that the armrest flips up for better access. I wouldn't have known, had I not read this forum thread prior to flying. I didn't know you could lower the armrest, for example, until I re-read this thread this morning. Why can't they include a small laminated sheet in the pocket with the magazine and safety card that explains all of this? Is that too much to ask?

There is definitely a camera on the screen. It is however covered up with a black label. I think I remember reading another thread about this - not specific to UA, but to the vendor (Panasonic, was it?). Glad it's covered up.

Something I haven't seen mentioned in this thread: the tray table has a flip-up portion so that you can lean a phone or tablet (or book?) against it. That's nice. The hinge is strong enough that it feels as if it can sustain the weight of an iPad Pro. I didn't try it though. And you don't need to fully open the tray table to use that: opening the first half is sufficient (although a full-size iPad may require the tray table to be fully deployed since it's a wide device).

Random finding: my silverware was out of the plastic dinner tray and sitting on the actual tray table coming out of the seat, which is how I noticed that the tray table is magnetized. The silverware would be attracted to the tray table. Pure luck that I noticed and I've also not seen that mentioned here. I do question having a magnet where someone may have a laptop with a mechanical hard drive, however...

The armrest with the jacks/outlets can be extended a little: push in on the forward-facing portion of the armrest and it pops out. It's barely big enough for a glass and I'd be worried about spilling it, so it seems fairly useless.

In my opinion, the food isn't much to write home about. I'd rather have better food in paper/plastic dishes than have silverware and barely upgraded economy food. But what do I know?... Oh, the ice cream was so cold as to be inedible on the return flight to SFO.

Someone on my return flight had an issue where the armrest would stay lowered and not come back up. Not good if it's already breaking. Unless the FAs didn't know that it could be lowered and maybe using the switch would have fixed that.

You do get slippers, a nice blanket and pillow, and an amenity kit. I like the slippers: it won't be my socks that are getting stained by other people's bodily fluids in the bathroom...

I never got the almonds, on either flight. I did find a bottle of water at my seat on the return leg to SFO when I boarded. Nice alternative to the blue cup in my opinion, and it's more water than in a cup. Plus it was nice and cold.


Overall, I'd say it's probably worth the upgrade, but it can get a little expensive for what it is (in my opinion).

GRB051111

I find that flap very puzzling. It's way too small to hold a book. There's nothing on the flat tabletop to really hold a tablet in place. On one of the recent flights, my seatmate and I spent five solid minutes debating the motivation(s) behind the flap.

BrianUA800

@Eric2203

If you have the photo of the menu or the meal itself, it will be very much appreciated, in particular for TPE->SFO.
I have seen a lot of pictures ex-US, Japan,, and maybe HKG, but have not seen anything from TPE yet.

mcrw00

EWR764

Short answer: yes. Premium Plus is not offered as a distinct class of service in the domestic market (yet).

Even international, if Premium Plus isn't being sold as a separate class of service, the seats are considered E+. The only routes selling PP currently are the slate of markets announced in late 2018. As more 767s and 777s have re-entered the fleet with PP seats, they are appearing on lots more flights than just those in the release, but that won't be for long. I would expect UA to roll out a bunch of new PP markets for the IATA winter schedule, starting in late October.

WineCountryUA

It is going to be sometime before UA has the needed fleet of PP aircraft dedicated to a domestic route.

Eric2203

coolbeans202

I just flew EWR-BRU in PP and figured I would share my thoughts. I was seated in 22L (787-10) with the seat next to me empty (as was over half the cabin). For context I’m 6’2” and 190ish. I’d been in the seats once previously on IAD-SFO but this was my first time experiencing the full PP service:
dfhdf

• I found the seat plenty comfortable. The padding is a little hard, but I imagine it will get better with use. Leg room is adequate. I’m a leg crosser so if I can do that comfortably, I’m golden. The arm rest could be a little bigger but to me not rubbing shoulders is the most important thing. The AVOD screen is big enough.

• The leg and footrests are little awkward, especially given that the footrest only drops a couple of inches. At first, I thought it was broken, but looked around and realized that’s just as far as it goes. That said, after some fidgeting around I grew to like it. I like to sleep on my side and curl up a bit and the footrest is conducive to that once you figure it out.

• The under-seat storage blows. I don’t think my backpack is that big, but it does not fit under the seat in front of me. It’s not that big of a deal given that there are less people in the cabin fighting for overhead space. There’s also space behind row 22 between the seat and bulkhead.

• I don’t have a basis of comparison for the service, but it seemed to be…lacking. There was no menu (is that still a thing?), no almonds, no pre departure water. I get that this isn’t business, but it’d be nice if there was a little extra beyond the normal Y service. An extra drink pass, or refill, or something. I’m not hard to please, sling me an extra wine and I’ll give you 5 stars. This was the area that I felt needed the most improvement, but maybe I just had a bad crew.

• The food. I had the ravioli with some sort of root vegetable and green stalky thing. It looked terrible, smelled bad, but tasted pretty good. Appearance aside, the food is an improvement over Y and a plus. Breakfast was the “egg” thing identified earlier in the thread but also tasted decent. In both cases I was given a choice, chicken was the other dinner option and cereal for breakfast. I’m not hard to please and will eat nearly anything, I just want enough of it. So, check.

I have a PP flight in September flying from NRT-EWR so it will be nice to get another data point and get a sense of seat comfort on a much longer flight. If economy were staying 3-3-3 on the 777, I would probably stick with a that over paying extra for PP, but, for whatever reason the difference between 18” and 17” seat width is like heaven and hell, and the 787 is pretty miserable if the middle seat is occupied. Shoulder space to me is everything and if the pricing isn’t terrible, I’ll definitely purchase PP in the future. Or, I’ll hit MM in October and then will care so much less about UA metal.


The window seat armrest is fixed and does not lower (at least on the 78J). I don't really understand why they wouldn't just have both arm rests go down.

Aussienarelle

Actually on my PP flight in May the FA used it to keep the tray in place. I do not remember if it was to stop it sliding forward or put it down on the cloth (I have been many planes recently so all a bit of a blur) but my thought at the time was ah - so that is the purpose of that bit of the tray. 🤩

GRB051111

If that's the intended function, the design should also be adopted in the Polaris tray table as well, shouldn't it?

WineCountryUA

Question about a PP fare basis, such as
RLX87NCV/PYUP

What does the PYUP imply?

Silver Fox

That you will have to PonY UP a lot of money?

fumje

I think it is analogous to the -UP fares for domestic F, applied to Premium 'Y'. Although I think others understand the differential pricing strategy better than I, so perhaps someone else can add more colour to that.

edit add: are all R fares PYUP?

freeagent

larryw

I have read reviews saying that the aisle armrest in premium plus can be lowered, but I have flown in these seats twice and couldn't find a way to do so. Has anyone been able to lower it? As someone with mobility issues, I found the high, rigid armrests made getting in and out of the seat really painful, especially when the seat in front is lowered. I also found the seat controls really hard to reach, and there don't seem to be any instructions for using them. As others have mentioned, the seat cushions are really uncomfortable, and for a large person such as myself you need to recline your seat almost completely to use the tray table. The extra width is great, but overall my experience was underwhelming.