Winter 2019-2020 EWR-HKG back to non-polaris seating 772? (Now 77W - Polaris w/ PP)
Aug 2, 2019, 11:05 am
#31
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: CVG
Programs: Delta - PM / MM, UA 1K Starwood-Gold
Posts: 451
Actually, I think they are selling Premium Economy on EWR-HKG. I have someone booked in PE on that route late August. And paid extra for it
Aug 2, 2019, 11:17 am
#32
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
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Just doing some back-of-the-envelope calculations, by the time the winter schedule goes into effect (EWR-HKG to 772 from 77W), UA should have 8-9 modded sCO 772ER in service, with two more in mod, leaving 10-12 to be retrofit. That should be sufficient to dedicate the new configuration (with Premium Plus) to the HKG route at least, with ample redundancy.
In the coming weeks, I suspect we'll see a whole slate of additional routes offering premium economy for sale, effective the W19/20 schedule. EWR-LHR is already one.
In the coming weeks, I suspect we'll see a whole slate of additional routes offering premium economy for sale, effective the W19/20 schedule. EWR-LHR is already one.
Aug 2, 2019, 11:18 am
#33
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That doesn't mean that they won't end up using an aircraft with PE seating, but they're not obligating themselves to do so at this point.
Aug 2, 2019, 11:19 am
#34
Join Date: May 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,755
That is assuming they are going to sell every single economy seat in the old config.
Aug 2, 2019, 11:29 am
#35
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If they are going to swap the new config Polaris to the fall 2019/ early 2020 EWR - HKG flights, I understand the # of business class are the same on both the pmCO diamond seats and the new config Polaris which is 50. What about the reduced Economy seats on the newly config Polaris which might cause a over book situation, since now they are selling in the old pmCO economy seats, which have a lot more than the new config of the B777-200.
Aug 2, 2019, 12:31 pm
#36
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, AA, DL
Posts: 7,418
Well, the EWR-HKG route is currently covered with the 77W, the 777-300ER. These planes are only available with the Polaris / PE layout because they are relatively new to the fleet.
The sCO 772 resumes on this route on the westbound departure from EWR on 27-Oct-19, which is one day after the SFO/HKG route looses its 77W and goes to a Polaris 772 twice daily. While I'm sure the changes are related, I can't explain how SFO going from a 77W to 2X 772s causes EWR to loose its 77W. I would assume this is just the date for the fall schedules to go into effect.
Related to your question, since SFO/HKG is going to utilize 4 Polaris 772s (2 per day, both directions), and there are only 5 of them in service now, I would expect the sCO 772 and be delighted if a Polaris bird appears on your flight. Keep in mind that there will probably be a few more retrofitted by then, but the ones not dedicated to flights with PE service will be few and far between.
If you're really interested in flying in Polaris, the only way to guarantee that now is to do a connection in SFO.
The sCO 772 resumes on this route on the westbound departure from EWR on 27-Oct-19, which is one day after the SFO/HKG route looses its 77W and goes to a Polaris 772 twice daily. While I'm sure the changes are related, I can't explain how SFO going from a 77W to 2X 772s causes EWR to loose its 77W. I would assume this is just the date for the fall schedules to go into effect.
Related to your question, since SFO/HKG is going to utilize 4 Polaris 772s (2 per day, both directions), and there are only 5 of them in service now, I would expect the sCO 772 and be delighted if a Polaris bird appears on your flight. Keep in mind that there will probably be a few more retrofitted by then, but the ones not dedicated to flights with PE service will be few and far between.
If you're really interested in flying in Polaris, the only way to guarantee that now is to do a connection in SFO.
Aug 2, 2019, 12:36 pm
#37
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: New York, NY
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Correct... but I would caution anyone booking this flight now and angling for a P+ seat with an equipment swap. I wouldn't be surprised to see this go to a dedicated P+/Polaris bird once the schedule is finalized.
Aug 2, 2019, 1:21 pm
#38
Join Date: May 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,755
thanks.. do you know when is the winter schedule finalized, when is it effective from?
Aug 2, 2019, 3:25 pm
#39
Join Date: May 2007
Programs: UA 1K, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 5,447
Seems like UA will have some 77Ws on their hands to play around with. SFO-HKG is going away and will presumably be replaced by SFO-AKL (two frames each). Then you have, for now, EWR-HKG and SFO-LHR (901/900) losing the 77W too, IIRC. So EWR-HKG could well end back up on the 77W.
Aug 2, 2019, 9:29 pm
#40
Join Date: May 2005
Location: NYC
Posts: 1,755
Sometime in the next few weeks, one would think.
Seems like UA will have some 77Ws on their hands to play around with. SFO-HKG is going away and will presumably be replaced by SFO-AKL (two frames each). Then you have, for now, EWR-HKG and SFO-LHR (901/900) losing the 77W too, IIRC. So EWR-HKG could well end back up on the 77W.
Seems like UA will have some 77Ws on their hands to play around with. SFO-HKG is going away and will presumably be replaced by SFO-AKL (two frames each). Then you have, for now, EWR-HKG and SFO-LHR (901/900) losing the 77W too, IIRC. So EWR-HKG could well end back up on the 77W.
Looks like the EWR - HKG is back on 77W (777-300) with the new Polaris Config for the late fall/ early 2020 schedule. Strange though they have blocked all the P+ seats (i.e. not available for purchase), even though it is the new equipment. So they might still do an equip swap
Aug 3, 2019, 1:02 pm
#41
Join Date: Dec 2004
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Looks like the EWR - HKG is back on 77W (777-300) with the new Polaris Config for the late fall/ early 2020 schedule. Strange though they have blocked all the P+ seats (i.e. not available for purchase), even though it is the new equipment. So they might still do an equip swap
I'm guessing the inventory management system lags the equipment assignment a bit, and P+ buckets will show up soon.
Aug 3, 2019, 1:50 pm
#42
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2018
Programs: United MileagePlus
Posts: 128
Yep. My EWR-HKG flight in Feb 2020 is now 77W and Polaris Seating. I had to move the date one day to make it work as they cancelled the flight on the original day outbound. Thanks for the update!
Aug 3, 2019, 6:30 pm
#44
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,882
I was totally shocked to find my HKG-ORD tomorrow swapped from a CO772 to Polaris 777. I didn’t even realize it was something I should be watching for. Glad I caught it before all the good seats were taken.
(I was put in 4G)
(I was put in 4G)
Aug 3, 2019, 11:30 pm
#45
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