Aircraft changes to premium transcon flights; widebody to narrow or nonlayflat
May 2, 2020, 6:15 pm
#62
Moderator: United Airlines
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COVID-19 UA inflight service changes
Beverage changes for all flights
We will only offer sealed beverages and we will no longer offer ice, coffee and tea service, and poured alcohol. Instead of pouring you water from a large bottle, we’ll provide sealed individual water bottles. In premium cabins, we will offer beer and individual wines. Flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes will only have beverages on request.
....
Food changes for premium transcontinental flights
If you’re flying in United Economy or Economy Plus®, you’ll be offered a snack choice. Customers in the premium cabin will receive their packaged meal with their entrée choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.
We will only offer sealed beverages and we will no longer offer ice, coffee and tea service, and poured alcohol. Instead of pouring you water from a large bottle, we’ll provide sealed individual water bottles. In premium cabins, we will offer beer and individual wines. Flights under 2 hours and 20 minutes will only have beverages on request.
....
Food changes for premium transcontinental flights
If you’re flying in United Economy or Economy Plus®, you’ll be offered a snack choice. Customers in the premium cabin will receive their packaged meal with their entrée choice covered and will be offered a packaged snack for pre-arrival.
May 3, 2020, 9:33 am
#63
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Without scrolling through, just curious - are the ex p.s. flights still catered with a meal in F, or no meal at all (like other domestic flights).
May 3, 2020, 10:19 am
#64
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May 3, 2020, 2:42 pm
#65
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: NYC
Programs: UA Platinum
Posts: 66
Flight has been booked and I’m not showing on the upgrade list. Thoughts on using 20 plus points to upgrade? Considerations:
Pros:
Cons:
For what it’s worth, I have 40 PP and historically haven’t had success using them on my typical EWR-LAX/SNA/SFO routes. Used last years on a non-PS transcon and a midcon in January before they expired.
Thanks
Pros:
- Potentially greater social distance - economy is fairly full given the circumstances (first is booked 2/12 with 2 on upgrade list)
- Meal
- Beer / Wine available
- Potentially more comfortable seat (haven’t flown A319 in first before)
Cons:
- Would likely have row to myself in E+
- Pretty weak use of plus points relative to normal lay flat seating
For what it’s worth, I have 40 PP and historically haven’t had success using them on my typical EWR-LAX/SNA/SFO routes. Used last years on a non-PS transcon and a midcon in January before they expired.
Thanks
May 3, 2020, 3:25 pm
#66
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: Continental Onepass, Hilton, Marriott, USAir and now UA
Posts: 6,440
Flight has been booked and I’m not showing on the upgrade list. Thoughts on using 20 plus points to upgrade? Considerations:
Pros:
Cons:
For what it’s worth, I have 40 PP and historically haven’t had success using them on my typical EWR-LAX/SNA/SFO routes. Used last years on a non-PS transcon and a midcon in January before they expired.
Thanks
Pros:
- Potentially greater social distance - economy is fairly full given the circumstances (first is booked 2/12 with 2 on upgrade list)
- Meal
- Beer / Wine available
- Potentially more comfortable seat (haven’t flown A319 in first before)
Cons:
- Would likely have row to myself in E+
- Pretty weak use of plus points relative to normal lay flat seating
For what it’s worth, I have 40 PP and historically haven’t had success using them on my typical EWR-LAX/SNA/SFO routes. Used last years on a non-PS transcon and a midcon in January before they expired.
Thanks
You will get better value bringing your own sandwich, asking for a bottle of water (hopefully cool), and stretching out in an entire row of E+, thereby maintaining better social distancing from your neighbors.
Up front, you cannot stretch out in standard F seats, maintain better social distancing or eat any better than what your bringing on board for yourself would provide. (I would maintain worse).
Before Covid, flying was a sometimes miserable experience alleviated by flying a PS route. Covid just magnified the miserable by eliminating any of the PS benefits (which we paid dearly for). The only good Covid did was to drive off 90% of the traffic so you at least can maintain some semblance of social distancing on and off-board the plane while traveling.
May 3, 2020, 3:32 pm
#67
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Chicago
Posts: 1,161
Why would you waste the points??
You will get better value bringing your own sandwich, asking for a bottle of water (hopefully cool), and stretching out in an entire row of E+, thereby maintaining better social distancing from your neighbors.
Up front, you cannot stretch out in standard F seats, maintain better social distancing or eat any better than what your bringing on board for yourself would provide. (I would maintain worse).
Before Covid, flying was a sometimes miserable experience alleviated by flying a PS route. Covid just magnified the miserable by eliminating any of the PS benefits (which we paid dearly for). The only good Covid did was to drive off 90% of the traffic so you at least can maintain some semblance of social distancing on and off-board the plane while traveling.
You will get better value bringing your own sandwich, asking for a bottle of water (hopefully cool), and stretching out in an entire row of E+, thereby maintaining better social distancing from your neighbors.
Up front, you cannot stretch out in standard F seats, maintain better social distancing or eat any better than what your bringing on board for yourself would provide. (I would maintain worse).
Before Covid, flying was a sometimes miserable experience alleviated by flying a PS route. Covid just magnified the miserable by eliminating any of the PS benefits (which we paid dearly for). The only good Covid did was to drive off 90% of the traffic so you at least can maintain some semblance of social distancing on and off-board the plane while traveling.
May 3, 2020, 4:37 pm
#68
Suspended
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Posts: 50,262
Value is always subjective. Many people would prefer the extra pitch in domestic F to the possibility of an extra seat or two in Y.
Agreed that the soft product in whatever class, is no longer meaningful. It's going to be that way for a long time until carriers figure out what the future holds.
Agreed that the soft product in whatever class, is no longer meaningful. It's going to be that way for a long time until carriers figure out what the future holds.
May 3, 2020, 4:51 pm
#69
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: NYC (Primarily EWR)
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Posts: 9,005
Personally - depends on when the flight is. If it is sooner, you will probably get CPU'ed anyways (I think most of the A319s have 12F now). If not...you will undoubtedly get your whole row in Y to sleep in. I wouldn't really care much one way or another nowadays.
May 3, 2020, 5:08 pm
#70
Moderator: United Airlines
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May 4, 2020, 3:00 am
#71
Join Date: Apr 2020
Location: New York City
Programs: UA Silver, CX Green
Posts: 8
I am planning to fly from LAX to EWR in business on 5/19. How likely is United going to swap the 737 for the 787? I am thinking of rescheduling to 6/4 because I want to fly the true Polaris instead of a recliner lazy boy chair. Is the 787 at risk of being removed form 6/4 as well? Please let me know your thoughts.
May 4, 2020, 6:58 am
#72
Join Date: Nov 2014
Programs: UA 2MM
Posts: 1,679
I am planning to fly from LAX to EWR in business on 5/19. How likely is United going to swap the 737 for the 787? I am thinking of rescheduling to 6/4 because I want to fly the true Polaris instead of a recliner lazy boy chair. Is the 787 at risk of being removed form 6/4 as well? Please let me know your thoughts.
May 5, 2020, 3:32 pm
#73
Join Date: Apr 2015
Programs: United Global Services, Amtrak Select Executive
Posts: 4,098
I am planning to fly from LAX to EWR in business on 5/19. How likely is United going to swap the 737 for the 787? I am thinking of rescheduling to 6/4 because I want to fly the true Polaris instead of a recliner lazy boy chair. Is the 787 at risk of being removed form 6/4 as well? Please let me know your thoughts.
May 7, 2020, 2:20 am
#74
Join Date: Sep 2011
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May 7, 2020, 9:28 am
#75
Join Date: Dec 2014
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Starting Sunday (May 10) the late EWR to LAX has been swapped to a 787-8. UA changed the May 10th flight Thursday right after I grabbed a seat. What a pleasant surprise!