jef7

Excellent report as219! I am jealous that you finally got to try the new seat and it's apparent that the 10 hours of quality time allowed both of you (and the seat!) to get to know each other .

With regards to privacy and separation from seatmate, I have often wondered why a privacy screen was not incorporated into the design. Still, these seats promise to be a wonderful upgrade to the current offering and for sure, based on your report alone that when it comes to C cabin, the 767 is definitely one of the aircrafts to be ^

as219

Two reasons that I can think of. One is that as I noted, the divider between the seats is narrow enough as it is. Not sure that the mechanism to make it a dividing screen would fit. The second, and more likely, reason is that the shell of the seat provides a great deal of privacy when the seat is in the bed mode. The only time you'd need it would be when in the seated position, but then of course it's less necessary.

iluv2fly

My flight did indeed have the new configuration.

Mini report:

AVOD was good. Not great. Still some kinks in the system. Can watch and listen anytime during and before the flight. ^

F seat was okay - not great. Actually, it felt more cramped than the current F suite. You can't just adjust the back with adjusting the whole seat - not good. A bit narrower than the current F suites, IMHO. Take away the video screen, and you have an inferior product to the current F suites (save for the fact that these are newer and the cushions have some life to them).

And there is a shoulder belt that must be worn during taxi, takeoff and landing. Not very comfortable. I was told that the FAA required it because the seats do not face forward (they are at a slight angle).

UnitedSkies

Thanks for the review - there have been many reviews of the new C here, but few reviews of the new F, so this is a good first look.

Perhaps you can downgrade to C on the way back from LHR to try that out too.

iluv2fly

You know me - like that might ever happen...

Mrp Alert

UA 17 on 8 Jun 2008 was the new config 767-300. The folks in F & C were loving their upgrades. I was in 20K which had the arm style lift up IFE unit as compared to the seatback model found in non-exit row seats. As I lifted it to show it to my seat mate, the LCD screen came off in my hand. MX had to duct tape it down which added another 30 minutes to our existing delay. A JFK CSA offered me a CR1 ^ for the inconvenience of what turned out to be a ~ 9 hour flight sans IFE . IFE is not AVOD, but worked at the other seats as well as it normally does on the 777s.

It is a nice looking plane. Interestingly, the painted over one of the smoke alarm seals in the rear lavs. I laughed, but I doubt a non-Fter would even have noticed.

worldtrav

I agree about the shoulder belt, I found it very uncomfortable too, couldn't wait to take it off. In fact, I don't remember being told it was ok to take it off so I disconnected it pretty soon after take off and left the lap belt on.

I don't agree about the feeling of it being cramped, I think it comes from the more private feel of the suite. Just my 0.02c of course.

iluv2fly

I was in 1A so I was facing the FA in her jump seat. As soon as the wheels were up, I disconnected the belt. She saw me doing it and smiled. She said nothing to the contrary to me during the flight - and she was an ex-Pan Am purser who did everything by the book (she was fantastic). I equated it to being able to put your seat back when the plane leaves the ground.

Also on the current F suite, you can lower the side which allows you to get out very easily when the bed is extended and gives you more room. In the new F seat, you cannot do that. Another negative IMHO.

filmwill

sorry if i'm repeating something that's already been answered (did a search and couldn't find much)--but anyone know what international planes/routes these seats are implemented on?

considering an LAX/NRT/BKK ticket for later in the year and wondering what the possibility of these C class seats being available on those routings were.

seems like they'd only be on the 747s which are hit and miss between LAX and NRT--sometimes a 747, sometimes a 777.

cstead

What makes the config different from the herringbone config? Theres no uncomfy shoulder harness with those and you can even take off reclining. Not to mention UA old F is at an angle

iluv2fly

Confused here. What do you mean? There is no UA aircraft where you can take off in a reclining position.

UnitedSkies

The OP was comparing "traditional" seats with the herringbone seats that some other airlines are using. Apparently with those seats, you are permitted to recline during takeoff.

Thunderroad

Great and very useful review! Thanks! Any particular seats you'd recommend or caution against in C in this new configuration? I'd imagine seatguru might have this, but still would be interested in your opinion.

Does anyone know what the reason is for the forward/backward configuration? I recall seeing something about this some time ago, but now I can't find it.

as219

First of all, unless a window view is really important to you, and assuming a full cabin, you clearly want a seat in the center (i.e., C or H seats). Unimpeded aisle access and no one climbing over you while you sleep.

Of the CH seats, I'd pass on 9CH only because (a) there's more lav/galley traffic going by and (b) part of the view is the entire Y cabin (see my pics for a taste of this). I found it a bit unerving to peek out the side of my suite to see a dozen people staring back at me in Y.

At that point, it's a question of whether you want forwards or backwards -- 6CH and 8CH are forward facing, 7CH (and 9CH) are backwards-facing. Other than for takeoff and landing, there really was no difference -- once at altitude, I found them to be exactly the same.

The only other pair worth a mention is 10JK. As you can see from SeatGuru, it's the lonely pair next to the galley. Although it has some benefits in terms of solitude, I think they're outweighed by their proximity to the lav/galley. I would pick almost any other seat.

That said, all the seats are good in the sense that no one reclines into your space and every one has the same amount of space.

It gives extra legroom -- about 10 inches I think. The footwells "interlock" and veer slightly to the left. The only way to achieve this effect is to have alternating backwards/forwards seats.

1kBill

NZ does allow one to recline the C seat during takeoff and/or landing. Could the restrictions in UA be an FAA rules-for-USA-carriers thing?