swiss_global

I must admit I'm not a regular user of domestic flights in the US. Arguably, I'm commercially irrelevant for US carriers ...

But anyway, I was negatively surprised flying UA First today from YVR to SFO. It's lightyears away from AC Business, not to mention Asian carriers in Business - let alone First. But also comparing it to AA Domestic First - my only other recent experience with dometic First in the US - is clear win for AA. Just a few impressions:

- Gate agent: Couldn't enter my FFP on UA ... I beg you pardon, Sir?
- Cleaning/grooming of acft: I don't think the UA aircraft had seen a vacuum cleaner this year ... AC and AA, could both also be better, but at least lavatories definitely cleaned before flight.
- Food offering: Menu on AA and AC, no clue what's on offer on UA.
- Food quality: Selection (!) of nicely cooked meals on AA and AC, a sticky hot sandwich on UA.
- Wine: Nice selection of premium wines on AA and AC, just one white and one red "housewine" on UA.
- IFE: Individual on AA (some acft) and AA (all). Not individual and also with broken audio track on UA.

May be I was just a bit unlucky with UA today. But this clearly wasn't First Class, not even Business, from a global perspective not even Economy.

FriendlySkies

That what you get on airlines with domestic First. I've not flown AC C, so I'm not sure of their product. Are you comparing Intl C to domestic F?

As far as the menu, UA only offers those on p.s. (transcon JFK-SFO/LAX) flight in F & C.. Sorry that a domestic F product did not have that.

flyinbob

Unfortunately international premium cabins in no way resemble domestic cabins, even though some domestic routes are longer than international flights. Domestic F is almost what coach used to be years ago, and few airlines have domestic C anymore. UA only has it regularly on JFK to LAX or SFO.

mauiUAflyer

If you compare it with what passes for "business class" intra-Europe, you won't be disappointed.

I'm thinking about the LH flights (or BA for that matter) that I've taken between European cities. The US domestic first is a better hard product IME. Soft product varies.

mahasamatman

And SFO-ORD and LAX-IAD.

SFflyer123

Look at LH business intra-Europe. It's even worse than UA's domestic first. LH's "domestic" intra-europe business class is just economy class with the middle seat blocked. That is what you're flying on UA (the LH equivalent of intra-Europe flights), since Canada is not "long haul" international.

UA domestic first:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7DxH3D4JK30

UA international business:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_k8oTrfj3s

The difference is obvious. You cannot compare international UA business with domestic UA first just as you cannot compare international LH business with "domestic" intra-europe LH business.

garykung

CO has even worse.

I took a domestic F yesterday (about 3 hours of flight time) - No food at all.

toyotaboy95

Don't look down on European airlines' Business Class, some are actually very good, especially Aeroflot (shocking, isn't it?).

HKG_Flyer1

It looks like the comparison was also somewhat distorted by a comparing a relatively "short haul" UA flight to a transcontinental premium service AA flight (all of the advantages you score to AA are only offered on their New York - L.A. and New York - San Francisco service)-- short haul AA product is just as dismal as UA.

ORDnHKG

It seems like you are not comparing all three carriers on the same route YVR-SFO, as I can say there is no menus on AC as well on the same route. AA only has menus on transcontintental route, and AC don't even have menus on their longer YVR-YYZ either. I had a cold meal and no choice on AC's YVR-SFO. IFE is also on some aircraft on UA just like AA.

I don't know what global perspective you have, if you rate UA 's domestic first so low, then how would you rate intra europe flights like with BA, LH, AZ, SK, LX etc using economy seats only block the middle and called it business class ?

sfo

I use UA YVR SFO YVR many times a year and have always been upgraded to 1st. I find the food ok, cabin clean and washrooms clean, I see no problem with their inflight service or the condition of the aircraft.

bniu

but those are watered down domestic C products.

As for service, it's p.s. Domestic F >> p.s. Domestic C >> Domestic F >> Domestic C

on SFO-ORD and LAX-IAD, why doesn't UA just throw in the towel and simply sell the C and F cabins together as Domestic F?

btw, the intl cabins flying some domestic routes doesn't count as regular domestic premium cabins.

ORDnHKG

Because they can sell and charge 3 class F and C more than 2 class F.

You could ask the same thing why does it have ps F and ps C ?

StingWest

That's true, but the food is better on LH in business, and the service is rapid and friendly (although UA's can be too sometimes). My favorite part though was on LH recently, where the aircraft was a brand new Airbus 320 (I think). I actually saw the stewardess wipe some hand prints off the overhead bin, and with an air of obvious pride!

CASAFlyer

UA is offering UDU to domestic first. LH only does op-ups... In addition, while I agree than food is better, the seat pitch is still terrible for tall people.