Ari

I have been "lobying" for this idea since 2005.

daron4000

I am flying on American from ORD-LAX tomorrow at 3:00 PM on one of their 767 with the new business class. Assuming that Gene's flight lands back from FRA on time at 1:30 Chicago time, I might be able to see some pics right before the flight. I would be happy to take some pictures so that we can have a really good side by side comparison of the hard products and thus will bring my camera with me tomorrow.

rch4u

Scheduled: 7:22 PM
Estimated: 7:40 PM
Reason: Schedule change due to Customer Service

Okay, which customers are being serviced?!?! C and F, I hope.

UAL1KFLYER

Yeah im sure the F & C pax are being serviced right now. It took an extra 20 mins. to brief all of them about the new seat features!

jason8612

I wonder if my comments when I tested the new IFE a bit ago was implemented...

NotThatTed

And they're off!

jef7

Understandably there's been a lot of buzz about the new C seats, but just browsing through the revamped premium cabin website and seeing more photos of the new F suites, I am even more impressed and excited to try these seats. They've certainly been modernized and appear to have become more private and so I am excited to hear more from our star FTer, Gene ^

Interesting new information about some of the additional improvements like shower access. Are they referring to Arrivals lounge? Or are showers coming to some of the clubs located atleast on the hubs? That would certainly be nice. Also First Class passengers by August enjoying 'a host of extra touches' making travel 'enjoyable and relaxing than ever dreamed possible'? Intriguing! Designer toiletries, PJs, limousine pick-up maybe?

UAL1KFLYER

I wish there was Internet on board the new flights so we could have a live web-cast of what is actually going on right now!! Gene could just set up his webcam up on his spacious UA First Suite. hehe

When is UA going to do this? I think AA is rolling out with this idea. I know in-flight internet was a flop with LH, but this would make international travel much more productive. But really.. 2008 is just around the corner. This should be already an option on our flights.

Ari

There appears to be an ethernet socket in the seat (see photo) . . . I'm sure it isn't activated though it may be wired for future [possible] use.

UAL1KFLYER

I'll cross my fingers! Hopefully it will be on the United Suite Dreams Timeline in the near future.

nnn

Ethernet? It should be wi-fi!

jason8612

on the suitedresms site
"standard 110v power outlets require no adapter*"

*devices purchased in the UK may require an adapter

UAL1KFLYER

I was just thinking... The flight arrives into FRA at 9:58am now. The return flight that Gene is on, UA953, is departing at 1100am. That doesn't give him much time to write a report for us!! The cleaning crew needs to work it out fast so they can turn that plane around and get it back to IAD.

jason8612

if he writes it on board, then he can just upload it in a few minutes. (He better! )

cepheid

Actually, ethernet would be preferable. Most WiFi access points will choke if there are more than 10-20 clients; even server-grade APs will experience severe slowdowns because the overhead of dealing with multiple clients (including dropped packets due to multiple nearby radios interfering with one another) eats bandwidth. This is especially true if the AP has to operate in mixed mode where the radio must constantly switch between .11b and .11g modes. In contrast, a server-grade switch can handle many tens of simultaneous connections without slowing down (because the connections are hardwired, bandwidth is higher [much higher for Gigabit switches], and there is no radio-induced delay or interference).

On an airplane, where "mobility" really isn't an issue (almost everyone using a laptop will just be sitting at their seat), operating on ethernet really isn't any less convenient for the passenger except that they must plug in a cord. If the airline can provide that cord (and there's no reason they can't if the system is actually deployed), then ethernet is essentially as convenient as WiFi in that circumstance and would offer a better (potentially much better) user experience than WiFi because of the reasons outlined above.

(Moreover, with ethernet there is no worry, founded or unfounded, about interference from untested, uncertified individual laptop radios. The airline would have to worry only about interference from its own transmitter; all the laptops would be connecting via ethernet, whose RF emissions are negligible. This means such a system could potentially be deployed much faster than a WiFi-based system, where FAA certification would require much more robust testing.)