The E+ double benefit
 

Had somebody on PEK-SFO today. As reported the flight was light in the E+ section allowing many E+ pax to stretch out in 2 seats. My relative (a gifted PA) even got 3 seats across. Meanwhile E- was full.

So, besides the standard more legroom of E+ UA kept the section open for its premier members and whoelse allowed to ride up there. Needless to say I encountered a happy face / well-rested person at baggage claim!

Way to go UA! ^

Same on MUC to IAD today. E+ was a ghostown... I had 21H so no stretching out room needed, but they were offering the upsell for 115 US. No takers.

This never fails to stun me. So many leisure travellers seem to be about base price only, and won't toss out an extra penny to ensure comfort.

$115 USD is peanuts for a longhaul flight in E+. Personally, I don't mind if they don't buy it, as it means more empty middles for the rest of us, but it does show that base fare is all that many travellers consider, even at the expense of their own comfort

NRT>ORD June 8, 2008 E- full E+ empty selling E+ for Y157K not too many takers thankfully......I had row 24 middle all to myself!!!!!!!!.....was happy camper upon arrival.....even asked FA for seatbelt extension so I sleep comfortably......gentleman in row 23 also had to himself......my partner slept happily in 26A/B another happy camper.........sure glad they weren't upselling C as I would have bought........I even slept during noodles service but woke to the entire cabin smelling like chinese noodles

As opposed to my domestic flights being oversold or full and E- folks getting E+ at the gate. :td:

Methinks you may have misplaced a decimal. Surely the E+ buy-up wasn't over $1500.00?

What's really hysterical is that if the unwashed masses in E- would have done a little legwork, they could have gotten a sponsored 3P status for little or no trade by having one of their "friends" sponsor them.

I love FT.

I don't know... I do love the benefits of E+, but not sure I would pay the extra $$. I guess it would depend on the flight length. Not so much the amount that gets me, just the fact it's so easy (relatively speaking) to get for free.

OP said flight was NRT-ORD; there was no "$" only a "Y". Don't think too many keyboards possess a Yen symbol so this was a close as it's going to get.

I was on that flight also and the price was 15,700 JPY (US$150). I did see one person ask the GA about the "extra legroom" upsell. The GA looked at the BP and saw that the pax was already in E+. E- was almost full on that flight. I suspect this is part of the reason why the E+ to E- ratio is being changed in the new cabins. I don't think the C or F UFC were offered as both cabin were full. My upgrade cleared about 4 days before the flight. The C cabin crew had a couple of sour puss faced, rude, US based FAs.

There have been a couple times that E+ was so empty that I went back from C and took a nap in a whole row "E+ Suite (TM)"

I disagree that $115 is peanuts for E+ upsell, even for long hauls. I'm average height, and don't get much out of E+. I can see why someone 6 feet tall would appreciate it, but IMO there is really no advantage to E+ for those shorter than about 5 ft 9 or so.

Now, if UA also had *wider* seats for an extra $115, I'd consider it.

And we will have to agree to disagree, I suppose. I am about 5 feet 9 inches I believe, and I see a lot of value from Economy Plus. Besides the legroom, it is about personal space.

I haven't flown longhaul in the dreaded LH Economy cabin for years, but I have logged many miles in AC Economy, and I notice a great difference in those seats compared to Economy Plus.

For me, $115 is 'peanuts' for long haul. My personal comfort and well being is worth far more than that.

My point was that 157k yen would be over $1500.00. I think he meant Y15.7k, not Y157k.