UAL's IPTE (International Premium Travel Experience) - New C and F Cabins Update
 

Hello All -- Wanted to share with you an update on the rollout of IPTE:

IPTE modifications continue to progress as we have completed two of the three international fleets - with the 767 fleet (21 planes) completed in May and the 747 fleet (24 planes) set to be complete in October.

The B777 program is more complex than the B767 and B747 programs given the three different sub-fleets. Therefore, the first IPTE B777 conversion is being pushed back by a few months and we will start the work in February 2010. This also allows us to not start the conversions during the busy holiday travel period.

This decision will allow us to better manage our capital expenditure in 2009 – helping us maintain a stronger cash flow through Q4, which is our most challenging period.

We are developing a revised aircraft modification schedule, so it is too early to say when the full B777 modifications will be complete until we work out those details. We'll keep you updated.

Have a nice weekend all!

Good news, but how can you have completed two fleets when in the same line, you state the 2nd fleet won't be completed until Oct?

Do you know at what point the final 2 747's will be grounded or will those just be unconverted "misfists" in the system?

Also... what does "IPTE" stand for?

Spin.

This doesn't surprise me although I definitely would have liked it to happen on schedule considering my two UA airports KWI/DXB fly the 777 across the pond to IAD.

Oh well a year from now we will have several 777 to enjoy I hope.

International Premium Travel Experience

Happy to hear that there is a "Plan", very sad to hear that they won't be starting till 2/2010. So it will be almost 2 years (I think) after the original conversion started. You think they would have had plenty of time to figure out the 777 issue. I guess I will be avoiding them like the plague.

Installing Product Time Extended

I feel like groundhog day. UnitedPR comes back, and I get to fly other airlines' premium cabins instead of United for six more months ;)

777 Fleet Upgrade Postponed
 

from airliners.net

My guess is that it gets postponed indefinitely...

Why didn't UA install herringbone as their business product? I tried 2 products over the week--Air Canada and Air New Zealand business/herringbone and they were both far superior than UA's new business product.

What a shame. UA, if you are listening, change your product on the 777!

WOW! The only saving grace is we wont have "Will I be on a reconfig 777" threads for a few more months... ;)

I certainly hope you're right.

I too hope they will consider going with a herringbone pattern for the 777's. The 763's with 2-2-2 in C is quite manageable, however, with the planned 2-4-2 on the 777's I'd like to a more suitable configuration for getting access to the aisle.

A very optimistic prediction... ;)

I've flown on NZ and VS, both with the herringbone pattern, and don't see any material difference between UA's, other than the rear-facing seats.

I like the UA layout better for couples. It's difficult to sit "next" to someone in a herringbone config.