Coming to the end of economy? United new business Polaris taking up 3/4 and I’m good with that

[Anonymous]

AI bots not boys!!!

[Anonymous]

Didn’t read the whole thread, but I REALLY doubt that United is going to shrink economy on most of their planes. What business grows by shrinking their customer base?

Not sure where the yield/profit is greater on airlines- premium seats up front, or cheaper seats in the back? I keep hearing where airlines really make their money is with credit cards.

I think United has a premium configured plane on a LAX-EWR route, but not sure if this still exists?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t read the whole thread, but I REALLY doubt that United is going to shrink economy on most of their planes. What business grows by shrinking their customer base?

Not sure where the yield/profit is greater on airlines- premium seats up front, or cheaper seats in the back? I keep hearing where airlines really make their money is with credit cards.

I think United has a premium configured plane on a LAX-EWR route, but not sure if this still exists?

They tend to use older model premium cabin planes on some of their longer domestic routes. I've been on them to LA and Denver recently. One even had lie flat seats but was in a 2-4-2 layout with no privacy in the row of 4. Definitely wouldn't work for international flights these days. It wasn't very premium, I think I was able to upgrade for $200.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the DCUM elite posts in the Travel section, this is perhaps the DCUMiest.

I do have a concern about this new plane interior, though: will it be more challenging to enjoy your privilege when there are so many of you enjoying it? Don’t you need a vast number of lesser travelers to feel special?

You still get to watch the "lesser thans" trudging back to economy! That gets the teeny peen tingling!

One nice thing about some of the larger planes is that there are separate entrances for business class and economy, so you don't have to do that awkward eye contact when they pass by. Lufthansa has a setup at Dulles where, if you are in the lounges, you can board directly onto the business class from there and never even have to see people in economy.

This is a weird attitude. I sometimes fly in economy, sometimes in business. It's all good. We are all people. I'm not made of gold when I fly business, nor made of shit when I fly economy.

Applies to so many posts on this thread. Thanks to the peeps making it fun. Love have smart you are. To the rest:

Where's the sarcasm? Lufthansa really does have this setup. And of course its purpose is to isolate high spenders from hoi polloi.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Of all the DCUM elite posts in the Travel section, this is perhaps the DCUMiest.

I do have a concern about this new plane interior, though: will it be more challenging to enjoy your privilege when there are so many of you enjoying it? Don’t you need a vast number of lesser travelers to feel special?

You still get to watch the "lesser thans" trudging back to economy! That gets the teeny peen tingling!

One nice thing about some of the larger planes is that there are separate entrances for business class and economy, so you don't have to do that awkward eye contact when they pass by. Lufthansa has a setup at Dulles where, if you are in the lounges, you can board directly onto the business class from there and never even have to see people in economy.

This is a weird attitude. I sometimes fly in economy, sometimes in business. It's all good. We are all people. I'm not made of gold when I fly business, nor made of shit when I fly economy.

Applies to so many posts on this thread. Thanks to the peeps making it fun. Love have smart you are. To the rest:

Where's the sarcasm? Lufthansa really does have this setup. And of course its purpose is to isolate high spenders from hoi polloi.

Sounds great. Next time you fly to Denver, fly Lufthansa. You might have to connect in Frankfurt or Munich, which is about 16 hours out of your way, but at least you won’t have to mix with the riff raff.

I realize PP and a lot of the comments are sarcasm. I don’t know which is sadder- hanging out on DCUM all day and trying to trigger people with sarcasm or just being stuck up?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just get rid of economy class on major airlines. Buses and low rate airlines can service these people.

This company only had business class seats and you never hear about fights or problems

Wasn't Midwest Express (RIP) all business class?

I flew Midwest Express once. I was a short flight- I think DCA to Omaha, but I remember it being pretty good. Big comfortable seats for everybody, ample legroom and warm chocolate chip cookies.

I don't remember the cookies, but I do remember the seats. So comfortable.

Yeah and they went out of business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t read the whole thread, but I REALLY doubt that United is going to shrink economy on most of their planes. What business grows by shrinking their customer base?

Not sure where the yield/profit is greater on airlines- premium seats up front, or cheaper seats in the back? I keep hearing where airlines really make their money is with credit cards.

I think United has a premium configured plane on a LAX-EWR route, but not sure if this still exists?

They tend to use older model premium cabin planes on some of their longer domestic routes. I've been on them to LA and Denver recently. One even had lie flat seats but was in a 2-4-2 layout with no privacy in the row of 4. Definitely wouldn't work for international flights these days. It wasn't very premium, I think I was able to upgrade for $200.

United is retiring these high density domestically configured 777s by the end of 2027.

https://simpleflying.com/when-united-airlines-retiring-aged-boeing-777-200s/

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t read the whole thread, but I REALLY doubt that United is going to shrink economy on most of their planes. What business grows by shrinking their customer base?

Not sure where the yield/profit is greater on airlines- premium seats up front, or cheaper seats in the back? I keep hearing where airlines really make their money is with credit cards.

I think United has a premium configured plane on a LAX-EWR route, but not sure if this still exists?

Yes they also fly that on SFO-EWR.

https://www.united.com/en/us/fly/travel/inflight/premium-transcontinental-service.html

All the planes on these routes have lie flat seats in business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wondered about the bad math but then I decided that the person meant 3/4ths of the visible space.

And fewer economy class passengers than there would have been even though they still outnumber premium payers.

I don't see value in the luxury of paying thousands more to be on the same conveyance with same arrival and departure times. But some people do get aches and pains from smaller seats.

I will pay double to avoid all the fighting and crazy people. It's also a better experience

I would pay double for that and an airline that allows no children under the age of ten.

agree, no children under 10 should be allowed in business class or higher unless they rent out the entire cabin

Wow- I always fly business regularly on united b/c Global Services and get upgraded everytime. There are often kids in business, and I've never had an issue once. What I have had issues multiple times w/ are drunk guys. You can see them a mile ahead b/c they're usually the ones drinking in the lounge regardless of the time of day. Then they ask for a drink the second they board. I've had a guy try to grope me and the worst was when someone not in my row got up during takeoff, ignored the flight attendant from her jumpseat yelling return to seat while he tried to run to the front bathroom. He didn't make it and threw up on me and the person across the aisle from me. I'd take a polaris full of babies, toddlers & kids over any of this.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Didn’t read the whole thread, but I REALLY doubt that United is going to shrink economy on most of their planes. What business grows by shrinking their customer base?

Not sure where the yield/profit is greater on airlines- premium seats up front, or cheaper seats in the back? I keep hearing where airlines really make their money is with credit cards.

I think United has a premium configured plane on a LAX-EWR route, but not sure if this still exists?

They tend to use older model premium cabin planes on some of their longer domestic routes. I've been on them to LA and Denver recently. One even had lie flat seats but was in a 2-4-2 layout with no privacy in the row of 4. Definitely wouldn't work for international flights these days. It wasn't very premium, I think I was able to upgrade for $200.

United is retiring these high density domestically configured 777s by the end of 2027.

https://simpleflying.com/when-united-airlines-retiring-aged-boeing-777-200s/

I have flown on the 777 between IAD and Denver multiple times. It's far from a premium cabin. If I remember correctly, it was pretty stripped down, which isn't a big deal since Denver is only a 3-4 hour flight.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just get rid of economy class on major airlines. Buses and low rate airlines can service these people.

This company only had business class seats and you never hear about fights or problems

Wasn't Midwest Express (RIP) all business class?

I flew Midwest Express once. I was a short flight- I think DCA to Omaha, but I remember it being pretty good. Big comfortable seats for everybody, ample legroom and warm chocolate chip cookies.

I don't remember the cookies, but I do remember the seats. So comfortable.

Yeah and they went out of business.

Don't know if providing a superior product was Midwest's downfall, but I enjoyed flying them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wondered about the bad math but then I decided that the person meant 3/4ths of the visible space.

And fewer economy class passengers than there would have been even though they still outnumber premium payers.

I don't see value in the luxury of paying thousands more to be on the same conveyance with same arrival and departure times. But some people do get aches and pains from smaller seats.

I will pay double to avoid all the fighting and crazy people. It's also a better experience

The only place I ever hear about crazy people on airplanes is on social media from strangers or anonymous accounts. I honestly think they’re just AI boys trying to sow discontent. I fly economy 100% of the time and have never encountered anything noteworthy, other than a man who used a headlamp to read on a red eye and kept lifting his head up to look around and basically blinding everyone. But even that? I mean the flight attendant just nicely asked him to stop. I didn’t even hear any audible complaints.

Sorry for having to deal with that, but I almost would have liked to have seen headlamp guy in person. Who the heck thinks that's reasonable anywhere, but specifically a red eye.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wondered about the bad math but then I decided that the person meant 3/4ths of the visible space.

And fewer economy class passengers than there would have been even though they still outnumber premium payers.

I don't see value in the luxury of paying thousands more to be on the same conveyance with same arrival and departure times. But some people do get aches and pains from smaller seats.

Agree but it really depends on your size. I’m short and thin. I don’t need more leg or elbow room. DH is tall and definitely needs more leg room. SIL is overweight, she definitely needs a bigger seat.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just get rid of economy class on major airlines. Buses and low rate airlines can service these people.

This company only had business class seats and you never hear about fights or problems

Wasn't Midwest Express (RIP) all business class?

I flew Midwest Express once. I was a short flight- I think DCA to Omaha, but I remember it being pretty good. Big comfortable seats for everybody, ample legroom and warm chocolate chip cookies.

I don't remember the cookies, but I do remember the seats. So comfortable.

Yeah and they went out of business.

Don't know if providing a superior product was Midwest's downfall, but I enjoyed flying them.

I flew them a few times (had an assignment in Milwaukee back then), by the end they were stripping out the bigger seats because they couldn't get enough of a fare premium for them. Eventually their small network meant they succumbed to the same issues other small airlines have- not a big enough network to offer a lot of options to enough customers. But they were already moving away from the premium product by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They should just get rid of economy class on major airlines. Buses and low rate airlines can service these people.

This company only had business class seats and you never hear about fights or problems

Wasn't Midwest Express (RIP) all business class?

I flew Midwest Express once. I was a short flight- I think DCA to Omaha, but I remember it being pretty good. Big comfortable seats for everybody, ample legroom and warm chocolate chip cookies.

I don't remember the cookies, but I do remember the seats. So comfortable.

Yeah and they went out of business.

Yup. Victim of the Great Recession.