When United introduces its new Boeing 787-9 business class next year, flying first from San Francisco to London and Singapore, row 1 will have extra space and extra perks like better wine, amenities and bedding. Customers paying extra for row 1 will be able to use Global Services check-in a possibly even get tarmac transfers on tight connections, though this is not guaranteed.

Before this happens, though, it seems like United has been expanding its capacity for tarmac transfers and to process passengers through Global Services check-in.

• We’ve seen United expand tarmac transfers on a surprise and delight basis to economy customers who are top frequent flyers.

  

• And we’ve seen business class customers invited on a case-by-case basis to use Global Services check-in, too.

  

There have been scattered reports of Global Services for a Day treatment, and invitations to use Global Services check-in. The narrative there was,

Global Reception is for [Global Services] “soon for Polaris Studio passengers and invited 1K members.”

A reader who is a MileagePlus 1K, flying Newark to San Francisco in paid business class, received a text inviting him to Newark’s Global Services check-in:

He describes, “This is an old school Polaris ticket (not fancy row 1) – high fare class (J class) to 1K. See..below, welcoming to global services for the day…”

United customers – usually “1K” top elites, flying paid business class – have been reporting extra ‘surprise and delight’ experiences usually reserved for the airline’s truly top Global Services customers who either influence big corporate contracts or spend $60,000 or more a year with the airline (though required amounts vary).