United is promising to “reimagine the way United customers fly” in a big reveal June 2nd presented by airline CEO Oscar Munoz in New York.
Multiple sources said this will be Munoz’s biggest public event since he returned in late March from an extended medical leave after a heart attack and heart transplant.
I was invited to the event, dubbed an ‘interactive experience’ which could mean a great many things.
Aside from illy coffee in a few weeks, stroopwafels in coach and improved meals, much of what we know about what’s coming is either bad or disappointing.
Here are some of the disappointments:
- In the second half of the year we’ll see Basic Economy fares that take away benefits from elites
- We’ve got a new high density Boeing 777 for domestic routes (including Hawaii and Guam) that are 10-abreast in coach.
- There’s still the specter of revenue-based redemptions which were supposed to roll out (perhaps just as an add-on) in the second half of last year.
- A new business class seat that’s expected to offer a dense configuration albeit with aisle access at every seat.
United is keeping a tight lip on what it could be. Interactive, for an airline, usually means a chance to sit in a seat or try out inflight entertainment. Seeing the new seat could be a part of it, but you wouldn’t expect the airline’s CEO to present only that. It has to be part of a larger theme especially to live up to the hype. It’ll only be a week and a half until we find out!
They will surpass AA and DL in the total biz class package – not just considering the seat.
Gary,
If you get the chance please ask the United people about the logic behind gifting status to a bunch of their frequent fliers?
May who actually flew the miles now feel like their status has been effectively devalued.
As long as UA insists on having GF, BF will be packed tight, to force product differentiation. They should just drop the charade, get rid of GF, and do 1X2X1 business class seating like DL and AA have done.
One of the many reasons why UA’s premium cabin is a joke.
Everyone bashes the new 777 config. I’m loving the upgrade to lie flat across the Hawaii fleet.
Oh to be a fly on that wall (or to be in attendance) – Sounds like an interesting time! Of course, I only spent 3-4 years as a United 1K – I just got an e-mail from Oscar touting how great the food is. No status, no invite, nothing. But I’m ok with it, since American still has a few good months (if not year(s).
Prepare to be underwhelmed. At least you can enjoy the coffee and waffles.
Tell Oscar to dump United’s garbage slim line seats if he really wants his customers to reimagine flying. They cut the seat cushion length to make it appear like there is more leg room. I sent him a personal email about them but he never bothered to respond. Not only are they incredibly uncomfortable and like a park bench they are actually terrible for your leg circulation if you’re on a long flight and trapped in your seat. I am sure we will all be underwhelmed by his big announcement.
Yeah Mark, because the CEO of a major airline wants to personally reply to you.
JJ don’t be such a know it all. Jeff Smisek back in December 2013 wrote me back when I complained to him about the slow rollout of wifi at United.
Mark we are installing satellite WiFi on an aircraft per day. We have 700 aircraft, so it takes time
Best regards,
Jeff
Mark, with you on that one. Of all the changes the past few years, the ridiculous new slim line seats is the most egregious, they are simply torture on any flight over an hour. They need to go.
S
On the new 10 abreast layout, it looks like everyone’s head is right next to their neighbor’s ummm….midsection.