How are United?

[PRNAV1]

Hello people.

Just wonderd how they are in terms of service? Are cc friendly? Food any good? Are all their aircraft used for international Flts fitted with seat back tv's?
As much info as possible would be much appriciated as i'm flying with them from LHR-Vegas in April.

Thanx.

[slim_slag]

They are pretty much the best choice if travelling transatlantic regularly in cheap seats as you get to premier quite quick and then have access to economy plus. If an infrequent traveller then in general no worse or better than the rest, but with United you have a chance of getting economy plus at checkin which is a positive. You have to pay for booze, tv screens at each seat, channel 9 (live ATC) can be interesting. Depends if you like non-stop, virgin and bmi fly to vegas non-stop.

[phil_2405]

I flew United LHR-JFK and had no major problems but nothing to particularly shout about either!

[RevMan2]

Tired aircraft, tired (mostly chronologically gifted) but efficient crew, terrible food.
(And this is business class....)
I tend to take fruit, cheese and some upmarket snacks, plus bottled water and just use them for the transportation component if I can't avoid them

[outnumbered]

In flight entertainment and the actual seats in Economy and Business are roughly equivalent to BA or Virgin about 10 years ago. Their 777s have seat back video (some of their 747s don't!), but the quality of the films on offer is low. Economy class food is absolutely terrible.

So, Economy Plus (standard economy seats but with a longer pitch) is the only reason I continue to use United. I'm very tall, and my company's Economy-only travel policy means this is the most comfortable transatlantic option for me.

If I fitted in a standard Economy seat, I would fly with someone else.

[Departures Beckham]

I'm in agreement with the above, so would only really opt for them on domestic US sectors as you get to listen to ATC on channel 9 (if the crew permit it).

[ezyBoh]

Having flown 4 transatlantic crossings with them this year so far, I find them totally acceptable. They offer good fares bookable on their website, the inflight food is fine, good choice and always available, seat pitch in Economy is fine, Economy + is available at check-in if you wish to pay the extra, but don't, once airborne the crew 'allow' you move around including moving 'up' to Economy + without paying the extra. Channel 9 is a bonus and the range of films watchable. Some of the crew can be abrupt at times bit nothing out of the ordianary.

Better than American from what l am told.

Enjoy ............

[lplsprog]

Flown with them to Hawaii via LAX and found them OK. The Cabin crew were mostly advancing in years but that meant the service was good. The 777 we flew on was showing its age though.

[PRNAV1]

Brilliant feed back so far, thanx to all that have replied so far. would like to know what kind of price i would pay at check in to upgrade to econ+ in terms of percentage?

i.e $500 econ ticket. To upgrade to econ+ an additional 25% = $125
Total $625....something like this would help

....& what do some of you mean by the B777's are showing their age? do you mean in the cabin?

Thanx again before hand.

[bmibaby.com]

I've been flying LHR-ORD-MCO-IAD-LHR routing once a year now for about six years, and whilst the service is a bit rough around the edges, I'd say that they're probably the best of the American legacy carries. They've improved their operations at LHR, because when I first flew with them, queues used to snake around the airport for their flights, yet last two times I've flown with them, I've not been in the queue for more than 15 minutes. Seats are comfortable, food is no better or worse than any other trans-atlantic airline and the inflight entertainment has a range of programmes & films in English as well as foreign languages. Cabin-crews are always friendly, albeit they've been flying for years, but I prefer crews that have substance rather than just another Barbie from the production line. On domestic flights you're usually served a soft drink and maybe thrown a bag of pretzels, and inflight entertainment is available via radio or overhead screens. Flights out of MCO & LAS are all Ted flights, their low-cost airline. Drinks & entertainment are included in the price, service is essentially the same as mainline, but no first class, and the crews tend to be more informal.

I'd definitely fly "the friendly skies" as they're known, certainly better than the old dragons at American. I've never known staff to be quite as rude or service to be so poor as with them.

[ExSimGuy]

Back in 2000, my "late 20s" daughter and I flew SYD-SFO with them. I posted on this board at the time, after my daughter was taken ill on the flight.

Initially, the CC attitude was "it will go away" but, after the problem became serious (breathing problem due to a lung infection), they were fantastic.

Through PPRuNe, I "wrote up" the CC, and the doctor and his wife who were seated in front of us (hopefully who got a couple of upgrades)

I hear a lot of "slagging" of UA crews, but when the "carp hits the fan", I can't say enough about them.

(no "partisan" interest, my daughter was with US-Air at the time!)

[Wake Turbulence]

United fly 744, 777 and 763ER metal on international overwater routes.
The 777s and 763s have seatback PTVs throughout Y, and both have 18" seat width in both E and E+. The 744s have 17" wide Y seats and only ancient wall-projector movies, no PTVs.

If your ticket is booked in fare classes Y, B, M, E or U you get E+ seating at booking (assuming it's available). On any lower Economy ticket class you can try for it at check-in for a fee - don't know what that's currently running for TATL flights - or if you'll be flying more than a few times you can buy a full year's access to Economy Plus for USD299. Anyone with Star Alliance Gold or Silver status on another *A airline (e.g. BD, LH, etc.) also gets E+ for free.

[chrisbl]

distinctly average. The problem is that they are inconsistant. You never know what you are going to get as everything seems to be at the discretion of the crew.