Rafflesking From Singapore, joined Mar 2007, 300 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 7612 times:
Good seat, but sllllllow transition. UA might even be done converting their 777s to the new biz class seat before the considerably smaller A333 fleet gets converted.
Anybody know why implementation will take so long?
DxBrian From United States of America, joined Mar 2006, 125 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 9 hours ago) and read 7547 times:
Changing seats in an aircraft is not like you can run down to the store and buy a matching sofa and love seat, and have the delivery driver and helper carry away the old stuff.
They may be repositioning galley equipment as well to meet the new seating configuration, which could require electrical and vent systems work. Additionally, all of the wiring for each seat's power functions, video and whatever else need to be installed in new locations for each seat, then install the seats over that. This will probably take several weeks to do, so I would imagine they are adding the seat installation to already scheduled maintenance activities for each airplane.
Avek00 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 3850 posts, RR: 20 Reply 3, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 7440 times:
All North American based carriers of The Illustrious Star Alliance will be featuring a/c with lie-flat beds in longhaul Business Class by year end. That's impressive and unmatched by any other alliance.
Chootie From Germany, joined exactly 5 years ago today! , 242 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 7306 times:
VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! I just cannot wait to try it out. Hats off to USAirways!!
SInGAPORE_AIR From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 13667 posts, RR: 26 Reply 5, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 7258 times:
KUDOS to US Airways for choosing the JPA-designed Cirrus Seat by Sicma Aero Seat.
DocLightning From United States of America, joined Nov 2005, 14043 posts, RR: 55 Reply 6, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 7190 times:
Quoting Avek00 (Reply 3): All North American based carriers of The Illustrious Star Alliance will be featuring a/c with lie-flat beds in longhaul Business Class by year end. That's impressive and unmatched by any other alliance.
That's true. I just wonder why it took US about 6 years to get with the program.
Skyymarc From United States of America, joined Aug 2001, 81 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 7040 times:
Bravo US Airways! I can't wait to give those seats a try.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 19519 posts, RR: 18 Reply 10, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 6 hours ago) and read 7026 times:
Quoting Rafflesking (Reply 1): Anybody know why implementation will take so long?
There's not that much slack in the 333 fleet, especially in the summer. If they can only do them in the winter and only do one at a time, 3 winters is about right.
Sounds right and they are already late. Only the first two 332s were supposed to arrive without the new seats. Everything after those late spring/early summer deliveries were supposed to come with the new seats already installed.
Klkla From United States of America, joined Jul 2004, 706 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 6937 times:
The seat looks very nice. I like the herringbone design on DL but I think this idea of switching the direction so that passengers in the middle seats can face each other and be able to talk and aisle passengers are angled towards the windows for better viewing is an advantage.
FutureUScapt From United States of America, joined Dec 2008, 730 posts, RR: 1 Reply 14, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 6849 times:
Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 10): There's not that much slack in the 333 fleet, especially in the summer. If they can only do them in the winter and only do one at a time, 3 winters is about right.
According to the progress report, the first A333 will not undergo renovations until Fall 2011. So in other words, once it is started all 9 A333s will be outfitted during Fall/Winter 2011. There have already been delays with this particular seat manufacturer, and from what I've heard, it continues to be an ongoing concern. That is probably the reason behind the conservative modification schedule.
Quoting Klkla (Reply 13): But only 20 seats per aircraft!?!?!?!?!?!? Ouch!
Yep, only 20 on the A332. The A333 will likely have 28 (7 rows of 1x2x1).
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 19519 posts, RR: 18 Reply 15, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 6839 times:
Quoting FutureUScapt (Reply 14): There have already been delays with this particular seat manufacturer, and from what I've heard, it continues to be an ongoing concern. That is probably the reason behind the conservative modification schedule.
Another nice thing is that the conversion is going to be quick once they start it. When you have some of the fleet modified and some not, that often leads to FFs with hurt feelings and lots of work for CSAs when a last minute swap needs to occur.
RoseFlyer From United States of America, joined Feb 2004, 7617 posts, RR: 51 Reply 16, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 6817 times:
I can't say I like the angle that US will have. I personally prefer facing the aisle on angled designs rather than away from it. They claim that it will help privacy, but you end up having the flight attendant feel like she is sneaking up on you when they provide service. Of course, at least you still get to look out the window.
If you have never designed an airplane part before, let the real designers do the work!
Jetlanta From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 2762 posts, RR: 29 Reply 18, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 6738 times:
Quoting Avek00 (Reply 3): All North American based carriers of The Illustrious Star Alliance will be featuring a/c with lie-flat beds in longhaul Business Class by year end. That's impressive and unmatched by any other alliance.
Not true. By the standards you mention SkyTeam also qualifies.
Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2713 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 6604 times:
While they may not be class leading business seats, they still definately look excellent and seem to match what is on offer by most other carriers flying the Atlantic in business class.
I think Air Canada should have made a similar choice of seats for their A330's as the seats on their aircraft can only fit in 3 across and their seats seems to be a little large for the aircraft. I always thought it seems weird walking down the left aisle in business on them and can only access the window seat, while the middle and window seat can only be accessed from the right aisle.
Slightly off topic, but their has been discussions previously that the existing US A330-300 fleet, are going to get a makeover in Economy with new seats to improve legroom and a new improved AVOD system. This has been discussed as taking place in 2011/12, can I assume this will take place at the same time as the new Envoy Suite are fitted to the fleet?
Avek00 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 3850 posts, RR: 20 Reply 20, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6526 times:
Quoting Jetlanta (Reply 18): Not true. By the standards you mention SkyTeam also qualifies.
Not quite -- NWA is still on its own cert, and does not have 180-degree flat bed seats installed or publicly announced to be installed by YE 2009.
Jetlanta From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 2762 posts, RR: 29 Reply 21, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6494 times:
Quoting Avek00 (Reply 20): Not quite -- NWA is still on its own cert, and does not have 180-degree flat bed seats installed or publicly announced to be installed by YE 2009.
Oh lord. Really?
US will have like 1 airplane done by the end of the year. DL and NW may well be under a single certificate by then. Regardless, you are splitting the proverbial hair.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 19519 posts, RR: 18 Reply 22, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6488 times:
Quoting Avek00 (Reply 20): Not quite -- NWA is still on its own cert, and does not have 180-degree flat bed seats installed or publicly announced to be installed by YE 2009.
If 180 degree recline is the criterion, AM also lacks them; their seats on the 777 are, IIRC, 170 degrees (and the 767s lack lie flat altogether, FWIW).
Avek00 From United States of America, joined Oct 2004, 3850 posts, RR: 20 Reply 23, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6457 times:
Quoting Cubsrule (Reply 22): If 180 degree recline is the criterion, AM also lacks them; their seats on the 777 are, IIRC, 170 degrees (and the 767s lack lie flat altogether, FWIW).
Indeed, SkyTeam and oneworld are falling behind Star Alliance in the flat bed department. Now to prod Lufthansa to go 180...
Qantas777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2000, 484 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (2 years 8 months 1 week 2 days 2 hours ago) and read 6293 times:
Good for them but late in the game. Too bad most of the long hauls are 75L and 76er's. Why so damn slow for the 333's? 2012 for real?
Too bad the image attached is another example of how common/ Walt-Mar -ish this company is.
Hope the image goes through.
25 Rafflesking: Wow! Is this how US is using the AA gates at PHL's A-East during the summer?! A-West is one of the nicest international departure halls in the countr
26 USFlyer MSP: and what would you have have suggested that they do in this situation? A11 is an AA gate that US uses for one daily departure for 4 months out of the
27 Wn676: Doesn't seem that bad at all considering it's one of AA's gates.
28 JacobCAL: That is a beautiful seat and its nice that each seat faces away from the aisle and each have direct aisle access. I also like the faux wood bulkheads
29 FURUREFA: Actually all American Airlines longhaul aircraft featue lie-flat beds in Business Class, which means that all oneworld can also claim that award. Mat
30 DocLightning: I'd bet installation can be done in 24 hours. I don't think these seats would sell well, otherwise.
31 USAirALB: These are the common use gates, I believe. So its actually pretty good. The A West gates are top-notch. I love the glass tunnel!
32 Viscount724: Aren't they identical to the seats on AC 763s?
33 DL Widget Head: Bravo US! Looks great and I loved the demo videos. I can't wait to try it out.
34 Kinglobjaw: The gate situation is what is, because the city of Philadelphia prefer Delta, American and MidWest to use these gates instead of allowing US to fully
35 StarAlliance38: Great job US Airways! Can't wait to see them! Let's go US! As others said, not bad considering they aren't even US' gates. Even I'm starting to avoid
36 Avek00: No, they do not. They feature a slanted-seat one generation behind the cutting edge which AA thinks is manna from heaven.
37 StasisLAX: Because Dougie is a LITTLE slow.... having flown PHL to AMS on US fairly recently, they need to upgrade their on-board service, and for Gods Sake, te
38 Pellegrine: First things first. This seat is current technology, not 2011 technology, this is not "next-generation". By the time they get installed, I'm sure thin
39 FutureUScapt: For those interested in the details of the overhauls: Ship 282 will be the first one to arrive with the new seats, fresh from the factory. 283, oddly
40 Usairways85: DL is moving out of A by 2010 and the combined DL/NW is moving to D
41 787KQ: Finally, the laggard in the group hits one out of the park! Good job US!
42 AA777223: Is this replacing all envy seats, or just the envoy sleeper seats? US's J Class is about the industry's worst, so if they move the whole Envoy cabin t
43 Crjflyer35: Very nice, though this will make it hell for Non-revs like myself to go to Europe in Envoy. Perhaps once it's integrated into the system, some fellow
44 FutureUScapt: While it hasn't been stated explicitly, look for Envoy Sleeper to be phased out with this installation of the new seats. For those who don't know, En
45 LipeGIG: Very nice product. Congrats to US ! They do need to come up with something above the standards being one of the last to improve their product. They wi
46 FURUREFA: A lie-flat seat is one where the passenger lies flat; the AA business class seat is lie-flat because passengers are able to lie completely horizontal
47 Qantas777: First of all, it still blows my mind that it will take so damn long for the 333's to get fitted with the right up front. Not hard to outfit 9 333s wit
48 Whappeh: I think you take life way to seriously. You will find life is a lot more relaxing and fun when you don't freak out over things like cardboard signs.
49 Sancho99504: I agree. I like US for the most part, and will continue to give US my money when they fit into my schedule. I don't think US should spend their own m
50 Flighty: Got to love that closing air-to-air shot of the A330 with the RR engines. Whether it was render work or actual footage, it's pretty.
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