Airliners.net

cosyr wrote:

VC10er wrote:

Beautiful or ugly, simple or complex, fresh or dated, a livery is only a reflection or signal of the brand, and what that brand stands for, it’s reputation and persona. If an airline is loved but the identity isn’t so great, it won’t matter. Example: I’ve heard fantastic things about EVA Air, yet that livery (IMHO) looks like a cargo company.

I think that while the current United livery is certainly in need of updating, it’s “fine for now” as United’s primary mission is to improve the entire brand experience, and that journey is at least 2/3 years long. At least the current livery is very consistent (even w the wave on the 787s) and for once in 20 years United is flying one livery for a number of years without a mix of old and new liveries flying around.
I don’t know what United’s true customer perceptions or scores sit at the moment- especially after a handful of disastrous PR events. (Although many tens of millions of people have safely, maybe even happily or satisfactorily flown United since Dr Dao’s horrific experience) but that incident is still top of mind for many, and defining United for many people. It’s like watching a car accident- you don’t want to, but human nature makes you look.
My point is: they shouldn’t launch a new identity now. They would be just asking to be egged.
United needs some more time to get the positive reputation it could achieve through improved customer service (with the new employee incentive plan), at least one Polaris Lounge open at each MEGA hub, more renovated United Clubs and a considerable more Polaris refits on 772s & 767 and all the 78Js.
Once they start hearing “I used to hate, but now I love United” in a quantitative way in their on-going customer research- then by all means paint the planes with something fresh to reflect the new improved brand and finally create a new future. If I were Oscar I would want my company to earn a new brand identity- not use brand identity to help change impressions because we all know (in the branding industry) THAT NEVER WORKS! In fact it often backfires.
There are many more big fishes to fry first. And in the places you experience some freshly fried big fish, it’s very good. Just need MORE of it.
P.S. the Italian Wedding soup sometimes in the United Club is fantastic!

I completely agree, that they must rebuild their image enough that when they introduce a new livery they can say whole heartedly, this is the new United. Chrysler made this mistake during the recession. They said look at how we've changed, when all they did was introduce a new logo and put it on existing cars. They didn't actually change, and now they're on the brink of extinction.

fun2fly wrote:

77W EWR>SJU today. Planned or just lucky PAX? I know CO used to run wide-body AC to SJU regularly for the holidays. IIRC I took a 764 one time.

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U C1 24Mar.

jayunited wrote:

Looks like the first sUA 77E (nose number 2786) is scheduled to do a test hop tomorrow 3/28. This is the first 77E with Polaris installed with 50J/242Y however this aircraft does not have premium economy installed, I'm not sure when that product will debut or when this aircraft will reenter scheduled service.

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U Delivery UA2686 SEASFO 28Mar That makes 16, two more to go.

FSDan wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U Delivery UA2686 SEASFO 28Mar That makes 16, two more to go.

It'll be a few more months before the next delivery, right? I wonder if EWR-HKG will get the 77W once the final two are on property...

VC10er wrote:

Question: will the Polaris 772 get the mid flight service hall with the curved lit ceiling as the 77W has?

FSDan wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U Delivery UA2686 SEASFO 28Mar That makes 16, two more to go.

It'll be a few more months before the next delivery, right? I wonder if EWR-HKG will get the 77W once the final two are on property...

VC10er wrote:

FSDan wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U Delivery UA2686 SEASFO 28Mar That makes 16, two more to go.

It'll be a few more months before the next delivery, right? I wonder if EWR-HKG will get the 77W once the final two are on property...

From your lips to God’s ear! (Or Oscar) I would love that out of EWR.

len90 wrote:

VC10er wrote:

FSDan wrote:

It'll be a few more months before the next delivery, right? I wonder if EWR-HKG will get the 77W once the final two are on property...

From your lips to God’s ear! (Or Oscar) I would love that out of EWR.

EWR is like United's youngest child who gets hand-me-downs with their wide body fleet. The 77W is daily on NRT and almost daily on one of the TLV flights. United has shifted over all the 763s and 772 A domestics. Nothing much comes to EWR new.

springtx wrote:

FSDan wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2846U Delivery UA2686 SEASFO 28Mar That makes 16, two more to go.

It'll be a few more months before the next delivery, right? I wonder if EWR-HKG will get the 77W once the final two are on property...

N2747U is in pre-flight, should fly within 10 days and be delivered by the end of April

fun2fly wrote:

I see UA changed the routings for the 3 Class 763. Instead of all ORD TATL (inc BRU/AMS/CDG) they are now just on LHR from EWR and ORD. It's amazing they have these old dogs on the most premium route. One should roll out of HNL in early April so there are fewer left at least.

jayunited wrote:

Looks like the first sUA 77E (nose number 2786) is scheduled to do a test hop tomorrow 3/28. This is the first 77E with Polaris installed with 50J/242Y however this aircraft does not have premium economy installed, I'm not sure when that product will debut or when this aircraft will reenter scheduled service.

iahcsr wrote:

fun2fly wrote:

I see UA changed the routings for the 3 Class 763. Instead of all ORD TATL (inc BRU/AMS/CDG) they are now just on LHR from EWR and ORD. It's amazing they have these old dogs on the most premium route. One should roll out of HNL in early April so there are fewer left at least.

With only six still flying it’s probably easier operationally to keep them corralled in just the one area..

Boeing12345 wrote:

Looks like 777 ship 2796 will be the first 777 to receive Premium Plus and Polaris mod. Goes in first part of April and exists early June.

cosyr wrote:

Boeing12345 wrote:

Looks like 777 ship 2796 will be the first 777 to receive Premium Plus and Polaris mod. Goes in first part of April and exists early June.

Wow, so our first Premium Plus cabin could be in service this summer! I thought we'd have to wait till the end of the year.

fun2fly wrote:

cosyr wrote:

Boeing12345 wrote:

Looks like 777 ship 2796 will be the first 777 to receive Premium Plus and Polaris mod. Goes in first part of April and exists early June.

Wow, so our first Premium Plus cabin could be in service this summer! I thought we'd have to wait till the end of the year.

But N786UA will not have it even though it is the first 772 with Polaris? Seems odd.

Boeing12345 wrote:

fun2fly wrote:

cosyr wrote:

Wow, so our first Premium Plus cabin could be in service this summer! I thought we'd have to wait till the end of the year.

But N786UA will not have it even though it is the first 772 with Polaris? Seems odd.

Not really, the amount of time it takes to get everything in place for that type mod is very time consuming. A/C 2786 had its work package already put together well before mod induction back on Jan 12.

fun2fly wrote:

Boeing12345 wrote:

fun2fly wrote:

But N786UA will not have it even though it is the first 772 with Polaris? Seems odd.

Not really, the amount of time it takes to get everything in place for that type mod is very time consuming. A/C 2786 had its work package already put together well before mod induction back on Jan 12.

I'm thinking that the odd part is now they will have two sub-fleets.

fun2fly wrote:

Boeing12345 wrote:

fun2fly wrote:

But N786UA will not have it even though it is the first 772 with Polaris? Seems odd.

Not really, the amount of time it takes to get everything in place for that type mod is very time consuming. A/C 2786 had its work package already put together well before mod induction back on Jan 12.

I'm thinking that the odd part is now they will have two sub-fleets.

cosyr wrote:

Also, like AA did initially, I bet UA doesn't start selling Premium Plus until it is on a good percentage of certain fleets. They will probably initially sell the bigger seats as just Economy Plus, so they don't risk issues with fleet swaps. They're going to have all kinds of head aches for the next couple years having some Y cabins with 10 seats across and other with 9. It's going to be just like when they switched from 2-5-2 to 3-3-3. I personally had some miserable last minute seat assignments changed because of equipment swaps. Ended up 10 rows away from my wife on a flight from FRA-ORD, and the only way to sit together was no window.

audidudi wrote:

cosyr wrote:

Also, like AA did initially, I bet UA doesn't start selling Premium Plus until it is on a good percentage of certain fleets. They will probably initially sell the bigger seats as just Economy Plus, so they don't risk issues with fleet swaps. They're going to have all kinds of head aches for the next couple years having some Y cabins with 10 seats across and other with 9. It's going to be just like when they switched from 2-5-2 to 3-3-3. I personally had some miserable last minute seat assignments changed because of equipment swaps. Ended up 10 rows away from my wife on a flight from FRA-ORD, and the only way to sit together was no window.

And you actually sat 10 rows away from your wife to have a window seat vs no window on a mostly TATL flight? I bet she wasn't impressed!

cosyr wrote:

audidudi wrote:

cosyr wrote:

Also, like AA did initially, I bet UA doesn't start selling Premium Plus until it is on a good percentage of certain fleets. They will probably initially sell the bigger seats as just Economy Plus, so they don't risk issues with fleet swaps. They're going to have all kinds of head aches for the next couple years having some Y cabins with 10 seats across and other with 9. It's going to be just like when they switched from 2-5-2 to 3-3-3. I personally had some miserable last minute seat assignments changed because of equipment swaps. Ended up 10 rows away from my wife on a flight from FRA-ORD, and the only way to sit together was no window.

And you actually sat 10 rows away from your wife to have a window seat vs no window on a mostly TATL flight? I bet she wasn't impressed!

VC10er wrote:

cosyr wrote:

audidudi wrote:

And you actually sat 10 rows away from your wife to have a window seat vs no window on a mostly TATL flight? I bet she wasn't impressed!

No, they put us 10 rows apart and we switched to the no window row. But it was stupid that UA's computers split us apart in the first place. We paid for the 1st row pair of seats in Y+, and when it switched, it didn't keep up in the 1st row, a 2 seat row, an outside row or even together. It put us in 2 completely different middle seats in the middle section. I did complain, and UA did refund the Y+ fee, but it was a long daytime flight with no window.[/quote

Do you have status with United? Wether you do or don’t you ought to write them from their “contact us” on their website- often they will do something like deposit miles or maybe just send a letter back. I don’t complain often, but when I have they often do something. Just be nice and people are often nice back.

audidudi wrote:

Anyone know why this B744 flight took place yesterday?

https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N128UA

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2747U ferry PAEPDX 2Apr for paint
N2645U Out of induction.. Ferry SFOLAX .. Revenue LAXIAHLAX turn.. then ferry back to SFO. Odd..
39M
N67501 Said to be starting paint at BFI ... also said to have same wavy gold as 787s.

VC10er wrote:

iahcsr wrote:

77W
N2747U ferry PAEPDX 2Apr for paint
N2645U Out of induction.. Ferry SFOLAX .. Revenue LAXIAHLAX turn.. then ferry back to SFO. Odd..
39M
N67501 Said to be starting paint at BFI ... also said to have same wavy gold as 787s.

What kind of aircraft is N67501?

Also, do you know the number of UA’s very first 772?

I just noticed on the mobile site that the aircraft number is included with the image of the aircraft you’re flying. I never noticed that feature before.

Thanks

B764er wrote:

Why would UA want to have two jets known as a/c 501? They already have a 738 and now getting a 739Max both to be known as a/c 501. Aren't there any other numbers they can use?

calpsafltskeds wrote:

With 750 aircraft, it's not easy to have 999 available numbers without dupes. The merger has sCO 3 digit system and sUA 4 digit system, which creates several dupe with the last 3 digits - ideally the 4 digit system would include individual 3 digits
739 and 753 have dupes in 800 range.
73G and 772 have dupes in 700 range
738 and 772 have dupes in 200 range
77W has a new range of 2X4X
It all works with 4 digit, even though not easily grasped with different ranges from 2 airlines
The only question I have is why the 7Max aircraft aren't using the blank 300 range.

764:
N76062 entered MCO 2801/2Apr

fun2fly wrote:

77W EWR>SJU today. Planned or just lucky PAX? I know CO used to run wide-body AC to SJU regularly for the holidays. IIRC I took a 764 one time.