Hi,

I got the opportunity to choose between carrier on IAH-FRA (thats a 777-200 on United, and a A380 on Lufthansa) in business class. I'm travelling alone, which product would you choose?
I know it's a luxury to get to choose which business product I would, but would be great full for your insights. I'm travelling to the US on United, my very first 757 experience, and I have done Lufthansa business on the 747-8i.
Thanks!

Check to see if the United 777 for your proposed flight has the updated Polaris seat. I think most do but I’m not sure. It is way better than the LH A380 seat I had last summer, especially if you are alone. All have aisle access. I recommend an odd numbered row window seat.

aklrno wrote:

Check to see if the United 777 for your proposed flight has the updated Polaris seat. I think most do but I’m not sure. It is way better than the LH A380 seat I had last summer, especially if you are alone. All have aisle access. I recommend an odd numbered row window seat.

OP: As the poster above said, the chief issue here is whether your UA 777 would have Polaris or not. Polaris is better than the LH A380 biz seat, but the old UA config is far inferior. The old sUA business class on 777 is a 2-4-2 config that is pretty poor if you're traveling alone. Polaris is 1-2-1 with direct aisle access for all, so it's easy to tell what's on offer from a seat map. All of UA's 77Ws have Polaris, but only around 40% of the 77Es do.

One caution, though: I've had an equipment swap once that switched me, although it was from an old config to Polaris, so I wasn't complaining.

IAH-FRA is flown by Internationally Configured UA 777's, whether it be the PMUA 2-2-2 Lie Flat Seats or the New 1-2-1 Polaris Lie Flat Seats. I personally do not find fault in the hard product of either, but the Polaris Configuration is of-course a bonus. The food on UA probably won't be as good as LH. I flew the LH A380 in J last summer and with so many seats in J, it almost felt like another Economy Class with so much waiting for meals etc. I did, however, get a good sleep.
It's a tough call in either case, but I would definitely go with UA Polaris, PMUA 2-2-2, and then LH 2-2-2 in that order. You might not be able to see if your flight is Polaris configured on a 777-200 until a couple days before departure since they rotate those aircraft to so many destinations. Judging by the trends, I am willing to bet your airplane will be PMUA 2-2-2 Configured.

Best,
KLAXAirport

KLAXAirport wrote:

IAH-FRA is flown by Internationally Configured UA 777's, whether it be the PMUA 2-2-2 Lie Flat Seats or the New 1-2-1 Polaris Lie Flat Seats. I personally do not find fault in the hard product of either, but the Polaris Configuration is of-course a bonus. The food on UA probably won't be as good as LH. I flew the LH A380 in J last summer and with so many seats in J, it almost felt like another Economy Class with so much waiting for meals etc. I did, however, get a good sleep.
It's a tough call in either case, but I would definitely go with UA Polaris, PMUA 2-2-2, and then LH 2-2-2 in that order. You might not be able to see if your flight is Polaris configured on a 777-200 until a couple days before departure since they rotate those aircraft to so many destinations. Judging by the trends, I am willing to bet your airplane will be PMUA 2-2-2 Configured.

Best,
KLAXAirport

Isn't 2-2-2 PMCO, not PMUA?

When are you flying? As said above UA Polaris beats LH business class seat that is still in 2-2-2. According to

http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tr ... ktop-4/p/3

21 of 51 77Es are configured in Polaris with 3 in the progress of being converted. So the later in the year you are flying the better chance you will have of getting Polaris on your flight.

Thanks for the replies guys/girls! The flight are on June 8th. As I fly as a Non-Rev, I can make up my mind pretty close up departure, with regards to availability and such..

B747forever wrote:

When are you flying? As said above UA Polaris beats LH business class seat that is still in 2-2-2. According to

http://view.ceros.com/united/polaris-tr ... ktop-4/p/3

21 of 51 77Es are configured in Polaris with 3 in the progress of being converted. So the later in the year you are flying the better chance you will have of getting Polaris on your flight.

That was a nice presentation of the Polaris product, thanks!

Finding a Polaris sCO B772 will be a complete crap shoot as out of the 22 frames only three have been converted while another two are in HKG for the upgrade according to https://sites.google.com/site/unitedfle ... t-tracking.

My experience on the LH A388 upstairs was ehhh okay, but that was probably five years back with the older not fully lie flat seats. I'd much rather have the sCO lie flat like you'll find on their B752 for your UA flight to the U.S. and that you'd likely find with the sCO B772.

If you want a Polaris Class back into FRA do IAH-EWR-FRA leaving IAH at 1215 on a B763 and that gives you about 2+40 in EWR connecting to the 1940 EWR-FRA on a B787-10 with Polaris (current schedule)..

IAHFLYR wrote:

Finding a Polaris sCO B772 will be a complete crap shoot as out of the 22 frames only three have been converted while another two are in HKG for the upgrade according to https://sites.google.com/site/unitedfle ... t-tracking.

My experience on the LH A388 upstairs was ehhh okay, but that was probably five years back with the older not fully lie flat seats. I'd much rather have the sCO lie flat like you'll find on their B752 for your UA flight to the U.S. and that you'd likely find with the sCO B772.

If you want a Polaris Class back into FRA do IAH-EWR-FRA leaving IAH at 1215 on a B763 and that gives you about 2+40 in EWR connecting to the 1940 EWR-FRA on a B787-10 with Polaris (current schedule)..

Thanks IAHFLYR, that was a great option. Haven’t tried the 787-10, and flying B763 domestic is also pretty cool, as we don’t have many widebodies in the nordics (except DY’s wetleased scrappy and old 767s/A330, but that’s an entirely different story..). As I already done some LH business, I would prefer doing another United segment. I’ll check out the routing tomorrow.

IADCA wrote:

KLAXAirport wrote:

IAH-FRA is flown by Internationally Configured UA 777's, whether it be the PMUA 2-2-2 Lie Flat Seats or the New 1-2-1 Polaris Lie Flat Seats. I personally do not find fault in the hard product of either, but the Polaris Configuration is of-course a bonus. The food on UA probably won't be as good as LH. I flew the LH A380 in J last summer and with so many seats in J, it almost felt like another Economy Class with so much waiting for meals etc. I did, however, get a good sleep.
It's a tough call in either case, but I would definitely go with UA Polaris, PMUA 2-2-2, and then LH 2-2-2 in that order. You might not be able to see if your flight is Polaris configured on a 777-200 until a couple days before departure since they rotate those aircraft to so many destinations. Judging by the trends, I am willing to bet your airplane will be PMUA 2-2-2 Configured.

Best,
KLAXAirport

Isn't 2-2-2 PMCO, not PMUA?

I stand corrected. You are right, it is PMCO.

Cheers,
KLAXAirport

IADCA wrote:

Isn't 2-2-2 PMCO, not PMUA?

Yes you are correct, the IAH-FRA is sCo (PMCO) 772's with the 50 Business Class seats or the Polaris conversion if you get one of those frames.

European business class is trash, so go for the UA 777.

Non-Rev? In that case, fly to EWR/JFK from IAH (stay one night in New York City because non-rev is a risk) and then fly SQ J to FRA...

Why? Everybody knows Singapore Airlines is a great way to fly!

Forgot to add... June 8 is when all the kids are on Summer Break... non-rev to NYC and relax onboard SQ because it’s doubtful you will have to deal with obnoxious children. Only the well-behaved upper-middle class children fly SQ. They won’t annoy you or bother you as much because the likelihood is lower when flying on a quality Asian Airline versus the mistake I made flying DELTA to Korea last October when I was completely surrounded my monsters screaming and crying for 13 hours. I have never seen children behave so poorly on any airline but that was my own fault for missing my Korean Air flight. I always pay a lot more to go home to Korea because I usually only book Korean Air because I’m 40 years old and I know better. So, please listen to my advice and connect to SQ on the nonstop JFK FRA flight - you work hard and you deserve a pleasant flight. I worked as a passenger service agent for two airlines for 13 years ~ one was with a Korean airline and the other was for a U.S.-based airline and I learned to use my ID90/pass privileges wisely... flying standby sucks and it restricts you. You have to make sure you are home at least 48 hours prior to your next shift at the airport or whatever position you hold otherwise you risk being late, or having to sit on a jump seat.

Look at the SQ seat map on 8 June and you’ll see lots of availability in J on JFK FRA because the FRA-SIN flight is the segment where FRA holds more control of seat inventory at 24 hours prior. Reservations will release seat inventory to airport control.

Check SQ and fly elegantly.

LUFTHANSA!!!!!!

I ended up with Lufthansa IAH-FRA in business! Great food and overall service! Thanks for all the input