Over the coming years, United Airlines will take delivery of well over 200 Boeing 737 MAX aircraft, split between the 737 MAX 8, 737 MAX 9, and 737 MAX 10. While the airline is already flying the 737 MAX 9, United will commence service with the 737 MAX 8 in July. We now have more…
Continue reading: United Airlines’ Swanky(ish) New Boeing 737 MAXs
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UNITED rising. It's underappreciated they have far more extra legroom seats available than AA, SW, or Delta.
It's worth noting that Alaska has 159 seats on their 737-800s (which has the same cabin size as the MAX8) and Delta has 160. With a larger premium economy cabin, UA still has more seats.
However, UA's decision to install (or reinstall) seatback IFE on its domestic fleet says that customers do value it, something that B6 and DL have found is additive to, not a replacement for personal devices.
United isn't rising. It is just continuing to evolve (in the right direction, mostly) from a very poorly executed but ultimately necessary merger and has taken major steps to overhaul its premium products which weren't amazing nor industry leading until Polaris. Adding TV's on seatbacks may be good or bad, and may not even come to full fruition. I suppose AA's 737 and 321 fleets are so massive, they need to do what they have done with Oasis. Maybe not. I've travelled on both carriers and found the experience about the same. AA's cabins are generally crisp and modern, if a bit lacking in branding flair. The UA 737 MAX economy cabin looks no different than AA's. There are just fewer seats, for now. AA and UA have different ways of flowing traffic through their hubs. AA dominates 3 of theirs (DFW, CLT, MIA), whereas UA has much more competition across a few of them, so has to do some differentiating. No arguments here. UA is better now than it has ever been, but it was a truly awful airline for decades, pre- and post-merger.
16.43in of seat width? Good grief. Seat pitch is almost irrelevant to me when I'm constantly rubbing shoulders with my seat mate.
As an Economy flyer, 54 Economy Plus seats is awesome news.
It's very unfortunate that they ripped out most of them in their dreamliners, though. Seems a bit odd that there are more Eco+ seats in a MAX-8 than in their long-haul planes.
Probably trying to persuade American to do the same. And then backtracking to get the advantage:P
-6 Seats in Economy would make a WORLD of difference...We will see how it shakes out, but the current -800’s w/ 16F 150Y have an awful last row that doesn’t recline...Why any modern aircraft has a last row that doesn’t recline is beyond me...
Even though there is fleet inconsistency between the Max-8 and Max-9 there is consistency between the Max-8 and 737-800 which is the 1:1 replacement. If you are scheduled for UAs smallest 737 you can count on personal seatback entertainment.
Also worth noting: the recent teases about the "Boom" supersonic jets, ALL shown in United livery. Not an accident, and a brilliant PR move that also helps United position itself as not-the-worst-legacy-airline.
Now, I don't expect the Boom supersonic planes to ever carry a passenger (they might get a prototype off the ground, but this will never go into service with United or any other legacy carrier). But the PR that United got from the flurry of stories last week about Boom was cheap (United will never end up buying the planes) and exactly fits this meme of United wanting to improve their image and differentiate themselves at least a little from ULCCs.
All that said, I will not be looking forward to getting stuck in the main cabin of anyone's 737, Max or otherwise, unless it's a short hop. The seats in Domestic "First" are generally OK as long as you're not looking to sleep.
Every TV in the world doesn't make up for the fact that United's wifi isn't nearly as good as AA's. I think in the long run, AA's gamble to eliminate TV is actually a good call. I simply don't use them anymore and value connectivity and streaming so much more.
It is good to see United changing course and reinstalling IFE screens.
Now work on replacing the slow WiFi.
UA has a boatload of 737-700s and they do not all (or any, I don't know) have seatback IFE.
I don't think the 737 fuselage has gotten any smaller so why are the new seats so narrow? Especially when most people are getting wider. No thanks UA.
I'm a Male, 5' 11" at 165 lbs (not even close to fat). 16.43 inches for seat width is ridiculous. Even after subtracting for skin, flesh and tissue, my skeleton is wider than that at the shoulders. What are you supposed to do to that? I would be willing to bet that if you measured the chest of anybody remotely associated with the manufacture of the 737 Max, the majority would not fit in that seat width at the shoulders. Also, for what? What are they doing with the extra inches they're stealing from customers? Is this about material, weight and fuel efficiency?
Of the legacy carriers, American has always been my last choice. They reliably seem to be the least comfortable with flight attendants who act like they've been the most abused, and an uncanny skill of misplacing luggage. They even lost the bag that contained my father's ashes, on our way to his ceremony (I swear this is true). I've come to look on American as on par with Sears, while United is at least Macy's.
For all the folks commenting about the 16.43" seat width, that's basically the same as existing 737-800s, which range from 16.3-17.3" in United and Delta's fleets, and as small as 15.9" in American's. Which shouldn't be surprising, given that Boeing didn't change the interior cabin width in the MAX (unlike the 777X) and all of the carriers are just using existing off the shelf seat models.
Agree with Jerry. I will trade good, reliable Wi-Fi over seat back screens every day of the week and twice on Sunday. At least in economy. Seat back screens never provide the right viewing angle, and you are at the mercy of the rocking of the seat (I'm not even talking about reclining) by the passenger in front.
It’s fantastic that United and Delta are providing that premium experience by bringing back IFE screens
US carriers just don't get it. Its about comfort for the paying passengers. I would rather fly a middle eastern or Asian carrier. They have better food, better seating, cleaner staff and nicer interiors. Much more pleasant experience for long haul flights at least.
The 16 inch wide seats in these planes is just appalling! To these corporations we are just cattle.
Oh, Lord. Flying on one of these is now more claustrophobic than ever! Even if you aren't claustrophobic, you will be now. Shame on me for taking DC-10's, L-1011's, and all "jumbos" for granted all those years.