United Boeing 787s With New Polaris Seats, Ultra-Premium Configuration

Well, I think I can count on one hand the number of 350s Airbus has delivered this year Ben…if you want to all about widebody delivery delays. Boeing meanwhile has delivered about 13 787s…

Talk about*

Ben, I'm curious how staffing works on these where the "plus" product is at the front of each cabin. Does one FA usually take care of all the plus passengers given the soft product is a little different, but that means they have to bounce between cabins, or is it just business as usual with FAs serving their cabin/aisle and the people in the front seat get the extras? I get why these suites are at the front of each cabin in terms of space efficiency, but just wondering how that translates to operational efficiency.

Let's not take them at their word about soft product improvements like serving caviar. Remember how much the original polaris soft product was cut?

I prefer the Polaris seats to these. I also don't understand why the center seats in the second cabin are in a herringbone configuration.

@adam, have you flown the new seat to form a preference?

Looks really nice. Good for SFO. Hopefully, they'll be at EWR, soon enough. (Reminds me a bit of AA's new 789 with the Flagship Suites; finally trying that later this year.)

Quick correction/update for you, Ben, UA has already taken delivery of three of the new aircraft and has a fourth already undergoing final testing, should have a customer flight soon and get delivered either late this month or early next. The three aircraft already delivered are N61101 (LN1267) which was delivered February 27th, N21102 (LN1275) which was delivered March 11, and N61103 (LN1281) which was actually delivered slightly earlier on March 4. And N51104, LN1285, is expected to deliver in one to three weeks. Hence why they'll be ready for SFO-SIN already on April 22, they'll have four planes already on sight and the fifth shouldn't be far.

Don’t count your chickens before they hatch. Airbus are traditionally first quarter slow starters with wide body birds, however, they have always ramped up production beyond the first quarter. Furthermore, quality beats quantity in my book.

Even then, like last year they lost out to Boeing on WB deliveries. And it’s no secret that Boeings quality has tremendously improved. Whereas we are seeing a slowdown of the 320neo line because of what? Quality control problems. So Airbus is not immune to quality issues

Boeing has long led in widebody deliveries.

Airbus has dozens of A350s assembled with or without engines; they are waiting on Rolls Royce for many engine deliveries.

I'm not sure the point of your entire statements; Delta and United have very similar amounts of new generation widebodies. DL divided its orders between the A350 and B787 and Airbus did deliver for DL when Boeing was well behind schedule.

UA will get alot more new deliveries this year than DL but then DL hits it pretty hard on A350-1000 deliveries in 2027 and 2028.

And DL has also retired dozens of older aircraft so is in a far better spot w/ using new aircraft for growth.

and, finally, if you want to talk about the A350 vs. B787, the A350 is simply a far more capable and larger aircraft than the 787-9. Part of the reason that UA is taking total seats off the 787 is to push the range further.

and UA is apparently now talking about the 777X again after thinking they will win the legal contest w/ Rolls Royce over decade old pricing. The 777X will be years behind DL's A350-1000 in getting into service which is more than enough time for a significant realignment of carrier strength in the Pacific.

Not sure if you really thought through your ideas before you wrote but those are facts you probably don't want to admit.

Now, now! It would appear that someone is suffering from selective memory syndrome.

Airbus main issues can be directly attributed to supply chain production quality issues. It has slowed aircraft production and delivery. These are without regulatory pressure as safety impacts are indirect and therefore very low.

Boeing on the other hand are suffering from in-house manufacturing quality and compliance issues, as well as supply chain production quality issues. Safety impacts are considered to be high due to direct incidents. As a result the FAA has implemented oversight measures and audits. As a result Boeing’s public perception is low and still recovering.

Actually, I believe that Boeing has only delivered about 8 787’s this year?

No; I figured that went without saying because the planes are not yet flying passengers. I'm referring to what's available to all of us from the photos, notably the layout. The Polaris arrangement has a lot of advantages, such as the center "honeymoon" seats for parents flying with children, and the cosy "true window seats".

LTD says, "And DL has also retired dozens of older aircraft so is in a far better spot w/ using new aircraft for growth."

DL has 179 WBs with 85 on order.
UA has 233 WBs with 182 on order that are coming sooner, faster & w/ higher J.

It may seem like United is dramatically increasing its widebody fleet, but it is important to recognize that United has by necessity been forced to retire much of its United pre-merger (with Continental) 777-200 and 200ER fleet with Pratt and Whitney engines due to significant engine issues (jet engine replacement for such old aircraft is not financially reasonable). Taking the retirement of such aircraft into account, the fleet growth is not as dramatic as it might seem.

Caviar aside, how’s the food?

Actually, UA isn't retiring the PW 772s.

Boeing has delivered 13 787s this year

I don’t know what DL has to do with what we’re talking about here. In the context of Bens article, the Boeing bashing was misplaced because first of all Boeing delivers more widebodies than Airbus AND they’ve already delivered 3 new 787 with Polaris elevate to United with the 4th one coming later this month. So his statement was not even based in fact he was just whining.

You yourself have said Boeing has long led in widebody deliveries. Which is my point

You might want to check the status of many of those old birds. Many have been parked in the desert for a while.

Supply chain, no supply chain. Delay is delay.

Doesn’t change my point. Boeing delivers more widebodies than Airbus, continues to do so. So bens bashing about being “lucky” particularly on 787 deliveries is just rubbish. If it were the 777x that would be very much applicable. But he doesn’t even seem to know United has taken delivery of 3 787s with Polaris elevate and is about to take delivery of the 4th

It’s still very significant growth.

How on Earth will me-maw make it from one 1 to the rear of the J Cabin without taking a break?

Dov,
you must be new here.

There is a delusional group of UA employee fans that live far detached from reality

UA will grow at the fastest rate until
- Engines blow up and the fleet is grounded (as has happened before)
- Fuel prices spike which hurts UA more than any other big 4 carrier because of their size on the west coast.
- the government steps in and blocks UA's growth as they have now done for the 2nd time in a year

and on and on it goes.

and it WILL all come crashing down - because that is what high flying does.

Love,
Icarus ALWAYS dies.

if you select any period of time, you can certainly find proof of your argument, whatever it may be.

The simple, verifiable fact is that Airbus delivered more widebodies to DL in 2024 and 2025 than Boeing did to any other US airline in the same period.

Makes one wonder why UA management was so optimistic about things yesterday?

DL has 179 WBs with 85 on order.
UA has 233 WBs with 182 on order that are coming sooner, faster & w/ higher J.

One has to concede that by American domestic aviation standards this update might well be classified as an “Ultra-Premium Configuration. The U.S. proletariat are undoubtedly going to be satisfied for the time being …. 🙂

If your head wash't under Kirby's desk, you might be able to see the real world.

size doesn't matter. Quality does.

At the JPM conference, Jamie Baker said that the first slot is reserved for the airline that generates the most profits or profit sharing for the industry; DL generated 55% of industry profits and UA is not 45% because there were other profitable airlines.
DL paid more profit sharing the entire rest of the industry combined.

At the end of the conference, Baker told Ed that there is no reason to believe that DL won't be the first airline to present at the conference in 2027.

Scott Kirby can babble all he wants but UA is still #2 in the industry and everyone except you UA fan brats know it.
UA has been slapped up the side of the head for its growth plans by the FAA and seen as incapable of being the industry leader no matter how much you or Kirby want to believe.

UA generated just 2/3 of the profits of DL in 2025 despite flying 10% fewer ASMs. UA could add 300 more airplanes in 2026 to its fleet and still wouldn't touch DL's profits or profit sharing.

and yet UA has to settle w/ labor, has to pay the big 4's highest fuel price per gallon, and has to deal w/ the FAA that simply does not want to see UA muck up yet another major airport w/ UA's anticompetitive, operationally destroying growth.

and UA will be forced to retire scores of old aircraft whether they plan to or not.

Optimism is not reality; everyone sees UA for what it is - a 2nd rate, also-ran that can't figure out how to fairly beat its competition.

you're weird

Tim is also weird. Bragging about presentation order at JP Morgan conferences? Get your head checked.

Profits=premium? Since when?

bragging incessantly about size is not just weird. It is a sign of someone that is 'underendowed' and will forever try to compensate elsewhere.

and, I didn't make the observation about presentation order or profit or profit sharing size.

and rebel and his friends have been running around the internet bragging about Kirby's presentation at the JPM conference... they just failed to mention the first and last things about the JPM conference and where DL and everyone else fits in.

Order of presentation at that conference got more headlines in the world of the business of aviation than UA's fleet size.

Same way you can make anything look the way you want it by adding “any US airline”. Embraer has also delivered more aircraft than Airbus to regional fleets of US majors…llol

Plane Jane says, "Bragging about presentation order at JP Morgan conferences? Get your head checked."

I know, right?

Nobody has claimed that DL isn't currently the top US carrier financially no matter how much LTD pretends, but the trend must be distressing for him judging from his wishful & erroneous predictions. Some of my favorites.

DL can get Boeing delivery slots whenever they want them.
DL doesn't need aircraft in the near term.
DL is going to get Riyadh Air's close-in 787 delivery slots.
DL's A220 delivery delays are a swap for Air Asia's cancelled A339s slots.
UA has permanently lost NYC share leadership.
DL Tech Ops headed to $1B profit in next few years. Currently, $71m.

UA: 1,089 aircraft, (233 WB), 182 WB/475 NB on order (15.3 average fleet age)
AA: 1,013 aircraft, (137 WB), 19 WB/258 NB on order (14.3 average fleet age)
DL: 987 aircraft, (179 WB), 85 WB/266 NB on order (14.8 average fleet age)

"Delta Dunn" has spoken. 🙂

With apologies to Helen Reddy.....
"Delta Dunn what's that flower you have on?"
"Could it be a faded rose of days gone by?"

Tim, why are you so enamored with Delta? This is very strange considering that they fired you many years ago from your "analyst" position. We all understand that you're basically a shill for Delta and have stock holdings with them and Southwest. Go start your own blog and spare us your constant cheer leading.

And Timmy would obviously know, being the worlds biggest Delta cheer leader and all.

To whom?

"if you select any period of time, you can certainly find proof of your argument, whatever it may be."

You're giving away your secrets, Tim.

all of that blabber and you still can't grasp that UA's financial trends relative to DL are getting worse, not better, and size doesn't change that.

UA will pay far more for fuel than DL esp. as the refinery benefits kick in and DL has long been paying industry leading profit sharing for years which are possible only because of DL's industry leading profits (can't wait to hear Ben talk about the ME3's profits this year).

You don't know the difference between significantly improved and still very much second place - which is where UA will be.

You're a petulant child that grabs for whatever reality you think allows you to crow while ignoring the very trend lines which say you are delusional.

Not at all. The EWR issues hurt yields temporarily, but they are almost back. The credit cards signups are off the charts and UA just introduced a debit card in the UK. United is hitting on all cylinders with continuous improvements on all fronts. Your predictive powers are obviously and deeply flawed (see Riyadh Air). Too funny.

Just flew sfo-sin seat 12L. Much worse than the older polaris product. I'm 6'2" and can't lie straight because of the tiny footwell. Also seat doesn't recline much until foot is fully deployed, so the half lying position doesn't exist like it used to. Third, very hard to get out of the seat as my two feet don't fit together in the narrow passageway, I can't imagine a 70yr old navigating that. Finally storage space is tiny. No place to put your laptop and drink down. Clearly a downgrade to fit more seats. Another reason to fly the a350 on SQ.