10-abreast on United’s new B777-300ER — coming next to 777-200s. (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
As United continues to retrofit its existing long-haul fleet with the carrier’s new lie-flat Polaris business class seating, its first overhauled 777-200 is due to start flying sometime this winter. And while front-cabin flyers might appreciate the Polaris refit, with direct aisle access at every seat, main cabin travelers will find a change they might not like: 10-across seating instead of nine.
News reports in Flightglobal.com and in the Los Angeles Times say that United plans to configure its long-haul 777-200s with 50 Polaris seats and 242 economy seats – about two dozen more economy seats than the aircraft currently have, depending on the specific model.
A window seat in United’s new Polaris cabin on B777-300ER (Photo: Chris McGinnis)
By going from nine seats to 10-across in coach, United will be bringing its 777-200s to the same standard as its new 777-300ERs, in which it introduced its new Polaris cabin earlier this year. While United now refers to all its business class cabins as Polaris, as of last month only 15 planes had the new lie-flat, angled seats in the front cabin – 14 new 777-300ERs and one retrofitted 767-300.
United’s total long-haul fleet includes some 200 aircraft. The first retrofitted 767-300 recently went into service on the Newark-London Heathrow route, and United expects to have 14 overhauled 767s in service by the end of next year. Most of the new 777-300ERs in service are on transpacific routes.
Unlike the larger 777s, the refitted 767-300s will still have seven-across economy seating after the retrofit. Some 90 United 777-200s are due to get the 10-across seating overhaul in the next few years, and on the plus side, they will reportedly preserve their existing seat pitch in the main cabin – 31 inches for regular economy seats and 34 for Economy Plus.
Economy Plus on United’s B777-300ER has 34 inches of pitch (Chris McGinnis)
United already has 10-across seating in some 777s that are used mainly on domestic routes (those planes are not getting the new Polaris front cabin). In recent years, many of the world’s airlines have been shifting their 777 configurations from nine-across to 10 across.
There was no immediate word on how the new layout would affect seat width on the United 777-200s. According to Seatguru.com, United’s higher-density domestic 777-200s have 10-across coach seats that are 17.1 inches wide, vs. 18 or 18.3 inches on its nine-across international 777-200s. Its new 777-300ERs have 10-across seats that are 17 inches wide, so it’s probably a safe bet that the economy seats on the reconfigured 777-200s will also be 17 inches wide.
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I don’t know why this is legal. Some things just need to be regulated. 9 across should be mandated by law on 777s. Is that too controversial?
Oh look, another reason to avoid United! It’s like they’re desperately trying to alienate the few customers left who haven’t been beaten and/or nickel-and-dimed with baggage and seat assignment fees. I really hope I can redeem my FF miles before they start charging extra for pressurized cabin air.
But not Japan, Singapore, Virgin Australia are some examples. I believe Emirates was the airline that started this mess with 10 across about 10 years ago.
Several hours?? Wish it were so brief.
We’re in our 60’s and 70’s. We just did our first trans Atlantic trip in premium economy in an United 787-8. I wasn’t much fun. People on the windows kept them dark, actually dark green, on the entire west bound FRA-IAH route with beautiful sunlight outside for the entire 14 hours – felt like being underwater in a log jammed algae filled pond. So add that experience to the brave new world of 10 across in steerage or $4 grand to fly Polaris with a lie flat . . . Yuck. So US/Canada driving vacations or domestic flights from Texas to a car rental location seem more fun than flying to Europe or Asia. Adios long haul aviation may start looking sweet to two well traveled, savvy seniors.
Bad news is that international carriers are embracing 10 across too. Emirates, Cathay and many others ….
United is so slow and behind the times. US Airways had lie flat seats in their 330’s back in 2010, and here seven years going on eight years later United is still lagging well behind their competitors.
The only US airline that isn’t going to 10 across in their 777’s is Delta.
Are they really making that much more money by adding a couple dozen economy seats? You’d think that by adding more ‘Polaris’ seats, that should make the difference. Ugh indeed! Although American will surely soon follow…
Oh boy another reason to avoid United…Hey United just stop the charade and just call economy steerage….
I flew on 777-300 twice in past week, first in economy and then in business. Issues with both. In economy, the new head rests provide little or no support, and cannot be relied upon. In business a panel kept falling of the side wall of the pod, and the small storage area door could not open without a strong bang on the door to add significant pressure. Guess I should be surprised there were no headsets inside, their usual storage area. Getting worried about the cheaping down of United.
Ugh. Any idea when they’ll start retrofitting them (or when they’ll go into service)? Hopefully it’s as slow as Polaris 777-300s have been taking…