United belatedly is finally working on the 747-400’s, and is looking to upgrade the economy product on those birds.
And may I say – it’s about time. Stepping onboard one of those things is… a time warp.
Jeff Smisek says he hopes the upgrade to upgrade them by 2016 – when it’s A350XWB’s are due into service.
Some of the savings that the combined UA/CO entinty is making is paying for these upgrades. Even Jeff says:
“The back of the product on the 747 that United flies is not an acceptable level of product. I know that,”
“But United didn’t have the money to invest in that product. Well it does now.”
“We can re-allocate aircraft to a much greater depth and drive significant additional revenue,”
You have to invest. There is a price for not investing: you lose people.”
Again – like I said, if you’ve been in the back of a 747-400 with United, it’s stepping into a timewarp. An early 90’s timewarp. And 5 year turnaround is a bit long winded.
What actual upgrades will occur has yet to be decided, but I’d hope at a minimum AVOD and a decent seat product – and not the joke that exists.
