When are United going to get some new long-haul planes?!
Discussion
It seems that every time I have to fly on United trans-Atlantic I end up on the world's most knackered old Boeing 767-300. Yesterday's flight was delayed by getting on for four hours due to a water leak in one of the bathrooms, on the outbound flight a number of the screens weren't working and in terms of comfort they're terrible. The screens are 5.6" and so pixelated you can't read the subtitles on the safety video, the seats are saggy and collapsed, and there are no power points anywhere in the economy cabins.
These planes are over 25 years old now, surely that's getting towards the end of their useful life? The maintenance guy at Newark said something along the lines of 'the plane is so old of course things go wrong with it' when asked how often this happened by another passenger. According to Wikipedia they still have 35 of these in the air, and no obvious replacements planned, so I guess I'm going to have to endure them for a bit longer still.
These planes are over 25 years old now, surely that's getting towards the end of their useful life? The maintenance guy at Newark said something along the lines of 'the plane is so old of course things go wrong with it' when asked how often this happened by another passenger. According to Wikipedia they still have 35 of these in the air, and no obvious replacements planned, so I guess I'm going to have to endure them for a bit longer still.
Sadly my choice is very limited, I generally need to connect to another airport in the US not served directly from here. Every time United are $500 or more cheaper than Swiss and my corporate travel policy won't allow me to take the more expensive option on the grounds that the in-flight-entertainment screen doesn't make the grade 
I think they do, but I've never been on anything other than a 767 with them. A couple of times it has been a newer one (767-400 I guess) but the bulk of the trips have been on planes built when I was still in primary school. These are all on routes from Heathrow or Zürich to various US destinations (Houston, Dulles, Newark, Chicago).
I guess I'm just surprised that a major carrier is still operating these really. The first time I just assumed it was a late change to a 'spare' aircraft but it's actually normal for them to be used. I figured with fuel use and reliability they'd have been pensioned off by now, but I guess BA's 747 fleet isn't far off this age.
In fact, my outbound flight was on a different plane to what was planned after a mechanical issue with the original one...
I guess I'm just surprised that a major carrier is still operating these really. The first time I just assumed it was a late change to a 'spare' aircraft but it's actually normal for them to be used. I figured with fuel use and reliability they'd have been pensioned off by now, but I guess BA's 747 fleet isn't far off this age.
In fact, my outbound flight was on a different plane to what was planned after a mechanical issue with the original one...
Any US carrier is simply shocking at Transatlantic service, in my experience. The worse flights I've ever had were on United, American Airlines, and Delta.
On the United flight, one of the 'highlights' on the fixed IFA (projector onto bulkhead, multiple CRTs hanging from above, no choice) was a documentary about child adoption!
On the United flight, one of the 'highlights' on the fixed IFA (projector onto bulkhead, multiple CRTs hanging from above, no choice) was a documentary about child adoption!
Airliners generally have a life span of 20 to 25 years with their original owners. BA is still operating most of its 747-400s which began to be delivered around 1989. Some of their 767s are also of a similar vintage.
It's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
Last year I flew on a couple of BA Boeing 737-400s - which were around 25 years old. They did look a bit jaded but there was no point in refurbishing their interiors as they were due to be withdrawn soon.
It's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
Last year I flew on a couple of BA Boeing 737-400s - which were around 25 years old. They did look a bit jaded but there was no point in refurbishing their interiors as they were due to be withdrawn soon.
Eric Mc said:
Airliners generally have a life span of 20 to 25 years with their original owners. BA is still operating most of its 747-400s which began to be delivered around 1989. Some of their 767s are also of a similar vintage.
It's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
Last year I flew on a couple of BA Boeing 737-400s - which were around 25 years old. They did look a bit jaded but there was no point in refurbishing their interiors as they were due to be withdrawn soon.
So the one I flew on yesterday is 'only' 22 years oldIt's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
Last year I flew on a couple of BA Boeing 737-400s - which were around 25 years old. They did look a bit jaded but there was no point in refurbishing their interiors as they were due to be withdrawn soon.
https://planefinder.net/data/aircraft/N658UA
According to the bible which is Wikipedia, they don't have anything on order to replace these, all their Dreamliner orders are for the larger versions so I guess they plan to keep running them for some time to come.
Eric Mc said:
Airliners generally have a life span of 20 to 25 years with their original owners. BA is still operating most of its 747-400s which began to be delivered around 1989. Some of their 767s are also of a similar vintage.
It's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
I was pleasantly surprised last time I was in the US - I flew on one of Delta's MD88s, expecting something utterly worn out, but the interior looked pretty much the same as a new aircraft operated by a European low-cost carrier. Apparently delays due to mechanical faults are fairly rare on their fleet (if Wikipedia is to be believed), so it seems to be possible to keep older aircraft going & looking the part.It's not that big a problem as long as the aircraft are maintained well.
Generally it's the interior fittings that end up looking a bit dated and lacking some of the more exotic mod-cons that are fitted to newer airliners.
Last time I flew United was back in 2012, LHR-LAX. 777 both ways, on the way out I thought great as the seats went 2-?-2 so I had plenty of room in my window seat. On the way back it was 3-?-3 and way more cramped for it. So now every time I fly to the States I use Virgin where possible or if they aren't available general rule of thumb is anyone who isn't United or AA. Also I find by doing this the cabin staff are actually pleasant humans when you don't fly United haha (I was naïve having had a childhood flying first class with North West I thought all cabin staff would be lovely).
flew united plenty of times a couple of years back... issue I had was more with cabin crew!. if i understand correctly, with the major US carriers, the transatlantic flights are high value to the cabin crew, as such you have to earn the right to fly them... this means an older, more wiser(reads miserable) crew. added to the low level of service and old aircraft make BA look like heaven in the skies.
i remember on a flight from new york to london, a flight attendent who was in the year below jesus at school, walking up the isle handing out "WATER" "WATER" from a black bin bag.... stylish
i remember on a flight from new york to london, a flight attendent who was in the year below jesus at school, walking up the isle handing out "WATER" "WATER" from a black bin bag.... stylish
At least BA are updating their fleet at last with Dreamliner deliveries now commenced, A380's with 3 more on order to add to the 9 they already have and they have a fair few 777 of course.
BA fly to a fair few USA destinations or will soon with the A380 so I,m sure you can get to wherever you need.
Unfortunately, like a low cost carrier, BA seats have to be purchased if you want guarenteed seating and business seat layout is poor.
BA fly to a fair few USA destinations or will soon with the A380 so I,m sure you can get to wherever you need.
Unfortunately, like a low cost carrier, BA seats have to be purchased if you want guarenteed seating and business seat layout is poor.
Boozy said:
They use the 777 at different times, just check when you're booking the flight.
Not from Zürich unfortunately.The cabin crew were great on the last leg actually (or two of them were anyway) but in general they're pretty miserable, although that seems to be the case on most of the older carriers.
The problem is that when the company is paying it comes down to route, time and price and nothing else matters. I'd much prefer to fly Swiss to EWR and then switch to United for the domestic leg but it seldom works out that way.
Don't worry, with in flight entertainment systems like this the time will fly by 
Don't bank on the plane having any power points, so make sure any devices are charged pre-flight. I take a big-ish battery booster pack (Anker one from Amazon) so I can charge my phone and iPad while I'm in the air.
The entertainment system is so useless it might as well not be there to be honest, the screens are so dark and fuzzy you can't see anything, I'd rather watch a movie on a mobile phone.
Don't bank on the plane having any power points, so make sure any devices are charged pre-flight. I take a big-ish battery booster pack (Anker one from Amazon) so I can charge my phone and iPad while I'm in the air.
The entertainment system is so useless it might as well not be there to be honest, the screens are so dark and fuzzy you can't see anything, I'd rather watch a movie on a mobile phone.
I flew United to Newark from Birmingham last January. The seat was a little cramped, I'm six two and it was just ok. The food and inflight film selection was good. They had a chickpea curry that was very tasty.
I flew back with Lufthansa. They had more leg room and free red wine, but the films where worse.
I flew back with Lufthansa. They had more leg room and free red wine, but the films where worse.
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