United Airlines is changing the way it prices seats purchased with frequent flyer miles. On November 15, the carrier is switching to a system that prices award seats based on demand rather than specific tiers. The pricing strategy will allow United to slide award prices up when demand is high for a particular flight and ease off on costs when there are more seats available.

Portions of this system already went into place last month when several frequent flyers noticed that award seats on some routes were pricing out at rates lower than normal. Additionally, a bracketed version of dynamic pricing also went into effect at the airline for MileagePlus Everyday Awards last year. As of Friday, that movement is now formally part of a full-fledged effort to apply dynamic pricing across United’s entire award calendar without boundaries.

The practice of dynamically pricing award seats as a function of demand is a stark contrast to the traditional system of award-tier booking where seats are priced into concise buckets available to consumers.

https://skift.com

United is the first U.S. airline to let its passengers pick a gender option other than male or female when booking tickets. Delta and other carriers said last month that they plan to make similar moves shortly. We’re with they/them.

Passengers who choose to will soon be able to pick a gender option other than male or female when booking their plane tickets.

On Friday, United Airlines claimed it had become the first U.S. airline to update its booking systems to provide travelers with the choice to identify themselves as U, for undisclosed, or X, for unspecified when using the drop-down menus on its online forms. United has also begun to let customers select the title “Mx.” during booking and in their customer profile for the MileagePlus loyalty program.

https://skift.com

What does it mean when an airline makes a $1.3 billion investment and immediately dumps a large portion of it in the garbage? A recent move by United Airlines to purchase brand new 76 seat regional jets but only use two-thirds of the seating capacity raises just that question. It’s a story that might not close with the airline on top – if you pay attention to factors like historical precedent.

United ushered in 2019 by touting a new era of premium luxury for customers. The airline backed up the claim this month by kitting out a new fleet of regional jets in style, with ten first-class seats, 20 extra -leg- room economy plus seats, and only 20 regular coach class seats in the back. In addition, each aircraft will have a snack station and four California-sized closets.

United’s move and artful communications strategy might make you think that the focus is on you, the beloved customer. It might be. But it bears another look. As one former United executive said to me years ago, “I’ve never met a closet who bought a ticket.” In other words: if you have an expensive asset, use it to maximum advantage.

This aircraft, to be certified as the CRJ550, will be a new variant of Bombardier’s CRJ-700 series aircraft. Unlike the 70-to-76-seat CRJ-700, however, these aircraft will be modified to carry just 50 passengers and to weigh in under 75,000 pounds. The numbers might not mean much to customers, but they are magic for United.

The major airlines and their pilots have negotiated for years how many aircraft may be operated by so-called “regional” airlines. It matters greatly to the pilots unions, since starting salaries at the regional airlines can be as low as $30,000, less than half of typical pay at the Majors. Unsurprisingly, airline management would like regional airlines to fly more and larger jets. The pilots would like to see all but the smallest aircraft flown by the better-paid mainline pilots.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/samuelengel1/2019/02/26/united-airlines-orders-first-class-regional-jets-but-theyre-not-for-you/#7e805def6c7a

Chicago-based United Airlines is opening its seatback entertainment powered by DirecTV to all customers for free. Previously, the seatback-based satellite streaming service was offered to domestic business class customers for free while economy passengers had to swipe a credit card and pay a small fee to scroll through the spectrum of channels. As of January 30th, however, the service is now free for all passengers.

The updated service applies to all of the carrier’s 211 Boeing 737 fleet with seatback entertainment. All told, roughly 30,000 seats will be affected by the change.

United’s announcement comes in the midst of a transition at American and United to move away from integrated seatback entertainment screens and towards digital, streaming entertainment built for bring-your-own devices. As part of that move, carriers have been quick to offer digital solutions to passengers for free as a distraction from the physical changes happening in the cabin.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/grantmartin/2019/02/02/united-airlines-makes-directv-entertainment-free-for-all-passengers/#2fe8d74d7e83

United Airlines is incorporating purple into its new look — from the new uniforms that all 70,000 frontline employees will soon be sporting to new fabrics on its seating.

The new uniforms were developed in partnerships with Tracy Reese, Brooks Brothers, and Carhartt. Much of the new design is developed around the airline’s new color scheme. 

The central color is “Rhapsody Blue,” which anyone who has seen the United logo will recognize. But the rest of the palette is heavy on neutral blues, grays, and purples.

Female cabin crew will don a a dress with a lilac arm and an azure “Pacific Blue” curving stripe. Male flight attendants will have purple “Atlantic Amethyst” accents in their uniform, including on ties and pocket squares. 

https://www.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/united-airlines-new-uniforms-purple

United Airlines is changing its policies regarding emotional-support animals, banning animals under the age of four months from the cabin, “to further ensure the well-being of our employees and customers while accommodating passengers with disabilities,” the company said in a blog post on Thursday.

“This is just another move in a long line of moves to restrict pets on air crafts,” Christopher Elliott, founder of consumer advocacy organization Elliott.org, said. “Animals could go the way of peanuts on planes at some point in the future — ideally airlines do not want to have any animals in the cabin.”
The new policy will go into effect on Jan. 7 and comes weeks after Delta Air Lines made a similar change. “Animals under the age of four months typically have not received the necessary vaccinations that help ensure the safety of our employees and customers,” United said. The airline did not respond to request for additional comment.

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/united-airlines-no-more-puppies-on-its-planes-2019-01-04

https://simpleflying.com/united-airlines-premium-economy-seats-finally-go-on-sale/

United Airlines is adding Hilton Head, South Carolina, to its route map as part of a new round of domestic expansion at the Chicago-based carrier.

United will begin flying to Hilton Head, adding flights to the South Carolina resort destination from its hubs at Chicago O’Hare, Newark Liberty and Washington Dulles.

United’s United Express affiliates will operate two daily round-trip flights from Washington starting March 31. Service from Chicago will operate only on Saturdays and Sundays while Newark service will be Saturday-only service. Flights will be seasonal on all routes, scheduled to run through Sept. 8. Newark and Chicago flights begin April 6.

United will be just the second airline to fly from the Hilton Head airport. American already offers American Eagle regional service to its second-busiest hub in Charlotte.

Beyond Hilton Head, United announced several other new routes and detailed new service and schedule adjustments at its two big East Coast hubs: Newark Liberty and Washington Dulles.

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United Airlines plans to start charging passengers to reserve select seats near the front of the plane, a practice already in place at rivals American and Delta.

There’s nothing special about the so-called “preferred” seats, no extra legroom or other perks as are offered to passengers buying premium seats in airlines’ coach cabins, such as United’s Economy Plus and American’s Main Cabin Extra.

They are just regular seats near the front of the main cabin, viewed as preferred because you don’t have to traipse as far down the aisle to your seat and are among the first off the plane.

United said it will implement the change later this year but did not provide specifics beyond that, including pricing. The seats for sale will be just behind its Economy Plus rows. Certain United corporate clients will be able to reserve them for free, part of new corporate perks program United announced last week. Certain elite-level frequent fliers also are able to reserve the seats with no fee.

Other passengers will have to pay a fee to reserve them unless they are available for free at check in.

Seat selection fees add up on other airlines. American’s fee chart says preferred seat fees range from $4 to $139 one way, depending on the flight.

On a non-stop flight from Chicago to New York in October, the airline is currently selling seat assignments for $29 (middle seat) to $35 (aisle or window) one way.

For a fall flight between Phoenix and Atlanta, Delta is asking $60 one way to reserve a window or aisle seat in the rows behind its “Delta Comfort+” extra-legroom section.

Passengers don’t have to pay for a seat assignment, of course. Major airlines generally offer a selection of free seat assignments when tickets are booked in advance, and they’re not all middle seats. Seat choices often dwindle or dry up for last-minute bookers, but even then travelers can bypass the pricey seat assignments and wait for a free seat assignment at check in.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2018/08/21/united-airlines-seat-fees-economy-cabin/1046963002/

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