ow fickle is Wall Street? Less than a year ago, investors weren’t keen on United’s stock. But a couple of quarters later, they’re jumping back on the bandwagon. But not all that much has changed.

Last October, during one of the more tense U.S. airline earnings calls in recent years, United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz begged investment analysts for patience, saying he need more time to fix some of the more unsound decisions of the previous regime.

This week, perhaps earlier than some analysts expected —  after all, a couple wondered whether Munoz could lose his job because the October 2017 call went so poorly — United seems to have returned to Wall Street’s good graces.

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United Airlines customers — at least a few of them — will get their first limited exposure to the carrier’s version of international premium economy as soon as this month.

When all aspects of the new product are in place, United plans to call the new cabin Premium Plus. It will feature larger seats, more legroom, and enhanced food and beverage service compared to the regular international economy cabin.

But in the early going, as United slowly starts to introduce the new cabin, it will not be sold as Premium Plus with the enhanced service.

For now, United passengers will be able to book the cabin as they would United’s existing premium economy seats on international flights. Those passengers will get the larger seat and more legroom, but none of the rest of the service.

United today confirmed that it plans to roll out the first plane with the new cabin — a retrofitted widebody Boeing 777-200 — on an unspecified date this month. Previously United had signaled the new premium economy cabin would not be unveiled until later in 2018.

United would not say what route the initial United aircraft retrofitted with the Premium Plus seat will fly. But the chances are slim to nil that it will fly out of United’s largest hub at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport.

United apparently plans to retrofit its fleet of Boeing 777-200 planes with the Premium Plus product first and then retrofit other planes over a period of several years.

Also new Boeing 777-300 ER planes going into the United fleet from this point on will have the Premium Plus cabin in place. United expects to take delivery of one additional 777-300 ER by the end of 2018.

United is coming late to the international premium economy product, which is proving a popular option on planes operated by United’s archrival American Airlines (NASDAQ: AAL) and by Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL)

According to an American spokeswoman, none of American’s international flights out of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport currently have the carrier’s premium economy product. But it is in place on a number of international flights to Europe and South America from American’s largest hub at Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport and on select flights to Asia from American’s hub at Los Angeles International Airport.

United Airlines is a unit of United Continental Holdings (NYSE: UAL).

https://www.bizjournals.com/chicago/news/2018/06/14/united-airlines-give-passengers-premium-plus.html#i/10942663

SAN FRANCISCO — It sure didn’t feel like a curtain call. But that’s what it was Tuesday morning at San Francisco International Airport as United Airlines bid farewell to its last Boeing 747.

United Flight 747 took off around noon PT, about an hour later than scheduled because of slow boarding and a maintenance delay, departing from Gate 86 after a de facto party among those ticketed on what went into the books as United’s last-ever passenger flight on the 747.

All on board had booked the flight specifically to be on the last 747 departure, a special one-off flight scheduled by United in September to give the famous jumbo jet a proper farewell.

“It’s a grand finale, no question,” United CEO Oscar Munoz said from the jet’s upper deck just before takeoff. “It’s a fitting send-off in the most dignified way for the ‘Queen of the Skies’.” Tickets for the 374-seat jet sold out in hours, despite fares of $550 and up for the one-way flight to Hawaii.

“I had to be here,” said John Vanderford, 56, of Detroit, as he partied with other Flight 747 customers prior to boarding. “It’s the last 747 flight. I remember flying it as a kid, on this exact route — San Francisco to Honolulu.”

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Soon you’ll be able to name exactly how much money you need to give up your seat on a United Airlines flight.

Skift reporter Brian Sumers recently tweeted that by October 3rd, the airline will allow passengers to bid on overbooked flights. The airline told Consumerist, “As part of our commitment to further improve our customers’ travel experience with us, we plan to test an automated system that will offer customers an opportunity to voluntarily bid for a desired compensation amount in exchange for potentially changing travel plans if faced with an overbooked flight.” This new program follows the incident where David Dao, a passenger on a fully booked United flight was dragged off the plane when he didn’t give up his seat for airline crew members.

(Rochester, MN) United Airlines announced Monday February 27^th the launch of air service at Rochester International Airport (RST).  Beginning June 8^th, United Airlines will operate three daily flights to and from the hub at Chicago O’Hare.

“We are incredibly excited to welcome United Airlines to Rochester.  The addition of this service will provide 150 new departing seats per day, which is a capacity increase of 35% for our community” John Reed, RST’s Executive Director.  “Rochester, MN was the number one market in the world without United service to Chicago, with 174 passengers traveling per day each way.  Our region now has more options to connect to the world by choosing to Fly Local and we are grateful for the capacity growth United provides.”

“Transportation to Rochester has emerged as a major theme in our destination planning for our patients and the community. Mayo Clinic established the airport in 1928 and has always been one of its strongest supporters. This exciting announcement opens the door to additional one-stop connections making travel to Rochester more convenient for our patients and visitors. We are pleased United Airlines has placed confidence in Rochester as a destination and we look forward to these additional options for our patients. ” said Dr. John T. Wald, Medical Director of Public Affairs at Mayo Clinic.

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Another big advantage to sitting here is that you are among the first people off the plane. That can be huge depending on what the UK Border line is like.

Glad you once more made it to one of my reviews! First of all thank you for watching, I hope you enjoy!
Just a bit of information about this review:
During my last California vacation last september I got the chance to fly United Airlines domestic business class for the very first time. They offered a great deal and luckily one of those domestic flights was operated by a Boeing dreamliner, which in my opinion is one of the best looking and comfortable planes to fly these days. The good thing about a long haul aircraft on a domestic route is that you get the full business class experience, with all lie flat seats, great IFE and superb service. This isn’t the case on their 737’s..
United has a pretty decent business class and the FA’s tried hard to make the flight as enjoyable as possible. Food was ok, nothing special but also not shabby or disgusting. There are minor things that could be better(check the video for that), but all in all I was very satisfied with the product. Unfortunately the flight time was only 3 hours, what a bummer 🙂
If you have any questions, please ask, drop a comment and I try to answer that very question!
Hope all is well with you guys and always safe travels!