United p.s.

United p.s. is a premium service offered by United Airlines on flights between John F. Kennedy International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport or San Francisco International Airport and seasonally between Boston Logan International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport.^[1] The fleet consists of specially configured Boeing 757-200 aircraft with three classes of service: United BusinessFirst, United Economy Plus, and United Economy. Each class of service includes certain amenities not offered on regular flights.

History

After the September 11, 2001 Attacks, the airline industry generally suffered severe losses in passenger traffic. Coupled with often high legacy labor and fixed operating costs, such as the operation of relatively inefficient aircraft models (such as the Boeing 727, and Boeing 767-200) and unprofitable routes, the UAL Corporation (parent company of United) filed for bankruptcy in December 2002. Once the airline began to bounce back, United launched TED, a low cost airline, in 2003 and United p.s., a luxury service between JFK and SFO and LAX, in October 2004. The transcontinental service offers extra amenities not found on other domestic flights, as well as high frequency of departures as a flagship/signature service.

United's premium product competes with the American Flagship Service introduced by American Airlines for the U.S. domestic market in 1992.^[2]

On March 22, 2010, the Chicago Tribune reported that United Airlines would be retaining its p.s. service after the merger with Continental Airlines. A number of interior improvements such as upgrading the lie-flat beds and the cabin service are planned for the p.s. 757 fleet.^[3]

On August, 22, 2011, United Airlines announced the p.s. fleet would be gutted and "reborn" with: Flat-Bed Seats, New Economy Plus Seats, AVOD and Wi-Fi, however these changes include the elimination of United First, making p.s. a "two-plus" class service. ^[4]

Fleet

Classes of service

United BusinessFirst

United BusinessFirst consists of 28 fully flat-bed seats in a 2x2 configuration from rows 1 through 7. This aircraft uses exactly the same BusinessFirst seats featured in United's internationally configured 757s. The major difference is that the ps BusinessFirst configuration includes 3 additional rows of BusinessFirst after Door 2L. This class of service includes AVOD at every seat and BusinessFirst service standards. Access to the United Club is included with a BusinessFirst boarding pass. All seats on this aircraft feature 110v power.^[4]

United Economy Plus

United Economy Plus takes up rows 21 (originally row 20) through 27 with 42 (originally 48) seats that feature 36 inches of pitch and 7 inches of recline, 5 inches more pitch and 2 inches more recline than standard economy seats. Originally, row 20 was also "Economy Plus" but the row was changed to a standard economy row after it was discovered that row 20 did not provide more legroom and did not have any recline as it was in front of an emergency exit, despite row 20 being an exit row. The seats are in a 3x3 configuration, each equipped with an AVOD system for in-flight entertainment. For each three-seat segment, there are two 110 V AC power ports and one satellite phone unit, plus a USB port at each seat.^[4]

United Economy

United Economy began being offered on United p.s. flights starting in 2012, upon completion of the transition of the p.s. fleet to a "two-plus" class service. It currently includes rows 20 and 28-38 offering 31 inches of pitch and 5 inches of recline. Every 3 seat section features an AC power outlet between seats, as well as a USB port at each seat, and an AVOD screen at each seat.^[4]

References

External links

• United Airlines