Last year, I had the dubious privilege of flying United Airlines on three domestic routes. Call it bad luck, but I can’t say they impressed me too much on any of those occasions. Nonetheless, I was excited to fly United’s 787-8 in domestic first class (the international business class cabin is sold as first for marketing consistency). It would be a new aircraft for me, as I’d only flown the -9 variant before, and what’s not to like about flying novel widebody aircraft on short haul routes? I also filmed the experience for my YouTube channel:

The airport

Denver is a truly vast airport, the largest in the United States by land area. Its geographic position and customer experience make it a good place for a hub, although the concourses are huge. Bring walking boots and rations for longer transits between gates!

Check in was a breeze thanks to Premier Access, which comes with any domestic first class ticket on United. I avoided all the queues at the regular desks, and the kiosks were easy to use.

One point many European fliers overlook when flying in the USA is that, with only a few exceptions, wholly domestic first class tickets won’t get you into airline lounges. Lounge access is generally sold or packaged with credit cards. United is no exception.

The United Clubs here won’t let you in unless you’re connecting on the same day to an international flight, or you have Star Alliance Gold status. Sadly, I earned my Gold status after making this trip, so no free lounge goodies for me.

Boarding

Boarding was efficient, although I’ll never understand airlines’ continual obsession with boarding groups (United has five, in comparison to American’s NINE!). On boarding, all the electrically-adjustable window shades were thoughtfully set to fully dark, to prevent the cabin from overheating in the summer sun. Naturally, I turned the window transparent at the first opportunity.

United’s 787-8s work long haul routes into places like the Far East, and are laid out in a 2-2-2 configuration in business class. This means window seat passengers have to step over their neighbour to access the aisle – not so bad on a short day flight like this, but far from ideal on a 10 hour slog with passengers asleep or reclined most of the time.

In summary, its perfect if you’re travelling as a couple, but less so for lone passengers. There’s also very little privacy in the seating layout. There’s a pathetic divider which comes nowhere near eye level. At least they’re relatively comfortable though.

The flight

Take off was brisk and we were soon heading over the stunning Rocky Mountains. The penalty for seeing beautiful mountains below is usually turbulence, and naturally we got quite a bit of chop as soon as the meal service started (sod’s law!).

The meal service infuriated me. Seated in 1A, I was literally the first passenger to place an order, and chose the eggs and refried beans as it sounded like a nice change. The flight attendant said she would “have to see if she had any left at the end”.

Now, I don’t mind airlines not fully catering each choice, and only having a certain number of each, as we all have a responsibility to avoid waste. But I do resent being made to feel like a second-class passenger. Essentially, in line with some other airlines like British Airways, United sometimes prioritises meal orders in the galley and give first preference to high status customers. So, the FA was going to wait and see how many “more important” customers placed orders after me, and would then decide if they would get “my” meal.

This practice is nonsense. Full disclosure: I was in the past a BA Gold member and while I’d almost always get my meal choice on long haul I regularly called out this practice on FlyerTalk as fundamentally wrong. This doesn’t happen even in the cheapest restaurants and it shouldn’t happen on a $300 airline ticket either.

Anyway, the food. Pretty bad all round. Surprisingly bland and, frankly, by the end I couldn’t have cared less is the meal had ended up in front of a United Premier 1K member. The eggs were soggy and the fruit plate was insipid. I’ve never been impressed by United’s food and keep wondering if I have terrible luck with this. I welcome opposing views in the comments, particularly as I have several more flights booked with them. Give me hope!

There’s also an irritating foible with the seat on the 787-8. The power port is located uncomfortably over your shoulder, such that it’s difficult to reach with either hand while sitting down with the seatbelt on. I had to actually unbelt and stand up to unplug my devices for descent. First world problems on a mountain-jumper flight like mine, but these aircraft fly routes which sell for thousands of dollars. Thankfully, United is installing splendid Polaris seats across the fleet, and I have an exciting trip on their 787-10 booked for May, which I’m confident will be a world apart from the tired seats on this trip.

Landing

We descended into San Francisco from the east and caught a glimpse of Moffat Air Base. Landing was punctual and uneventful.

The cost of my ticket? A not-too-bad $300, but I’d advise against spending it unless, like me, you want the miles (I collect with the unfashionable Air New Zealand) or if you want the novelty of flying a widebody.

United remain a conundrum to me, although I look forward to flying them more this year. I hope the food is better next time!

United Airlines on Friday announced that it would become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options for customers booking flights.

The company said in a statement that customers will now be able to select the title “Mx.”when booking flights or signing up to become a MileagePlus member. Customers can identity as male (m), female (f), undisclosed (u) or unspecified (x).

The airline said the decision was an attempt to “lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity.”

The move comes after the industry trade group Airlines for America (A4A) announced new gender options in February. 

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Southwest and United Airlines are members of A4A.

A4A said the implementation of the new gender options is up to each individual airline, but it will be the industry standard as of June 1.

The Transportation and Security Administration (TSA) requires passengers to disclose their gender identity before each flight. The federal agency, however, will accept any gender identity as long as it matches the flyer’s government-issued ID, according to National Center for Transgender Equality.

Several states, including Colorado, California, Oregon, Minnesota, Maine and Washington, D.C., already offer the X gender option for driver’s licenses. 

United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist said in a statement that the airline was proud to be the first to offer the inclusive booking options.

“United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees,” Enqvist said.

An Australian passenger onboard a United Airlines flight from Melbourne to Los Angeles has found themselves facing a 21-year sentence for assaulting a flight attendant. The passenger was highly intoxicated and refused to cooperate with authorities, leading to their restraint by two flight attendants and two federal marshals.

United Airlines Boeing 787-9. Source: United Airlines

What is the story?

A passenger onboard United flight UA99 from Melbourne to Los Angeles International Airport on 21st January decided to start the 14-hour flight off right, by downing several complimentary mini-bottles of wine.

As the passenger’s behavior became more erratic the flight crew decided to cut them off from any more alcohol. This had the undesirable effect of making the passenger even more disruptive, as they loudly demanded more drinks. According to the incident report from the flight crew, the passenger started to have a conversation with themselves, “screaming profanities and waving her arms around in her seat”.

This obviously disturbed fellow passengers, so the flight attendant went to gather other team members from the Boeing 787 Dreamliners crew to help. During this time, the passenger got up and decided to help themselves to the bar at the rear of the plane.

United’s 787 Dreamliner in flight. Source: United Airlines

Attempts to have the passenger return to their seat failed. Then the passenger to start stripping off their clothes and throwing them at other passengers. Crew decided it was time to restrain her, which led to one crew member being hit in the face.

This prompted two federal air marshals to get involved and help the flight crew restrain the passenger. One of the agents suffered a further injury when the passenger escaped restraint and kicked him in the chest.

The flight itself wasn’t disrupted and arrived at its destination on time. The passenger was remanded to local authorities, was found guilty and now faces court sentencing.

What is the passenger charged with?

The passenger was found guilty by a jury of two federal charges: interference with a flight crew member and assault by beating. These, together, can mean jail time in federal prison of up to 21 years. The passenger claimed that they were singled out by the crew for racist abuse (the passenger is of Sudan descent). They also say they were sexually assaulted by an FBI agent on the flight.

“An affidavit in the case stated that Mornyang responded that she was a “strong black woman” and that the crew was “singling her out” for abuse.”

As the passenger is Australian, it is unclear if they will remain in the USA or serve their sentence in Australia.

United Airways operates several routes across the Pacific to Australia. Photo: Tom Boon – Simple Flying

This event really highlights the somewhat obscure law that many passengers break every day: not complying with the orders of a flight attendant. When you refuse to put up your tray table, or don’t place your bags away correctly, you are actually ‘interfering with a flight crew member’. This passenger obviously took this to the extreme, but it just goes to show just how serious their role is onboard.

In our opinion here at Simple Flying, it seems that this passenger needs help rather than jail time. We hope that they are able to recover from this incident.

What do you think? Let us know in the comments below!

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CHICAGO — “Fly how you identify.”  United Airlines announced Friday that they will now offer customers options besides just male and female to identify themselves when booking flights.

Travelers can now identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passport or identification, United said in a statement.

They can also be called the gender-neutral title “Mx.” during booking and on their MileagePlus profiles.

Fly how you identify. Our new non-binary gender options are now available.

— United Airlines (@united) March 22, 2019

“United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these inclusive booking options for our customers,” United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist said. “United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees.”

United worked with the Human Rights Campaign and the Trevor Project to implement these changes, as well as on employee training initiatives.

However, the Transportation Security Administration currently requires passengers to disclose their gender identification prior to flying. The portion of TSA’s website dedicated to transgender passengers states that screening is conducted “without regard to a person’s race, color, sex, gender identity, national origin, religion or disability.”

TSA also requires passengers to book flights using the same name, birth date and gender listed on their government-issued ID.

More on United Airlines, here.

Hi, it’s your old pal Problematic Cishet White Male again, with another dispatch from Woke America. What are these crazy kids up to today?

Before the Wright Brothers could achieve the first sustained flight of a powered heavier-than-air craft back in 1903, they had to solve a number of problems. How to achieve lift. How to keep the craft balanced. How to propel it. They fixed those minor details, but they failed to deal with one important issue. In over a century of manned air flight, there’s one nagging problem that has never been addressed:

Misgendering.

That ends today.

Fly how you identify. Our new non-binary gender options are now available.

— United Airlines (@united) March 22, 2019

United:

United Airlines today announced it has become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels in addition to providing the option to select the title “Mx.” during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile. Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.

Coffee, tea, or inclusivity?

This is a good first step, and I hope the other airlines follow suit. But they won’t achieve true gender inclusivity until they stop insisting on handing out nuts.

In addition, the airline is accommodating dyslexic Americans by changing its name to Untied.

I would like to take this opportunity to announce that I identify as an emotional-support animal, and I demand to be allowed on commercial flights at no extra charge to my human. Also, I am a unicorn, or maybe a pegasus. A magical sparkle-pony, perhaps. I haven’t decided yet and will not be pressured. Please respect my identity, which may change without notice at any moment.

But seriously, folks. The service industry can cater to its customers in any way it sees fit, and the rest of us can make jokes if it amuses us to do so. Welcome to America, and thank you for remaining calm.

United Airlines just announced it’s adding 1,600 premium seats to try and get more premium passengers. Buzz60’s Sean Dowling has more.
Buzz60

Welcome aboard, Mx! United Airlines announced Friday that it is now offering new gender options to accommodate non-binary passengers during the booking process. It is the first airline to do so. 

“Fly how you identify,” United tweeted.

Customers can now identify themselves as M (male), F (female), U (undisclosed) or X (unspecified), in addition to having the option to select the gender-neutral title “Mx.” instead of “Mr.,” “Mrs.” or “Ms.” during booking and in their customer profile. United Airlines issued a statement outlining the new choices. It said the option chosen by passengers must correspond with what is marked on their passports or other official form of identification.

Fly how you identify. Our new non-binary gender options are now available.

— United Airlines (@united) March 22, 2019

“United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these inclusive booking options for our customers,” United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist said. “United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees.”

• The type of transgender you haven’t heard of
• The difference between sexual orientation and gender identity

Booking options are not the only changes United is making when it comes to gender inclusivity. It worked with the Human Rights Campaign, one of the largest LGBTQ rights organizations in the U.S., and The Trevor Project, which provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention to the LGBTQ community, to build a new training program. Employees will now learn about preferred pronouns, persistent gender norms, LGBTQ competency in the workplace and building inclusive spaces for both customers and employees. 

“At the Human Rights Campaign, we believe being acknowledged as the gender you identify with is part of treating everyone with dignity and respect,” said Beck Bailey, acting director of the Workplace Equality Program. “By providing non-binary gender selection for ticketing and the gender-inclusive honorific ‘Mx’ in user profiles, United Airlines is taking an important step forward for non-binary inclusion.”

“The Trevor Project is grateful for United Airlines’ support of our life-saving work on behalf of LGBTQ youth,” the group’s CEO and  Executive Director Amit Paley said. “We are thrilled to bring Trevor’s expertise on the mental health of LGBTQ people to United to ensure its employees maintain safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ employees and guests.”

The move comes after industry trade groups Airlines for America and the International Air Transport Association recently approved a new international standard for non-binary passengers, effective June 1. However, implementation of the new gender options are up to each individual carrier. Delta, JetBlue, American Airlines and Southwest have all said that they are working on new gender options for the near future. 

Did you know 50 percent of artists are women? (Woot, woot!) But only about 13 percent of art on display in galleries is by female artists. (Boo!)

In honor of Women’s History Month, United Airlines wants to take women in the arts to new heights, literally. #HerArtHere is a campaign and contest hosted by United to “find and uplift underrepresented women artists,” according to the official press release. How will United do that? By giving women artists a canvas 3,666 times larger than the average 18″ x 24″ canvas you can buy at your local art store: a Boeing 757 plane.

“As a company, we believe in the importance of equality of women in what has historically been a male-dominated field,” United’s New York and New Jersey President Jill Kaplan said. “When we heard the statistics about how underrepresented women are when it comes to displaying their art, we thought, ‘What better way to contribute to changing this narrative than by offering the biggest canvas we have access to — an aircraft?'”

The rules to enter are simple: you must live in the United States and identify as a woman (cisgender, transgender, woman-aligned, or nonbinary) — sorry, not sorry, boys! Using the Boeing 757 plane as your 11,000-square-foot canvas, you should create a design that reflects your own personal style and that represents United’s mission of “Connecting people. Uniting the world,” specifically as it pertains to the company’s two main hubs in the New York/New Jersey area and California.

The six finalists will each have their own open gallery show, have their art displayed in United terminals and be made available for purchase, and will receive 100,000 MileagePlus award miles. The two winners will also get $10,000 each and to work with famous (and female) artist Shantell Martin, who has worked with a range of artists from members of the New York City Ballet to Kenderick Lamar, before their designs take flight in the fall.

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity through this unique contest to bring visibility to the work of these exceptional female artists. We take pride in leveraging our global presence to showcase their great work to millions of people who see our planes on the ground and in the sky,” United’s California President Janet Lamkin said.

To enter, visit the #HerArtHere hub on United’s website