One More Thing To Hate The Airlines For: Slimmer Seats


Monday marked Festivus, a mythical holiday that includes the annual airing of grievances. Well, airline passengers, here’s one for your list of grievances: airplane seat room is getting slimmer....
    






Boeing prepares to deliver United’s 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video)

DNP Boeing prepares to deliver United's 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour video

Boeing's 787 Dreamliner is the hottest bird in aviation, and while the American-made airliner has already taken flight with passengers aboard, it has yet to land with US-flag air carrier livery along the fuselage. Japan's All Nippon Airways was the first to take delivery, with the premier pair making their way from the assembly line in September of 2011. Last year Japan Airlines made its first scheduled voyage across the Pacific in a Dreamliner of its own, and we were fortunate enough to fly roundtrip on a domestic ANA flight leaving from Tokyo a few months later. But now the 787 is making its way to an American carrier. As the first US airline to operate the plane, United Airlines is about to take delivery of its first of 50 Dreamliners, which will join the carrier's fleet to service both existing and new routes, such as Denver to Tokyo, which is set to launch in late March of next year.

We traveled to Boeing's Everett, Washington factory today for a first look at United's aircraft. While the Dreamliner looks physically identical to ANA's plane, the on-board experience is decidedly different from what we saw in Japan. Though the Dreamliner has a very similar layout to United's bigger 777, it feels roomier thanks to larger windows with dimmable shades, expanded overheard bins and higher ceilings. There's plenty more to see, though, so jump past the break for a video tour of United's new mid-size flagship, and a closer look in photos.

Continue reading Boeing prepares to deliver United's 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video)

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Boeing prepares to deliver United's 787 Dreamliner, we climb aboard for a tour (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:29:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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United 787 Dreamliner emerges from Boeing factory, complete with golden head-to-tail ‘swoop’

United 787 Dreamliner emerges from Boeing's Everett factory, complete with golden headtotail swoop

The first US-based 787 carrier is inching closer to its Dreamliner service launch. United Airlines celebrated the plane's rollout today at Boeing's Everett, Washington factory. The aircraft, which is set to begin international service later this year, received a custom livery, which includes a curved "swoop" -- which oddly enough appears to be the focus of design chatter. That may just be because the public has yet to take a peek inside, though we did have an opportunity to hitch a ride on ANA's variant last year, which has been flying throughout Japan since late 2011. Despite All Nippon's head start, United's flavor has garnered much attention domestically, marking a massive milestone in the Dreamliner's delayed launch. Hit up our source link below for a few more (exterior) views, courtesy of United.

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United 787 Dreamliner emerges from Boeing factory, complete with golden head-to-tail 'swoop' originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 31 Jul 2012 23:44:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps

It won't be enough to cancel out the Engadget editor using in-flight WiFi to upload photo galleries (sorry, guys), but it should make web surfing from coach a little less tedious. United has just announced that it will be upgrading its Gogo in-air WiFi service to take advantage of Gogo's enhanced ATG-4 service, which promises to bump speeds from the current 3.1 Mbps to 9.8 Mbps using directional antennae, dual modems and EV-DO Rev. B. Before you get too excited, though, keep in mind that United has so far only committed to retrofitting its premium service fleet, which includes 13 planes that fly between New York's JFK and either LAX or SFO.

Continue reading United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps

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United upgrading Gogo in-flight WiFi on its premium service fleet, speeds will reach 9.8 Mbps originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 21 Jul 2012 03:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The Engadget Interview: ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg on Exede and the future of in-flight WiFi

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When you think about satellite internet, dismal speeds, ridiculous latency and astronomical fees are likely first to come to mind. But the only technology capable of blanketing our entire planet in connectivity is now able to provide a fast, consistent and affordable experience, thanks to one market-leading company, and the vision and leadership of Mark Dankberg. Launched from Dankberg's home in Southern California, ViaSat lit up on the map in 1986, and spent the first two decades focused on government and corporate contracts. Last year's launch of ViaSat-1, however, beamed the company straight toward the top of the North American satellite broadband market, bringing high-speed internet to the rural masses. Pair the company's Exede household product with airline contracts for in-flight WiFi, and you have one ever-growing infrastructure giant. We sat down with Dankberg -- ViaSat's CEO since inception -- at the company's Carlsbad, California headquarters, learning about the Exede service launch, a portable newsgathering rig and what the future of in-flight WiFi may look like on airlines like JetBlue and United. Join us past the break for the interview in full, and an inside look at how ViaSat plans to transform the entire satellite internet experience.

Continue reading The Engadget Interview: ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg on Exede and the future of in-flight WiFi

The Engadget Interview: ViaSat CEO Mark Dankberg on Exede and the future of in-flight WiFi originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Apr 2012 12:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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