Air Canada has been operating the best business class product from North America to Tel Aviv for some time now with their all aisle access lie-flat reverse herringbone seating on their 787s.
Last month, United started flying their new all aisle access lie-flat Polaris business class product on their 777-300ERs on the late night flight 90 from from Newark to Tel Aviv and the late night flight 91 from Tel Aviv to Newark.
Shortly after United announced that Tel Aviv would be among the very first routes to get the new Polaris product, Delta announced that in late October they would move the Tel Aviv route from a 777-200LR to an A330-300, which also meant the addition of all aisle access lie-flat reverse herringbone seating in business class.
In March, DDF sleuths figured out that El Al was going to configure their 787 business class with 32 seats in a 1-2-1 configuration, introduce premium economy with 28 seats in a 2-3-2 configuration, and coach with 222 seats in a 3-3-3 configuration. There won’t be first class on the 787, but the business class seat is far superior to the old first class seat anyway.
DDF members tavster attended a launch event today and reported that El Al announced that their first 787 Dreamliner routes will be Tel Aviv to London and Newark. Previous rumors for the first 787 deployment had included Hong Kong, Los Angeles, and Miami, but apparently El Al views United’s twice daily service from Newark as their biggest threat. They also confirmed that the 787s will have ViaSat WiFi onboard.
Business class will be staggered, similar to United’s Polaris instead of the reverse herringbone configuration that was expected. It will have to be a narrower business class seat than United’s as the 787 is a couple of feet narrower than the 777. That means El Al will still likely have the worst business class seats in the market, but at least they’ll be playing in the same ballpark.
El Al has a new microsite on the 787 here. You can toggle the language between Hebrew and English at the top.
Coach seating on the 787 will be narrower and tighter than on other planes. Pitch will drop from 32″ to 31″ or 30.” If you want to get comfortable you’ll want to spring for the new premium economy offering with a generous 38″ pitch with foot rests, a wider seat, and more recline.
CEO David Maimon said that “We had a dream, now we have a dreamliner.” They’ve at least brought their seat into the 21st century. Now let’s talk about the El Al labor issues, mileage program, and website functionality…
You can view a video on El Al’s 787 here:
On Premium Economy here:
And business class here:
Will the 787 be enough to bring some of El Al’s former customers back onboard? Share your thoughts in the comments!
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23 Comments On "El Al Will Take United Polaris Head-On With Their First 787 Route, “We Had A Dream, Now We Have A Dreamliner”"
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What is “pitch” as described in decrease in size of coach seats on 787?
When is the first flight?
Are the seats wider in economy and premium economy than United’s new plane?
Do you think that the econ on this plane is better than the new UA econ?
I will never fly ElAl. Even if they can fix their “labor issues, mileage program, and website functionality” They have the worst service, and it’s so deeply ingrained that i don’t believe it will ever change.
@Esther:
Pitch is legroom, that will be less than on other El Al planes.
Seat width will also be less.
@Leo:
September or October.
@yelped:
@Shaul:
United economy on the daytime 772 flight is the widest seat option.
For the United redeye 77W and the El Al 787, economy will be pretty comparable on the window sides, but United’s middle section has 4 seats while El Al’s has 3 seats, which is either a pro or con depending on your family size. Seat width on either will be stingy as the 787 is a couple of feet narrower than a 777. The 777 was originally designed for 9 seats across and United’s 772 has 9 while United’s 77W has 10. The 787 was originally designed for 8 seats across, but most airlines are cramming in 9 across.
United doesn’t have premium economy yet, they have economy plus which only has extra legroom and will be priced much less than El Al premium economy.
Elal’s pemium economy seats look like a really good upgrade compared to the other airlines premium economy options. For me that would be my go to option if it’s not too much more expensive.
@Chaim: they charge approx now $350 a way now
EL-AL actually charges 100.00 per way on exit row seats and 150.00 per way for the economy premium seats
@ari:
El Al 787 Premium Economy will have a much higher cost premium.
There’s no way this gets me to subject myself and my family to the awful business practices of Elal. There is no airline in the world that mistreats its passengers the way Elal does and gets away with it. Not to mention their god awful loyalty program. Too little, too late. I’m happy on United.
@Yerach: amen
Elal has great service and love the Jewish family feel
#5 and #11 have hit the button. You can have the best hard product in the world, not that the El Al video suggests this will be the case, but unless you have decent service, from A to Z, no frequent flyer will choose you. Unfortunately El Al’s service fails at almost every point, the most glaring being its arrogant unpleasant staff. True the First and Business Class waiters and waitresses are better than those whose punishment is to be in Economy, but they still give you the impression that they are doing you a favor most of the time. The only thing El Al haven’t managed to do in competition with United [yet] is call the airport police to throw off a disgruntled customer!
@Harry:
Yes they did. Many years back they called Port Authority police on a frum mom who refused to be separated from her child because they did not seat them together. Unlike Chicago police the PA police said this is an airline issue and left without doing what Elal wanted them to do.
El AL is the pits. And the way they treat religious customers is even worse. The shiksa on united and delta always accommodate a request for seat change. ElAl tries to educate the religious.
Then again more Hebrew speaking chareidim fly ElAl and they try to
educate the plane staff.
@Dan JewishPress is reporting London will be the first route: http://www.jewishpress.com/news/israel/el-al-launches-boeing-787-dreamliner-widebody-video/2017/06/11/
dunno. I like elal. it has a nice jewish feel. the people around you are not eating traif. the language is jewish. they accommodate families. have had very pleasant experiences with them. it’s definitely a style to degrade them..
@SAM Whats wrong with you? No one deserves anything regardless of how religious one is!
@SAM: On my flight with United from TLV in February the attendant refused to get involved in a seat change. Know before you post.
@Steve Clearly I most have been there… Regardless, @SAM clearly said “The shiksa on united and delta always accommodate a request for seat change.” So my simple question to you is which one is it? Maybe your confused a little.
I have flown on El Al at least 10 times in the past few years. I have always had a good experience. Even though Matmid has a lower value then other programs they still have the most availability for bonus flights. I think Dan alluded to this once.
I flew El Al, after security questioned me, they searched my luggage, and carry-on, they made me then check in my carry-on. They didn’t let me take anything on board, not even my tefillin or my gemara. Only my passport. I would never fly them ever again. Fly United or Delta instead.