United kicks off Melbourne-Los Angeles flights on Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Already have 3 x business class returns booked with United after Virgin shafted its South Eastern Australian customers by moving everything to Brisbane.

The flight times are excellent allowing me to fly into Melbourne that morning and out of LAX for Miami the next .

Melbourne Airport CEO Chris Woodruff told journalists and travellers that “the new non-stop service means that passengers don't have to transfer through that sad, declining, high-cost, low-service airport in New South Wales.”

No that's right. They'll just have to suffer through "that sad, declining, high-cost, low-service" business class cabin!

Have you seen those seats? That is simply offensive for a long haul product from an airline of a 1st world country here in 2014!

The seating is only one part off it USA airlines  including UA are not known  for great service .I try to avoid using any Americian airlines if I can.

THB I would agree somewhat as we are spoilt in this part of the world including Asia international short hall flights in Europe in Euro Business class are actually worse than the USA  so called first class!! Lounges at US airports have improved considerably as well.have flown AA a few times in First seat ok service 3 out 10 .once again I think we are spoilt in the Asian region 

I flew the inagural flight LAX-MEL today.  There are quite a few good thigns about this flight.

So far this seems to be the only flight accross the pacific with working internet connectivity from Melbourne or Sydney.  It worked when I needed it.

On the bad side the new J seats are awful.  I am 5'11" and could not fit in them, I was too tall.  I had to either get wedged or tuck in to try and sleep.  when you are laying flat yout feet need to fit in to a "foot well".  But the foot well was so small my size 8-9 feet (no shoes) kept getting wedged. 

These seats seem to be the "new" united seats that are simialr to the upgraded Continental J seats in US trans con domestic.  they are very nice for that but IMHO not well suited for a 15 hr flight.

Except for those all excitied about their 787-9 flight today will be dissapointed to see a 787-8 at their gate!!

Kudos to UA for reinvesting in Australia. The 787-9 is great for these "long and thin" routes. The seats look fine, there's WiFi if you really need it - and the whole package is a generation ahead from the old 747s. 

“the new non-stop service means that passengers don't have to transfer through that sad, declining, high-cost, low-service airport in New South Wales.”

Lol, Melbourne's inferiority complex rears its head again, as always.

I wish the crittics would wait util we have some passenger that have actually flown on this Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner and then give the seats in all classes the thumbs up or the thumbs down. I'm booked on the service on Australia day and love the Boeing 787 Dreamliner and I'm looking forward to it. Maybe some of the critics are Qantas management and worried about the compettion from other carriers,  on the LAX Route, YOU should be worried!!!

Would I be right in thinking the economy photo is a little misleading in that it appears to show a single aisle when actually the config is the dreaded elbow crunching 3-3-3

The seating in UA 787 Dreamliner in Economy Plus & Econmy is awful! Sorry but after 30 years flying with UA why on earth I ask have they opted for seating with less recline than the cheapest budget airline? Is it time to look at alternatives? Recently heard customer complaints after arrival intto Melbourne ex LA. Sure a direct flight, food is less that acceptable, seating comfort is below par. Why not charge passenger a little more and give better food, seat reclining which is comfortybale on a 15 hour flight? A380 aircraft far quieter and seating much better. Can see many customers looking at QF flights to USA ex Melbourne.