Airline Passengers Hate Middle Seats. But that’s Not Why United Is Getting Rid of some of Them
United is creating a paid premium-economy tier on its new Airbus A321XLR jets as premium seat revenue rose 16% year over year, the airline said.
- Last week, United announced it will block two middle seats in the "Economy Plus" section of its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which debuts this fall to provide extra elbow room.
- Focusing on higher-paying customers has become central to United, Delta, and American Airlines; premium seat revenue grew 16% last year compared to 11% basic economy growth.
- By reducing capacity from 152 to 150 seats, United could eliminate one flight attendant per flight, said Henry Harteveldt of Atmosphere Research, citing Federal Aviation Administration regulations requiring one attendant per 50 seats.
- Pricing for the new seats will exceed standard Economy Plus, though Zack Griff of the newsletter From the Tray Table noted the airline may use lower introductory rates to gauge consumers' "willingness to pay for various products."
- Even traditional lower-fare airlines like Southwest, JetBlue, and Frontier are seeking to offer more comfort for a price, reflecting a broad industry trend of creating tiered cabin offerings.
13 Articles
13 Articles
United Airlines takes inspiration from European business class with blocked middle seat
United Airlines has announced it will be adding a new seating option to its Economy Plus cabin. One row aboard the carrier’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will feature a blocked middle seat, the roll-out of which is expected to start at the end of 2026. Blocked middle seats are a common sight on many European airlines’ short- and medium-haul business class cabins. However, in the U.S., the option can only be found at Frontier Airlines, which has b…
United Airlines’ New Economy Plus Row Removes The Middle Seat
United Airlines plans to remove the middle seat from a special Economy Plus row on its incoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft, giving window and aisle passengers more elbow room on longer flights. Instead of selling the center seat, the airline will install a large table that stretches between the armrests and turns the open space into a shared surface. The permanently fixed table will have a soft, leather-like covering and two cup indentations. Unite…
United Airlines’ New Economy Plus Row Removes The Middle Seat - Travel Noire
United Airlines plans to remove the middle seat from a special Economy Plus row on its incoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft, giving window and aisle passengers more elbow room on longer flights. Instead of selling the center seat, the airline will install a large table that stretches between the armrests and turns the open space into a shared surface. The permanently fixed table will have a soft, leather-like covering and two cup indentations. Unite…
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