United Airlines is getting rid of some of its middle seats, a move that will give passengers more elbow room and an extra table, but at an additional cost. The airline announced it will block out two of the middle seats in the economy plus section of a new jet debuting this fall.
More Comfort for a Price
The move is part of a trend among major US airlines to cater to passengers willing to pay extra for comfort. Airlines are creating tiers within economy and premium offerings, letting them charge high-paying passengers even more.
According to Andrew Nocella, United’s Chief Commercial Officer, the airline is giving customers choice and value in every cabin. The new arrangement will debut with United’s new plane, the Airbus A321XLR, which has 152 seats. By removing the two seats and taking capacity down to 150 seats, United could conceivably eliminate one flight attendant per flight and save money on staffing.
Premium seat demand has juiced profits for United, Delta, and American Airlines in the second quarter despite soaring jet fuel costs. Revenue for United’s premium seats was up 16% from last year compared to the 11% growth in basic economy.
Original reporting: KRDO (Colorado Springs metro) — read the source article.
