UPDATE: United Airlines tells Live And Let’s Fly:
“Part of our winning strategy is to continually invest in the customer, nose-to-tail, and we’re always evaluating and testing new ways to further differentiate ourselves within the industry and add even more value to the experience of flying United.”
Live And Let’s Fly has also learned that if this product is introduced, it would only be on the A321XLR, not the A321neo Coastliner. Furthermore, United plans at least four flight attendants on the A321XLR, even if the seat count drops to 150.
My original story is below.
A leaked image suggests United Airlines is exploring a blocked-middle-seat economy row on its new Airbus A321XLR jets, potentially as a way to manage flight attendant staffing requirements.
United May Block Middle Seats On New Airbus Jets To Avoid Extra Flight Attendant
United Airlines may be exploring a new economy seat product on its incoming Airbus A321XLR aircraft in which the middle seat is physically blocked with a table, creating a 3-3 economy row that is functionally sold as 2-2.
A Reddit user shared what appears to be a mockup of a United economy row with the middle seats blocked, claiming that United is working on a new seat product that would feature a permanently blocked middle seat in economy.
The user added that the product would debut on the A321XLR and possibly the A321neo “Coastliner,” and that the idea was “born out of necessity to align with minimum flight attendant requirements without requiring additional headcount.”
Got word from a buddy at HDQ that says United is working on a new seat product that will feature a permablocked middle seat in Economy.
This seat would debut on the A321XLR and possibly Coastliner. This is born out of necessity to align with minimum flight attendant requirements without requiring additional headcount.
That is the key point here. This does not appear to be about United suddenly discovering the joy of intra-European business class. It appears to be about labor cost and certification.
We also see an internal United seat map posted by JonNYC that does seem to show blocked middle seats, though only one row of them (directly behind the exit rows):
United’s “Euro Business” Economy Row?
The concept itself is not new. European carriers have long sold “business class” on shorthaul flights by blocking the middle seat in a standard economy row. Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, KLM, and others all do some version of this.
The hard product is still economy. The difference is that the middle seat is blocked, often with a small tray table or divider, and the soft product is upgraded with lounge access, priority services, and a better meal. For example, on British Airways:
and Lufthansa:
In United’s case, though, this does not appear to be a business class product. The speculation is that this would be a standard economy row with the middle seats blocked. That would leave the aisle and window seats open, but with a little extra elbow room and no middle-seat neighbor.
For passengers, that could be attractive. I would certainly prefer an economy seat with a blocked middle seat over an ordinary economy seat, especially on a longer narrowbody flight. But the interesting question is whether United would sell those adjacent seats at a premium or simply use the blocked seats as a technical solution to staffing rules.
Knowing United, I would expect monetization. “Economy Plus Plus”? “Preferred Plus”? Give it a few months and I am sure some consultant can produce a fancy name…
The Flight Attendant Math
Under 14 CFR § 121.391, aircraft with more than 100 seats require two flight attendants plus one additional flight attendant for each unit, or part of a unit, of 50 passenger seats above 100.
In plain English:
- 101-150 seats requires three flight attendants
- 151-200 seats requires four flight attendants
- 201-250 seats requires five flight attendants
A plane with 150 seats and a plane with 151 seats are separated by only one passenger seat, but that one seat can trigger another required flight attendant.
However, the issue may not be United trying to get from four flight attendants down to three. It may be United trying to avoid having one premium-heavy A321 subfleet require five flight attendants because of the cabin configuration, including business class suites with doors. If United has premium suites with doors, the FAA may require additional cabin crew, as we have seen with other aircraft (under the theory that such doors might slow down evacuation). In that case, blocking two economy middle seats may be less about reducing service levels and more about keeping the aircraft within an approved staffing band of four instead of five.
In other words, this may not be “United wants fewer flight attendants than before.” It may be “United wants to avoid one premium-heavy A321 subfleet needing more flight attendants than its other A321 aircraft.”
Finally, the more difficult question is whether this makes sense on the A321neo Coastliner (a modified A321neo).
United has already announced that its A321neo Coastliner will have 161 seats, including 20 Polaris seats, 12 Premium Plus seats, and 129 economy seats. To bring that aircraft down to 150 seats, United would have to block 11 seats, not just two. That seems much harder to justify unless the seat blockers are removable, such that staffing could be reduced only when loads permit it.
For the A321XLR, I can see the logic. For the Coastliner, I am more skeptical.
CONCLUSION
United appears to be exploring a blocked-middle-seat economy product on its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft, apparently as a way to manage flight attendant staffing requirements. The concept looks like European shorthaul business class in form, but the motivation appears to be regulatory and economic rather than passenger comfort.
Still, if the result is fewer middle seats and more personal space, I am not going to complain. United has become very good at finding revenue and cost savings in every square inch of the cabin. If it can block a middle seat, avoid an extra flight attendant, and charge a premium for the remaining two seats, that’s fairly clever math…
Hat Tip: View From The Wing
So. Freaking. Lame.
We should be shaming European ‘business’ class for what it is… 3-3 economy with a blocked-middle.
Instead, we’re adopting it, and pitching it as an ‘enhancement.’ *facepalm*
Please, this is just “economy plus”… whereas recliners (2-2) are “premium” economy, and business needs to be “lie-flat”… while true First is a suite with door in the front of a wide-body when there’s also a business class behind it (and a shower if it’s Emirates a380).
UA would not dare call this business class. It seems like it is just a clever way to avoid an extra FA and for those who are seated there, it’s nice to have a middle seat that is guaranteed to be blocked. I wouldn’t read anything more into it.
If they did (try to call this business class), they’d get absolutely ROASTED by the commentariat.
The fact that the A321XLR will have PremiumPlus (plus Polaris) guarantees UA would never try to call this J class.
Phew!
Reminds me of the purposeful design of some commuter turboprops. They’d have 8 rows of 1-1 seats, with three seats in the last row (the middle seat person looked straight up the aisle). No FAs required with <20 seats.
nice leg room there in the last row as consolation for a middle seat !
I’d book that seat. Will it fall under economy plus pricing I wonder?
I’d guess Economy Plus Plus pricing.
Premium Plus Minus
Scott Kirby & Co. know their job well!
Go on.. tell us more… at least one interesting fact, pretty please…