United Airlines seat backs
Courtesy: United Airlines
United AirlinesA plan to upgrade the cabins of older narrow-body aircraft has been delayed as a result of tensions within the supply chain, the airline said this week on CNBC. Improvements include larger premium cabins, seatback entertainment screens throughout the aircraft, Bluetooth capabilities and other amenities.
The Chicago-based airline previously expected to have 100 single-aisle aircraft fitted with the brand new interiors by the top of the yr, but now expects to finish 60 by then, a spokeswoman said.
“The fact is that sourcing challenges are commonplace [inflight entertainment] systems, chips, seats and more is just more of a challenge than ever in our industry,” United’s chief industrial officer Andrew Nocella said in a earnings call last week.
United unveiled refurbished cabins in June 2021 after ordering 270 recent cabins Boeing and Airbus narrow-body aircraft, an try to refresh its brand, while airlines compete for passengers in a period of travel recovery, especially those that spend a variety of money.
United has too he said expects to sell more premium seats per outlet than some other North American airline by 2026 as travelers compete for what could also be elusive and the ranks of elite travelers with stacks of frequent flyer points swell.
United’s Nocella said last week that the carrier may have multiple production lines remodeling the interiors of its narrow-body aircraft this summer, helping to choose up the pace.
The carrier expects that by the top of the yr, around one in three aircraft in its single-aisle fleet, including recent aircraft, may have an upgraded interior.
“It’ll take a bit of longer than we originally planned,” he said. He added that the United Airbus A319 was recently modified and may fly soon.
The airline has set a goal of 2025 to finish the modernization of its narrow-body aircraft, but it surely is unclear if United will meet this goal.
Individually, United said all of its wide-body aircraft will probably be equipped with premium economy seats and seats from Polaris, the top-class carrier on international and other long-haul flights, by August.
Other airlines eg JetBlue AND Delta Airlines they’ve also added amenities to their planes in recent times, upgrading their top-of-the-line, installing recent seats and adding some services, including free Wi-Fi.
Delta executives said revenue growth from premium seats, akin to premium business or economy class, outpaced sales of normal coaches.
“We see a variety of stickiness in these products,” Glen Hauenstein, president of Delta, said through the company’s quarterly call earlier this month. “So once you begin flying in these cabins, you normally don’t come back.”
![How old airline seats are restored](https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/image/107215707-Airline_Seat_Refurbishment.jpg?v=1680091201&w=750&h=422&vtcrop=y)