Typically, you pay to sit in a seat, not to keep one empty, but that’s the new business model that is taking off at United Airlines.
The airline will allow passengers in the Economy Plus option in the Airbus A321XLR to sit next to an empty middle seat, the company announced this week.
According to United, "one row will have large, custom-designed tables stretching from armrest to armrest across the open middle seats, giving customers sitting in the window or aisle seat extra space to stretch out on longer international flights. The table is permanently fixed, with a soft leather-like covering, and two indentations for cups. And the extra space is in addition to the three inches of additional legroom already offered in Economy Plus on the XLR."
While launching 50 new aircraft, it will be introduced to other aircraft later.
Specifics, including the price of the new empty seat option, will be released later this year.
[ New United Relax Row offers lie-flat seats in economy cabin ]
The news of a guaranteed empty middle seat comes after United unveiled the United Relax Row that can transform into a couch and will be available next year.
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