United’s Seat Squeeze Equals 14 Additional Aircraft


Skift Take

U.S. airlines, including United, are finally making sustained profits and they are scrambling to reward shareholders. Employees, such as Delta's, who participate in profit-sharing plans will benefit but there is only lip-service being directed at benefiting another important stakeholder -- passengers. Too bad.

Why order new aircraft when you can cram in additional, thinner seats? During United's fourth quarter earnings call today, Jim Compton, United's chief revenue officer, said the airline has installed slim-line seats on 300 aircraft, making the project begun in 2013, 85 percent complete. When the installations are finished by the end of 2015 they will be the equivalen