United To Block Middle Seats in a Row of Economy Plus on Its New Airbus A321XLRs

United Airlines will block some middle seats in Economy Plus on its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft. The move isn’t intended to increase passenger comfort (though it might). Instead, it hopes to reduce the number of flight attendants needed to staff these aircraft.

Here’s everything you need to know.

United’s New Airbus A321XLRs

United Airlines has ordered 50 Airbus A321XLR aircraft to replace its aging Boeing 757 fleet. These are also the first narrow-body aircraft with the carrier’s new Elevated interiors.

United has already taken delivery of the first example. And while the carrier has yet to confirm its first route(s), these long-range, premium-heavy aircraft are expected to fly to secondary destinations in Europe and South America.

United has confirmed that 1 Economy Plus row of each XLR economy cabin will have a custom-designed, permanently fixed table from armrest to armrest across the open middle seats to physically block those seats. The table will have a leather-like covering and indentations for 2 cups. The new “elbow room” will complement the 3 inches of extra legroom featured in Economy Plus.

If you’ve ever flown business class within Europe, the setup will be familiar. Many airlines on the continent create a business class product by leaving the center seat empty rather than installing larger recliner seats, as we see in first class among domestic U.S. carriers.

Why Is United Doing This?

While it may look like an imitation of intra-Europe business class, United’s reasoning for doing so is driven by labor costs and regulatory requirements.

With the blocked seats, United’s A321XLRs would accommodate 150 passengers, allowing the airline to staff the aircraft with 4 flight attendants, per FAA regulations. Anything beyond 150 passengers would require a fifth flight attendant.

Capping the seating capacity allows United to control the number of cabin crew required on each flight, helping to contain operating and labor costs on an aircraft designed to carry many premium passengers.

However, there’s another twist with this aircraft regarding crew math. Since the Polaris cabin has suites with sliding doors, it increases crew requirements beyond what the basic seat-count formula would prescribe.

What Does This Mean for Passengers?

Though United has not officially confirmed this strategy, there could be some positives for passengers.

Blocking out middle seats would simultaneously create a less dense economy cabin while helping the airline avoid the need for additional cabin crew. Together, these effects help keep operating costs down and support the profitability of United’s new aircraft.

Rows with blocked middle seats could certainly appeal to passengers, as they’ll provide greater comfort than rows with all 3 seats occupied. Additional elbow room and easier access to armrests are noticeable improvements in comfort when compared to the standard economy experience. Of course, this also gives United the ability to potentially generate marginal revenue from selling these seats.

A move like this would affect the overall experience on board. A capped passenger count means passengers can board — and deplane — more quickly. And finally, every passenger’s carry-on bag is almost certain to fit above their seat.

Final Thoughts

United will block some middle seats in a row of Economy Plus on its new Airbus A321XLR aircraft. While the move seems motivated by a desire to cut costs, it could also have positive externalities for passengers. These seats are expected to go on sale later this year.