United Airlines is joining the fray of airlines offering narrow-body service on long-haul flights.
And, even better, the giant U.S. carrier has just confirmed that its yet-to-be-delivered Airbus A321XLR jets will feature a modified version of its Polaris (business class) cabin and seat.
“We are looking at a completely new product that’ll be on the aircraft,” said Patrick Quayle, Senior Vice President of International Network and Alliances at United, as told to Executive Traveller.
The first batch of the jets has a scheduled delivery date of some time in 2024, with 2025 set to be the year that sees the bulk of the deliveries.
The delivery schedule means United will be slightly behind its peer American Airlines, which is set to debut its version of the Airbus A321XLR in 2023.
Let’s find out more details!
A Custom Polaris Cabin
The Airbus A321XLR will be United’s first narrow-body aircraft to feature its Polaris business class product.
The Polaris that will be found on these long-range narrow-body jets will be based on the product that flyers have come to know on the majority of United’s existing wide-body fleet, though there will be some modifications.
“We have taken concepts from that original Polaris seat, what works and what our passengers like, and we’ve tried to apply that to a narrow-body [airplane],” explains Quayle.
As you’d expect, these Polaris seats will recline to a fully flat position, while the other 2 cabins — premium economy and economy — will have standard reclining seats.
In total, the aircraft should be able to accommodate around 180 passengers.
Hot Tip: Learn all there is to know about United’s Polaris product — including the amenities, routes, lounges, and more — in our complete guide.
Enjoy a lie-flat seat with direct aisle access when flying Polaris. Image Credit: United AirlinesThe single-aisle aircraft and its unique Polaris product will be deployed predominantly on routes across North Atlantic, though Latin American markets are also in the plan.
“You will see something like New York to Bogotá, but equally they could go New York to Edinburgh, New York to Glasgow or places like that,” suggested Quayle.
United recently announced it would be restarting its flights to Edinburgh (EDI) from Chicago (ORD), Newark (EWR), and Washington, D.C. (IAD) from March 4, 2022.
If and when the A321XLR is introduced on the Scottish routes, United’s new Polaris will certainly be the best way for premium travelers to hop across the Atlantic to Scotland.
Narrow-Body Transatlantic Flights
The number of airlines operating single-aisle jets across the Atlantic is increasing steadily because it allows carriers to make a profit even on routes with less demand.
Some examples include TAP Air Portugal, which operates its A321XLR to New York (EWR) and Boston (BOS) from Portugal; Canadian carrier Air Transat, which has 17 A321XLRs in its fleet of 21 aircraft; Dublin-based Aer Lingus, which connects the East Coast to Ireland and the U.K. with A321LRs; and, of course, JetBlue, which launched its first-ever nonstop passenger flight across the Atlantic to London (LHR) in August 2021 with the A321LR.
As the airline and travel industries continue to battle pandemic-induced headwinds, we can reasonably expect to see even more airlines swapping out larger, more expensive, and less-efficient jets for single-aisle jets like A321XLRs or the Boeing 737 MAX.
Final Thoughts
United’s confirmation of a fully lie-flat Polaris seat on its forthcoming single-aisle long-range jets is something the airline’s loyalists should be excited about.
Some, of course, may still prefer the comfort and larger size of wide-body, twin-aisle jets for longer flights, but one thing’s for certain: we’ll be sure to try this new product on for size when it takes to the skies in 2024.
Featured Image Credit:
United Airlines
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