United Airlines purchased the largest number in the airline’s history According to the official page United Airlines announced the purchase of 270 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft. In fact, this […]
According to the official page United Airlines announced the purchase of 270 new Boeing and Airbus aircraft. In fact, this number is the largest combined order in the airline’s history. Furthermore, this is the biggest by an individual carrier in the last decade.
The purpose of this purchase is to transform effect on the customer experience. In addition, it is to increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by almost 30%. As a result, the company expects that it can reduce carbon emissions per seat significantly and increase quality, unionized jobs by 2026.
In fact, the numbers are incredible. United’s new aircraft order are 50 737 MAX 8s, 150 737 MAX 10s and 70 A321neos. In addition, they will come with a new signature interior. For example, it includes seat-back entertainment in every seat, larger overhead bins for every passenger’s carry-on bag and the industry’s fastest available in-flight WiFi. What’s more, it has a bright look-and-feel with LED lighting.
More importantly, the company intends to upgrade 100% of its mainline, which is narrow-body fleet to these standards by 2025. As a result, United will deliver its state-of-the-art inflight experience to tens of millions of customers at an unprecedented pace.
United CEO Scott Kirby mentioned,
“Our United Next vision will revolutionize the experience of flying United as we accelerate our business to meet a resurgence in air travel.”
Therefore, he added that “By adding and upgrading this many aircraft so quickly with our new signature interiors, we’ll combine friendly, helpful service with the best experience in the sky, all across our premier global network. At the same time, this move underscores the critical role United plays in fueling the broader U.S. economy. We expect the addition of these new aircraft will have a significant economic impact on the communities we serve in terms of job creation, traveler spending and commerce.”
In fact, the company expects to create approximately 25,000 well-paying, unionized jobs at the airline. Furthermore, the airline expects to drive more than $30 billion in traveler spending. As a result, it will contribute an estimated $50 billion annually towards the U.S. economy by 2026.
Adding new aircraft means to replace older, smaller mainline jets. This replacement will lead to significant sustainability benefits compared to older planes. For instance, they are an expected 11% overall improvement in fuel efficiency and an expected 17-20% lower carbon emission per seat compared to older planes.
United Airlines, Inc. is an American airline and its head office is at Willis Tower in Chicago, Illinois. It operates a large domestic and international route network spanning cities large and small across the US and the world. Based on both fleet size and the number of routes, it is the third largest airline in the world. United Airline has eight hubs, with Chicago–O’Hare being its largest in terms of passengers carried and the number of departures. It is a founding member of the Star Alliance, which is the world’s largest airline alliance.
What we can learn from this investment? Probably the most important thing is that the company forecasts a resurgence in air travel. That is why United can invest in the largest number of aircrafts in the airline’s history. Of course, it is without doubt that the airline industry experiences one of the most difficult times during the pandemic. In fact, many airline companies laid off their employees and sometime some of them were bankrupt.
However, our desire such as leisure and business is not changed drastically. Or we want to travel more after the pandemic, in fact. Thus, the investment implies that it is near to end the most challenging days in the industry.
At the same time, carbon neutrality becomes more crucial issue around us. The airline industry is also considering this more seriously since they have emitted tons of greenhouse gases (GHGs). For example, using biofuels is one of the possibilities to reduce GHGs. In this sense, United aims not only to meet the resurgence in the industry but also to reduce GHGs as much as they can thanks to this investment.
