(Photo credit @IF_KGRR)
After the COVID-19 pandemic, and the crap that went on for the last year, United Airlines is one of few to return to profitability. With that, they recently unveiled, not only an improved cabin and new/more premium seats, but an order for 270 new and way more fuel efficient aircraft! Take a look at what they ordered! This order should be a nice compromised discussion for our community, as it includes both MAX and NEO aircraft!
Aircraft
# Ordered
Boeing 737 MAX 10
150
Boeing 737 MAX 8
50
Airbus A321NEO
70
Also announced, a new and improved cabin will be retrofitted onto older aircraft
Included in the new statement, was part saying: āThe airline also announced a hiring spree that it expects to total about 25,000 employees for the new planes, including pilots, flight attendants and mechanicsā (Leslie Josephs, CNBC).
Finally, it looks like seatback entertainment systems (also known as IFE), are making a comeback, as all new aircraft, and retrofitted aircraft, will be receiving generously sized screens for you to watch movies in flight!
That brings the total for the MAX 10 to 250 aircraft which is huge. Also love their bringing IFE to all narrowbodies, almost feels like a shot to AA who decided to remove them unlike Delta, and now United is bringing the screens back. Love to see it.
The existing 50 are for the XLR, the new order for 70 is for the base 321Neo
Wow! Iām willing to bet they got a great deal on those MAX planes. Iām still not convinced I trust the aircraft type, but Iām glad that United sees a bright future with them.
A little off topic, but Iām shocked that Boeing hasnāt brought any new competition to the table regarding this aircraft market. United bought Airbus once again even though they are almost completely a Boeing company. Boeingās got some real catching up to do in regards to the large narrow body aircraft.
MAX 10s will also be replacing some 757 routes eventually. Both that and the 321s, seems like a good replacement for them, but thereās nothing like a 757.
