A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operated by United Airlines takes off at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on January 9, 2013 in Los Angeles, California.
David McNew | Getty Images
United Airlines is ordering 110 additional Boeing and Airbus jetliners, locking in a supply of latest planes into the subsequent decade as strong demand and provide chain challenges make recent delivery slots scarce.
“We’d not normally order jets this far out,” United’s chief industrial officer, Andrew Nocella, told reporters Tuesday. “Production lines, which at the moment are frequently affected by supply-chain disruptions and delivery delays, are also increasingly sold out for the whole decade.” Deliveries of the brand new planes are scheduled to start out in 2028.
United’s order consists of fifty more Boeing 787 Dreamliners, adding to a firm order of 100 of the twin-aisle planes it announced last December, together with 50 more options. The airline has aggressively expanded its international service to attempt to capitalize on a resurgence of trips abroad, destinations that the brand new long-range 787 planes would serve.
The Chicago-based airline can be buying 60 Airbus A321neos, on top of the 120 it previously had on order with the European manufacturer, including 50 of forthcoming extra-long-range version. United added options for 40 more Airbus A321s.
United and other airlines have recently ordered recent planes have said a technique around infrastructure constraints is to operate larger aircraft with more seats on them, a practice referred to as upgauging. The airline said it expects a mean of greater than 145 seats per North American departure in 2027, up 40% from 2019.
United Airlines recent amenities kit
United Airlines
The carrier’s upsized order comes as airlines are battling for brand spanking new, more fuel-efficient aircraft to cater to the post-Covid travel boom. Delivery delays have left airlines with a shortfall of planes, while upgrades that focus on an increasing variety of travelers willing to splurge on premium seats have also run behind schedule.
United on Tuesday announced a revamp of its bedding and amenities kits for its Polaris business class, which include eye serums and a face spray.
