United Airlines has just become one the rarest things in the aviation industry – A company that this trying to make the long-haul Economy Class experience more comfortable. No, for real!
On Tuesday, the Chicago-based carrier made a slew of announcements about its future onboard experience but while we knew most of what was to come, this particular reveal had been kept well under wraps.
What is it? Well, United calls it’s the ‘Relax Row’ but you might have seen it marketed by Air New Zealand as the Sky Couch.
Essentially, it’s a row of three Economy seats that can be transformed into a virtual lie-flat bed with custom extenders that raise up to create a flat surface.
On top is placed a mattress pad to even out any lumps and bumps, and there you have… the United Relax Row.
Set to debut in 2027, United plans to install Relax Row seats on as many as 200 of its Boeing 777s and 787 Dreamliners.
Naturally, this comes at an additional cost, but for passengers unable to afford a real Business Class seat, this is the next best thing, especially for families with small children.
“As a leading premium airline, we’re committed to delivering new, industry-leading experiences for all of our customers – and the United Relax Row is the perfect example of that,” commented Andrew Nocella, United’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer.
Nocella added: “Customers traveling in United Economy on long-haul flights deserve an option for more space and comfort, and this is one way we can deliver that for them.”
Earlier this year, chief executive Scott Kirby said the airline had a few tricks up its sleeve to really make United stand out from its rivals. This certainly seems to be one of those tricks.
United has exclusivity to the design for the North American market so it’s not like competitors will be able to copy the idea.
If all goes to plan, United believes it will complete the rollout of Relax Row seats by 2030.
