Although travelers unquestionably prioritize cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages, United is betting that at least some passengers will be willing to pay extra to enjoy more room when they fly.
Uniteds Economy Plus seating is a premium coach section where seats have approximately four inches of extra legroom.
The first Continental Airlines plane to fly with Uniteds Economy Plus seating departed on Saturday, November 19th. Other improvements to this Boeing 767-400 were new flat-bed seats in BusinessFirst and new touchscreen seat back monitors in Coach.
This plane is the first in the Continental fleet to feature a channel dedicated to air traffic control communications. Passengers in both classes of service are being given access to advanced audio/video on demand and in-seat power outlets.
The merger of United and Continental is seen by the combined airline as a unique opportunity to build an airline with cutting edge products and services that passengers value and are willing to pay extra. United has found that passengers seated in Economy Plus consistently report that they are more satisfied with their travel experiences.
Economy Plus seating was first introduced in United planes in 1999. Currently extra legroom seating is offered on all of its mainline planes as well as over 150 larger United Express regional jets. Once Economy Plus is added to Continental and Q400 regional planes, United will offer over 40,000 Economy Plus seats, providing passengers with over 122,000 extra legroom economy class seats daily. www.cheapfares.com