United Airlines will retrofit its Boeing 757-300 fleet with slimline seats by the middle of 2018, increasing the number of economy seats on the aircraft to more than 200.
That’ll increase the economy cabin seating from 189 to 210 seats. The obvious question is: Where is all of the space needed for these seats going to come from?
United operates 21 757-300s, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows. It operates the aircraft on high-density routes primarily from its Chicago O’Hare, Denver and San Francisco hubs.
Until United releases its new 757-300 seating plans, we won’t know for sure where this space will come from.
Almost all US airlines are in the process of adding, or have added, seats to certain aircraft models in their fleets. For example, American Airlines is reconfiguring its Airbus A321 fleet with 190 seats from either 181 or 187, and its 737-800s with 172 seats from 160.
