Is United Changing Its Customer Experience Flight Plan?
New United aircraft will have entertainment screens at every seat. United  For the last decade or more, the big U.S. airlines have made moves that diminish the the experience of the typical customer. Fees for checked bags annoyed customers, and the resulting increase in carry-on luggage slowed the boarding process and jammed overhead bins. On many flights, free meals vanished or became paid snack boxes. Basic economy fares that included no amenities became the advertised price. Seats became more cramped, and lavatories turned into comically small spaces. The pandemic moved the needle slightly in the direction of improved customer experience. Airlines blocked middle seats to allow passengers a modicum of distancing. Change fees were waived, delighting flyers but eliminating a significant revenue item for the airlines. When that happened, I wondered if airlines might start competing on better customer experience instead of lower fares. For the average traveler, there are a few more encouraging signs. As pandemic restrictions eased, Delta decided to block its middle seats for months longer than United and American. That was likely a costly decision, but it was consistent with Deltas higher customer satisfaction ranking. Uniteds Big Aircraft Order  Now, United has announced they will be acquiring hundreds of new airplanes from Boeing and Airbus. Specifically, they have ordered 200 Boeing 737 MAX and 70 Airbus 321neo aircraft, which they say is their biggest order ever. They also plan to upgrade all of their existing mainline, narrow-body planes by 2025. New aircraft dont necessarily signal a renewed focus on passenger experience. Recently, the innovations have shrunk both the seat pitch and lavatory size with the goal of squeezing in more passengers. But there are a few reasons to be optimistic. United says the new aircraft will feature more overhead bin space and power outlets at every seat, both changes that directly address flyer pain points. The bins will accommodate one carry-on bag for every passenger, which they say will reduce gate crowding and anxiety and make the boarding process faster. It should also eliminate most gate-checked bags, which not only slow boarding but delay arriving passengers who impede deboarding as they wait for bags on a cramped jetway. United will also expand the number of first class and premium economy seats. One might conclude that basic economy seats wont be any more comfortable, but there will be fewer passengers forced to suffer the cramped, no-frills experience. United points out that their increase in more spacious seats contrasts with competitors who have instead increased the number of basic economy rows. Inseat Entertainment  A significant change in policy is the return of seatback entertainment screens. United had been eliminating this amenity and instead providing Wi-Fi-based streaming to passenger devices. While I didnt miss the tiny screens common on their domestic flights, not every passenger carries an large screen device like a tablet or laptop. Watching hours of movies on a tiny smartphone screen can be less than ideal. The new seatback screens are generous in size, 13 inches (33 cm) in first class and 10 inches (25 cm) in economy. Passengers who have Bluetooth headphones or earbuds will be able to connect without wires, a nice convenience. At least some aircraft will be equipped with the industrys fastest Wi-Fi. This will remain a paid option but will be fast enough to stream entertainment from providers like Netflix. As described, the new entertainment systems look like a true enhancement to customer experience and not a thinly disguised revenue opportunity. Its far too soon to make the claim that United is now primarily focused on the experience of the average traveler. Increasing the number of higher-priced, more comfortable seats doesnt improve the lot of those stuck in the rearmost part of the cabin. Lavatories arent likely to become more spacious. As long as most passengers have to pay to check a suitcase, we can expect large numbers of them to carry items into the cabin. Even with more storage space, this will still slow the boarding process. Nevertheless, the announcement from United is encouraging. Some small aspects of experience will improve for all customers - even the cheap seats. And, by reallocating more seats to premium categories, the average customer experience will improve as well. Its wishful thinking, but we can hope that American and Delta respond with their own improvements that raise the bar even higher.