Summary
- United Airlines’ high-J Boeing 767s are based on achieving much higher unit revenue, offsetting higher unit costs.
- They have very few regular economy seats, helping with revenue quality.
- They are used on 15 routes from Newark, Chicago O’Hare, and Washington Dulles.
United Airlines is the world’s largest long-haul operator. Before the pandemic struck, it started reducing the number of seats on its Boeing 767-300ERs from 214 to just 167, a drop of 21%, as part of a full retrofit.
At a time when many airlines were densifying aircraft by adding more seats to reduce seat-mile costs (as they continue to do), this was a bold move. It meant higher unit costs from far fewer seats to spread over the sector costs. However, the carrier bet on even higher unit revenue from many more premium seats and a far smaller economy cabin.