United Is Ordering New Jets for Short-Haul Regional Routes

United Airlines is ordering new planes for its short-haul regional routes. That means that passengers who routinely fly on these routes can finally say goodbye to the cramped and outdated planes that they know so well.

United is replacing its existing regional planes with 25 new Embraer E-175 aircraft. Delivery is set for some time in 2019. The change will affect United flights and routes that are flown by United and United Express partners.

What differences can passengers look forward to once United’s new fleet of short-haul planes arrives?

The new Embraer E-175 aircraft will offer some major upgrades when compared to the CRJ-700 aircraft that are flown today. The new planes come with much more space for carry-on bags. In addition, passengers will definitely notice that the seats are much roomier and that the ride is much quieter and smoother than what they’re replacing.

Views are much better in the Embraer E-175 due to the fact that it features much bigger windows than what’s found on most of the regional jets used today. One of the biggest perks of the Embraer E-175 is that this model doesn’t come with middle seats. That means passengers flying in pairs never have to worry about having a third-party traveler stuck in a row with them.

There’s no denying that the new Embraer E-175 planes being added to United’s fleet will make traveling a much better experience for passengers using regional routes. However, it’s important to keep expectations realistic. The reality is that these new planes are still regional planes.

That means they won’t be able to touch what is offered by planes used for long-haul routes in terms of amenities and roominess. Passengers should still be prepared to deal with some noisiness and space restrictions. Of course, the fact that all regional planes are essentially lacking when it comes to offering any kind of true first-class cabin is enough to leave some travelers perpetually disappointed.

United Airlines is also hard at work updating its fleet of long-haul aircraft. The airline is in the middle of replacing a number of its wide-body planes. It will be bringing four new Boeing 787-9 planes into its fleet once they are ready for delivery in 2020. The addition of this aircraft model to United’s fleet is significant because it uses a full 20 percent less fuel than the models that are in the sky today.

Source: Forbes