Flying just got a little less cramped... if you’re willing to pay for it. United Airlines has unveiled a new premium Economy Plus option that gets rid of the dreaded middle seat in select rows.
Instead, the middle seat is replaced with a fixed table that stretches from armrest to armrest, complete with cup holders, giving the window and aisle passengers extra elbow room without having to battle over who gets the armrest. The new seating will debut on United’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft later this year, with the airline considering expanding it to more planes if travelers like it.
No word yet on how much it’ll cost, but let’s be honest... for a guaranteed empty middle seat, people might be willing to pay almost anything. It’s basically the airline version of buying the house next door just so nobody moves in. The only downside? You still might get stuck next to the person who wants to tell you their entire life story for the next four hours.