By Skies Magazine | June 29, 2021 Estimated reading time 7 minutes, 10 seconds.
As part of its “United Next” plan, United Airlines on June 29 announced the largest aircraft order in the airline’s history, and the biggest order by a single carrier in the last decade, worth some US$35 billion. The order includes a total of 270 narrow-body jets: 200 737 Max aircraft and 70 Airbus A321neos.
Driven by United’s pandemic recovery strategy as it anticipates accelerating demand for air travel, the carrier emphasized that its fleet expansion will have “a positive ripple effect” across the U.S. economy.
“Our ‘United Next’ vision will revolutionize the experience of flying United as we accelerate our business to meet a resurgence in air travel,” said United CEO Scott Kirby. “This move underscores the critical role United plays in fueling the broader U.S. economy; we expect the addition of these new aircraft will have a significant economic impact on the communities we serve in terms of job creation, traveler spending, and the shipping of goods and services.”
With the addition of the new 737 Max and Airbus A321neo aircraft, “United will replace older, smaller mainline jets and at least 200 single-class regional jets with larger aircraft.” The airline expects this will lead to “significant sustainability benefits compared to older planes: an expected 11 percent overall improvement in fuel efficiency and an expected 17-20 percent lower carbon emission per seat compared to older planes,” the carrier said.
This new order comes just days after Boeing announced the successful first flight of the 737-10, the largest aircraft in the 737 Max family — with the capacity to seat up to 230 passengers and a range of up to 3,300 miles. Of United’s order for 200 Max aircraft, 150 are slated to be the 737-10 — making United Airlines the launch customer for the 737-10 — and 50 are to be the 189-seat 737 Max 8 aircraft.
The purchase increases United’s order book for the single-aisle family to 380 airplanes, including 30 that have already been delivered, Boeing said. The agreement also includes the purchase of Boeing 737 Max training simulator data packages to support United’s pilot training programs.
United’s new order for 70 Airbus A321neo aircraft is in addition to existing orders for 50 A321XLR aircraft — “bringing the total commitment from the airline to 120 A321 aircraft.” The A321neo offers a range of up to 4,600 miles and can seat up to 244 passengers. Airbus said a “significant amount” of the new A321neos will be produced at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama.
Between its new Max and A321neo aircraft, United said it expects to “increase the total number of available seats per domestic departure by almost 30 percent . . . [and] lower the airline’s total carbon emissions per seat up to 15 percent.
“Specifically, the 737 MAX and A321neo aircraft offer better overall range and environmental performance with their new, more fuel-efficient engines and improved aerodynamics. Improvements come from new engines, lighter-weight carbon composite airframes and aerodynamic innovations like natural laminar flow that reduces drag,” the carrier added.
United is also confident it will create a total of roughly 25,000 unionized jobs by 2026, including flight attendants, technicians, and pilots. “The addition of these 270 new aircraft and reduction of single-class regional jets is not only good news for customers, it is excellent news for the 12,000 current United pilots, and the 10,000 more we expect to hire before the decade is out,” said United ALPA Chair, Capt Todd Insler.
United expects to fly the first 737 Max 8 this summer, and will introduce service with the Max 10 and the Airbus A321neo in early 2023.
Booming Business
Today’s announcement also comes less than one month after United made an agreement with Boom Supersonic to purchase 15 of Boom’s Overture airliners, with an option for 35 more, once the type meets United’s safety, operating, and sustainability requirements. The Overture aircraft is slated to roll out in 2025, fly in 2026, and carry passengers by 2029.
Totaling all aircraft in United’s order book, the airline expects to introduce more than 500 new, narrow-body aircraft: 40 in 2022, 138 in 2023, and up to 350 in 2024 and beyond. “That means in 2023 alone, United’s fleet will, on average, add about one new narrow-body aircraft every three days,” the carrier said.
The addition of hundreds of narrow-body aircraft to United’s fleet also means more flights and new destinations for travelers. Customers will have “even more options to fly between U.S. cities, including some new destinations, when they travel through the airline’s major U.S. hubs.”
