They should pay in points… United is buying 270 new Boeing and Airbus planes in the largest aircraft deal in a decade. We’re talking $30B worth of flying metal that’ll result in: 100 new flights/day, 30% more seats, and a hefty 25K new jobs.
When you say “Work From Anywhere”... does that include 35K feet? United’s new birds aren’t the ultra skinny ones — and that’s on purpose. To get business flyers back, United seems to be creating flying offices with hopes that you’ll “Work From Airplane”:
- More: More legroom, in-seat screens, and overhead suitcase space.
- Faster: WiFi speeds kicked up a few notches so… you’re… not… buffering.
- Premium-ier: Overall seating capacity will rise 30%, but premium seating will jump 75%, meaning more room to physically network.
United could be opting for the Field of Dreams strategy... If you build it, they may come. Bill Gates predicted that half of business travel is never coming back. But United’s CEO disagrees: “Every day tells us that business and international travel will ultimately come back 100%.” Bold. But that may be why United splurged a record amount on this deal: As marketing to convince you that working from an airplane is comfy. United isn’t just predicting demand — it’s trying to create demand.