United Stuck With Expensive Lie-Flat Seats as MAX 10 Finally Nears Certification

United Airlines is facing a problem with its Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft. The airline ordered hundreds of lie-flat seats for the plane years ago, but it has yet to enter service due to technical challenges and delays.

The seats were designed for a cabin configuration that no longer exists, and United now needs to decide what to do with them. According to CEO Scott Kirby, 'We got a bunch of lie-flat seats that we don’t know what to do with. They don’t fit on other aeroplanes.'

United's original plan was for the MAX 10 to have 20 United First seats and 64 Economy Plus seats, but the airline has since changed its strategy to focus more on premium seating. The airline now plans to use the Airbus A321neo for premium transcontinental services.

The MAX 10 is expected to enter service in mid-to-late 2027, and United still needs it as part of its long-term fleet strategy. The airline has 167 of the aircraft on firm order and plans to use them to increase capacity at a relatively low incremental operating cost.