United's $10M+ Lie-Flat Seat Problem: Hundreds Sitting Idle in Storage

United Airlines has a problem on its hands - hundreds of Boeing 737 MAX 10 lie-flat seats have been sitting in storage for years, with no clear use for them. The airline ordered over 167 of these jets, but certification issues and delivery delays have left the premium seating surplus.

The issue began when airlines typically order aircraft and then purchase seats separately based on expected delivery dates. In this case, United received its lie-flat seats before the delayed deliveries of the MAX 10s. According to United's 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 airplanes.'

With Boeing having completed its final certification flight and over 1,000 test flights conducted, United now expects to receive its first 737 MAX 10 in summer 2027. However, the airline may not use as many lie-flat seats as expected, as indicators suggest the 737 MAX 10 will become a high-density domestic workhorse with a configuration of 189 seats and only 20 United First recliners.