United Airlines is making a change that will improve the passenger experience on some of its smallest planes.
The airline will begin installing new, larger baggage compartments on dozens of Embraer 175 aircraft, the Chicago-based carrier announced Tuesday.
The changes will mean more space for passengers’ large carry-on bags, even on shorter-haul regional jets.
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If you hate having to check your rollaboard luggage or abhor waiting at the jet bridge for your valet-tagged bag when flying on a small plane, this is good news for you.
By the end of 2024, United expects to complete these retrofits on 50 of its 76-seat Embraer jets operated by regional airline SkyWest, which flies shorter routes under the United Express brand.
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SkyWest is a major player for United at its hubs in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Denver, Houston and Chicago.
United could expand the larger overhead locations to as many as 150 of its Embraer 175 aircraft by the end of 2026. (United’s regional partners fly both 70- and 76-seat configurations of the Embraer 175 jet.)
United’s move to add more overhead space to regional jets is part of a much larger plan to expand and overhaul the airline’s fleet as part of its ‘United Next’ campaign launched in 2021 launched.
The airline has hundreds of new planes on order, although production delays at Boeing are likely to delay the timing of new plane deliveries.
United also has retrofits planned for its existing fleet, aimed at modernizing the passenger experience. That includes a promise that all large jets in the future will have enough space for each passenger to have at least one carry-on bag on board. That’s in addition to other upgrades like entertainment screens and Bluetooth connectivity in every seat.
With this latest announcement, the airline is also promising improvements to its smaller regional jets. That should make the travel experience smoother for passengers flying on United Express jets operated as SkyWest to the airline’s largest hubs in the Midwest and West Coast, especially as the airline — like its biggest competitors — has hiked increases in recent weeks of checked baggage fees.
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