United Airlines has travelers flying out of the middle seat.
Passengers stuck with a middle seat at booking will automatically be moved to a window or aisle seat when one becomes available if they have noted a preference for those, The Points Guy reported.
In March, United began allowing travelers using the airline’s app to sign up for seat notifications that would let them switch based on availability.
It will also allow those who want more room to request being moved to an exit or bulkhead row.
Passengers will automatically have their seats changed and will be notified through the app.
The switch, which is free of charge, comes as airlines have been under fire in recent years for raising prices and adding extra fees, along with facing bad customer reviews and dangerous safety malfunctions.
United reported that about 3 million people use their app daily but hope the new feature will encourage new downloads and appease passengers.
The seat you’re assigned on a United flight won’t only impact how comfortable you are when you travel but will also dictate how you board the flight.
At the end of last year, United began prioritizing passengers in window seats during its plane boarding process.
After passengers with a view are seated, those in the middle and then aisle seats are allowed to enter the plane.
United previously used its boarding method — internally referred to as WILMA — until 2017, when it introduced basic economy seating and had a computer system that only supported a five-group boarding structure, a company spokesperson previously told The Post.
Since United stopped using WILMA, boarding times have increased by 2 minutes, according to an internal memo.
Source Agencies
