A major US airline is introducing an innovative seat design that transforms an entire row into a shared sofa on long-haul flights – a welcome upgrade for families, friends and couples travelling together.
United Airlines has unveiled the United Relax RowSM, a new United Economy seating option where multiple seats convert into a flat sofa, complete with a blanket and extra pillows.
The carrier is the first among North American airlines to offer the unique seating concept, which will be rolled out in 2027.
Perfect for parents with young children, or friends and couples with a free space, United Relax Row provides a dedicated space to stretch out, sleep or enjoy a movie.
Each row is made up of three adjacent economy seats with adjustable leg rests that flip up at a 90-degree angle to create a flat surface.
Passengers in these seats will receive a custom-fitted mattress pad, a plush blanket, and two additional pillows.
Families with children will be offered a comforting plush toy and Children’s Travel Kit.
Keeping safety at the forefront, the seats will be fitted with larger seatbelts, and can be used in ‘couch mode’ at any altitude once the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet.
Positioned in a specific section between Economy Plus and standard Economy cabins, there will be up to 12 Relax Rows per aircraft.
The rollout begins in 2027, with plans to equip over 200 Boeing 787 and 777 widebody aircraft by 2030.
Andrew Nocella, United’s Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer, said: ‘As a leading premium airline, we’re committed to delivering new, industry-leading experiences for all of our customers – and the United Relax Row is the perfect example of that.
‘Customers travelling in United Economy on long-haul flights deserve an option for more space and comfort, and this is one way we can deliver that for them.
‘United is the only North American airline offering a product like the United Relax Row and is one of the many reasons why we’re continuing to win brand loyal customers.’
United isn’t the only airline offering a new type of economy seat.
From 2028, hundreds of new easyJet planes will be fitted with the all-new Kestrel seat, designed by British manufacturer Mirus Aircraft Seating.
These seats will offer passengers an additional two inches of knee and shin space -providing more room than most low-cost competitors.
The design reshapes the backrest to let passengers’ hips and spine tuck further back, freeing up extra room for their knees and legs.
By using carbon fibre instead of standard moulded plastic used on most airlines, these seats are significantly thinner, gifting the passenger behind those crucial extra inches of space.
According to Mirus, a ‘fixed recline’ of 22 degrees automatically guides passengers into the most efficient position, removing the ability to manually recline and potentially inconveniencing the person behind them.
Kenton Jarvis, easyJet’s CEO, said: ‘We’ve always had very comfortable leg room in easyJet.
‘This product is exceptionally comfortable, exceptionally light and allows a configuration that creates more space for the customer in the cabin.’
The seats will not be introduced on easyJet’s existing 350-plane fleet due to the high costs of replacing ‘perfectly good’ seating, and will instead be fitted on Airbus A320neo and A321neo planes from 2028.