United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby stated that the airline holds lie-flat seats ordered years ago for the delayed Boeing 737 MAX 10 that do not fit on other aircraft, leaving the carrier uncertain about how to utilize the equipment.
United currently has 167 Boeing 737 MAX 10 aircraft on firm order, expecting its first delivery in mid-to-late 2027. Boeing completed the MAX 10's final planned certification flight on July 28, 2026, recording 976 flights and over 2,060 flight hours during testing that included a new engine anti-ice solution and an enhanced angle-of-attack system.
As deliveries remained delayed, United expanded its Airbus A321neo fleet, introducing a premium Coastliner configuration equipped with 20 Polaris lie-flat seats, 12 Premium Plus seats, and 129 economy seats for transcontinental routes.
