Later this year, United Airlines is launching the ‘CRJ-450’ aircraft, taking the most-hated regional jet stripping it down to 41 seats, adding first class, a closet and Starlink wifi to sell it as a premium small-market connector.
The front overhead bins that don’t fit much get removed (passengers normally have to gate check their carry-on anyway) and the plane gets a luggage closet. We’ll see larger bins in economy. These planes will will be operated by SkyWest start this fall, mainly connecting smaller cities to Denver and Chicago O’Hare.
United rolled this out at its media day in March. But now, apparently, they’ve taken the prototype plane with this new cabin, ripped out the changes, and reverted it back to its original, uncomfortable configuration?
Remember United's CRJ-450 launch, which involved an aircraft (N973SW) fully fitted with the cabin? Well, last night it started flying commercially, though allegedly, United stripped the CRJ-450 cabin and fitted it back into the standard CRJ-200 configuration https://t.co/hod77JGK10
— Emiliano Padilla (@iTripReport) June 8, 2026
Enilria suggests that the new regional jet configuration doesn’t yet have FAA approval. Changes to the design must be significant to undo the modifications, or the plan is being pushed off.
It’s been suggested by a United spokesperson that the CRJ-450 configuration was really just a stunt for media day and the version shown in March was never actually intended to fly. Boeing using plywood on an unfinished Boeing 787 vibes, tricking the media back in 2014.
Hi – as announced back in March, the 450 will start flying later this year. The aircraft display at media day was for the event. https://t.co/EQQ5BM5PIZ
— Leslie Scott (@Leslie_PScott) June 8, 2026
These planes are a disgrace.
Oof. Kirby must’ve wanted to join in Delta’s XLR seat-fiasco.
“Boeing using plywood on an unfinished Boeing 787 vibes…” (not too far off these days with the delays on the 77X/8/9…)
Question: How many passengers did the “new cabin” support as opposed to the “original, uncomfortable configuration?”
@Denver: 41 vs 50.
@Denver Refugee — Depends on your definition of “support”… are you referring to capacity, as in, of passengers and crew, or do you mean, like, ‘makes them feel whole,’ because… it’s a CJR450, and I’m not sure anyone, even on a ‘new’ cabin, is gonna feel ‘support’ in such a tiny thang.
Bad news day for United. They can’t fly their new interiors and they get cucked again by Singapore Airlines with *Southwest*.
@Christopher J Raehl – There’s your answer as to “why” right there.
@Adam L — Excellent use of “cuck,” sir!