Airline passengers hate middle seats. But that’s not why United is getting rid of some of them | CNN Business

United Airlines is getting rid of some of its middle seats, the bane of any airline passenger.

Last week, the airline announced it will block out two of the middle seats in the “economy plus” section of a new jet debuting this fall. That will give adjoining passengers a bit more elbow room and an extra table – for an additional cost, of course.

“We’re giving customers choice and value in every cabin,” said Andrew Nocella, United’s Chief Commercial Office, in a statement. “Our customers are going to love all these new options.”

Middle seats are among the least popular things for customers, alongside canceled flights and crying babies. Ditching some middle seats is just the latest evolution of how major US airlines cater to passengers willing to pay extra for comfort. Airlines are creating tiers within economy and premium offerings, letting them charge high-paying passengers even more.

“Ten years ago, we were a blunt instrument. We had just a couple of price categories on the shelf,” Delta CEO Ed Bastian told investors last month. “Today we’re continuing to add to that.”