New “Tourist Class” seats created for short-haul flights
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A new type of seat has been unveiled for Boeing 737 aircraft serving short-haul routes.
The “Tourist Class” seats, created by Lift by EnCore, are on display this week that the 2016 Hamburg Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany. They have been created especially for the Boeing Sky Interior cabins on the B737 and B737 MAX aircraft, which are the mainstays of many low-cost carriers’ fleets.
According to EnCore, the slim-line seats are designed to “maximise passenger seating space, regardless of the pitch chosen by an airline”.
Tourist Class will be available for both new and existing aircraft, and the first seats are expected to be installed by mid-2017.
“We welcomed the opportunity to partner with Boeing to deliver a seat that perfectly complements the Boeing Sky Interior while setting the industry standard for comfort and reliability,” said Tom McFarland, owner & CEO of the EnCore group.
Alan Wittman, director of Boeing’s seat integration team, added; “A seat designed in such close collaboration with an airframer is an industry first. This collaboration will allow airlines and leasing companies to build on the success of the Boeing Sky Interior in a whole new way. It also means our customers will be able to better serve their customers and differentiate themselves in the marketplace.”
According to Encore, the new Tourist Class seats are designed to provide “an open and comfortable environment in the main cabin”. They have also been designed to be easily maintained and durable, “ensuring long-term comfort and reduced cost of ownership”.
Currently in the design and certification phase, Tourist Class seating could prove popular with LCCs such as Ryanair, Lion Air, SpiceJet and Norwegian Air Shuttle, which operate large fleets of B737s.
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