Southwest Airlines reveals new seats, cabin designs

Table Of Content

• Virgin Atlantic adds economy seats to some A350-1000s
• Company
• The Blended Wing Solution
• Expliseat economy seat added to Airbus A320 BFE catalog
• Emirates unveils A380 Recaro premium-economy product
• The designer of a double-level plane seat that's dividing the internet says he's 'more sure than ever' that it will fly
• Cathay Pacific rolls out Regional Business Class on A321neos

"So it's like trying to shoot gas through a window — you're not going to be able to smell it on the other side." Like last year, I conclude that for some travelers just to sleep for the duration of a flight, this could be an effective solution. But Núñez Vicente is also still open to anyone – famous or otherwise – reaching out to experience the Chaise Longue prototype in person and to offer an honest take. When the Chaise Longue hit the headlines in 2022, Núñez Vicente says he received multiple requests from people looking to travel to his home city of Madrid, Spain, to test the prototype themselves. “To be honest, there’s no such thing as bad publicity,” Núñez Vicente tells CNN Travel today.

Virgin Atlantic adds economy seats to some A350-1000s

The company has also recently said that it is preparing to add red-eye flights in the next couple of years. During Thursday's earnings call, Jordan confirmed the airline was exploring updates to its seating and boarding processes. He also announced Southwest would be ending service to Syracuse, New York; George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston (the airline will still serve William P. Hobby Airport); Cozumel, Mexico and Bellingham, Washington. Jordan cited underperformance in those markets as the reason for their closure. SeatGuru was created to help travelers choose the best seats and in-flight amenities.

Company

Man who designed new double-decker plane seats defends creation - 9Honey Travel

Man who designed new double-decker plane seats defends creation.

Posted: Thu, 08 Jun 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

He’s conscious the seat wouldn’t be suitable or appealing for everyone, even if he thinks it could be more comfortable for some passengers. According to Núñez Vicente’s Instagram post highlighting the double-decker seat, his project is a winner and contrary to what critics might say, the goal of the seats isn't so that airlines can cram more people onto aircrafts. "My goal as a designer is to make the economy class better for all those travelers that can't afford more expensive tickets," he writes. Unlike most airlines, Southwest doesn’t have a premium section on its planes that commands higher fares. Where other carriers might charge extra for a cushy seat in the first few rows or an extra-legroom option near the front, Southwest customers can grab whatever seat is open.

The Blended Wing Solution

Slated for a Q delivery, the BL3710 and SL3710 seats are positioned in a hybrid layout on the E190 and E195-E2 KLM Cityhopper regional jets. Núñez Vicente has spent the last year traveling the world, attending aviation fairs and meeting with industry experts to talk about his vision. Núñez Vicente says he’s also improved leg room on the top level, and I find it is pretty spacious. Plus, because there’s no one directly behind you on the same level, you can recline the seat pretty far back, which is a definite plus. Now Núñez Vicente’s launched the Chaise Longue in the Metaverse, thanks to a collaboration with a company called 3DSeatMap VR, to illustrate what the seat would look like in situ in a cabin. The upper level has more restricted legroom and storage space, but feels more open overall.

“No Thanks, I'll Walk.” The Internet HATES Southwest Airlines' New Seating - AllEars.Net

“No Thanks, I'll Walk.” The Internet HATES Southwest Airlines' New Seating.

Posted: Mon, 05 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]

He says he designed the Chaise Longue to solve the airplane seat conundrum – not make it worse. When would-be passengers wince at the potential claustrophobia and critics suggest the design is all about airlines cramming more seats on planes, Núñez Vicente insists they’ve misunderstood his intentions. Aero Mock-Ups Mission StatementThe Aero Mock-Ups crew of aviation and entertainment industry specialists is committed to providing innovative, top-quality, realistic airline interior mock-ups for the entertainment and aerospace industries. With integrity and passion for aviation as the creative force, Aero Mock-Ups’ philosophy is to always strive for the highest standards of excellence in product and service. These new conceptual seats opened up more flexibility for the airlines and some may represent more comfort for passengers.

The single lie-flat seat on one side of the plane starts out as two standard business class seats in a 2-2 configuration. With more people looking to stay socially distant on flights, companies are coming up with a few solutions, including dividers between seats and even a “Glassafe” bubble. And sure, they may all work, but now, one firm is presenting an idea that will not only allow people to distance during flights, but will also give passengers in economy class a chance to have lie-flat seats, too. Adient Aerospace has completed its head injury criterion (HIC) certification and received European Technical Standard Order (ETSO) approval for its Ascent business-class seat. The wide-body business class seat is available in a portfolio of arrangements that provide passenger separation & privacy.

The precarious ladder-like steps that previously got you up to the top level have been switched out for a sturdier version. Luggage on the bottom level is now designed to go under the seat in front of you. Rather than built-in screens, the idea is passengers could use personal devices for inflight entertainment. First, he said, the lower row is meant to be even more accessible than the standard single-level economy seats today. New Territory has partnered with U.K.-based SWS Certification Services, which specializes in helping companies get airworthiness approvals for new designs for aircraft interiors.

Sam Chui is one of the world's most established aviation and travel blogger, content creator and published author. His fascination with airplanes stemmed from visiting Kai Tak airport as a teenager. Aircraft interiors manufacturers continue to roll out new, innovative seat designs in response to the ever-changing needs of the airline passenger. The first Uganda Airlines Airbus A neo has taken off with supplier Geven’s Piuma AQ Economy and Comoda AQ Premium Economy Class sustainable seats. Installed in a configuration, Comoda AQ is a passenger-centric comfort seat with large and reclining 8” backrest. Omni Air International, a wholly owned subsidiary of Air Transport Services Group, unveiled “Omni Class,” a new premium travel class on its Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft.

Cathay Pacific rolls out Regional Business Class on A321neos

AVIC Cabin Services’ Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, in partnership with Factorydesign, has developed a new business-class and an economy-class seat. Wide and offers up to 20 degrees of recline and different leg rest options. Passengers have the option of two types of wing around the headrest or a fixed divider. The JT220E carbon fiber composite economy-class seat is available with four headrest options. Cathay Pacific Airways selected HAECO Cabin Solution’s Vector Economy seats for the Hong Kong-based carrier’s new single-aisle Airbus A321neos.

To accomplish this, Aviointeriors came up with a concept that turns the middle seat so it faces the back of the plane and then wraps plexiglass in a double “s” shape around the aisle, middle, and window seats. The new cabins will be on board newly delivered jets starting in early 2025, the airline said. They were created in collaboration with Tangerine, a London-based design firm that's worked on numerous airline products before — like Japan Airlines' new A350 interiors.

Though these concepts will more often than not just remain concepts, that doesn’t make them any less fun to think about. Here are six recent seat design concepts, from the COVID-19 appropriate to the space saving, ranked by feasibility, creativity, and comfort. Airlines tried to compensate by leaving the middle seat empty, but the economics didn’t work out for many companies. Then, one by one, airlines started to require masks during the entirety of flights. Some companies that provide interiors for airlines went a step further by creating entirely new seat concepts. First there was luxury, and the high price tag that comes with it, followed by airline cost cutting and increasingly smaller legroom space.

British Airways has selected Collins Aerospace to upgrade its fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft to the Club World experience for business class passengers. The agreement includes installation of the Club Suite business class seat, the Club Kitchen and a new cabin configuration. Collins will also perform full-cabin integration work—including engineering design, test and approval—along with program management and third-party supplier approvals. Some of the modified aircraft are already flying; the upgrades are expected to be completed by the end of 2022. The retrofitted Boeing 777 aircraft will be operating from London Heathrow.

Proving this sentiment, he’s back at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany – showcasing a new iteration of his controversial Chaise Longue. Núñez Vicente’s company hasn’t gotten any airline buyers yet, but he said carriers continue to express interest and there might be more to announce after the Expo is over. While the steps to get to the upper seat were easy enough to navigate on the ground, it may be more difficult to do while the plane is in flight, especially if there are any unexpected bumps. He acknowledged that with three steps to get up, the upper row is less accessible, overall, but that the boost in accessibility downstairs helps balance that out. With that burning question out of the way, here’s what else passengers should know about Núñez Vicente’s design.

According to Núñez Vicente, the Chaise Lounge seats are only designed to be installed on widebody planes currently. They’re accommodated by removing the center overhead bins, meaning there’s less in-cabin storage space, but Núñez Vicente said that’s a trade passengers may be willing to make for more legroom. The seats along the sides of the plane and those overhead bins would remain in the standard configuration. PlanBay, a side project of the airplane cargo door company EarthBay, came up with a temporary, respiratory droplet-blocking solution to put plexiglass on the middle seat. The divider isn’t as fluid or pretty as the ones from Safran/Universal Movement (and a divider can’t provide the same protection as everyone wearing a mask), but who can argue with taking a person out of the middle seat?

According to Jason Rabinowitz, The FABRY seat is basically a metal frame with a fabric covering and small headrest. "In my opinion, it's better just because we're giving you more options. It doesn't mean that you have to take all of them or like all of them, but at least you have a choice now," Vicente said. While Vicente said some concerns floating around social media are silly, he has also received constructive feedback that has helped him improve the design's previous prototypes. As O’Neill noted to CNN, he came up with the concept on a sleepless flight between New York and Singapore several years ago, well before the coronavirus hit. And while the road might be long, and the design may not appeal to all, Núñez Vicente still steadfastly believes in its viability. But he says “there’s been a shift of mindset” as the project has grown and garnered momentum.

Space is one of the main reasons no one wants to be stuck in the middle like Malcolm. Denver-based company Molon Labe designed a middle seat concept that makes the middle seat the biggest in the aisle. Dubbed the Side-Slip Seat, it provides just enough extra space to make a difference. When loading and unloading, the aisle seat can easily slide to the side (hence the name) so that there’s more room for people to get out.