IndiGo confusing passengers on 'Seat Plus Premium Seat'

by Devesh Agarwal

What are the best seats for tall or wide passengers on IndiGo flights? Read on to learn.

Two weeks ago, as I was making a booking on IndiGo for a flight to Delhi, I was offered a chance to buy 'Premium Seats' under the airline's Seat Plus value add-on plan for Rs. 500 per seat per flight. Premium seats include all seats in row 1 (which is against the bulkhead), and rows 12 and 13 (the emergency exit rows), and the windows and aisle seats in rows 2 and 3.

On its website IndiGo advertises these "premium seats" as offering "extra leg room", reinforced with a graphic. As a frequent traveller, I was fairly certain that this information was inaccurate.

IndiGo's description of Seat Plus Premium Seating on November 19, 2013.

To the best of my knowledge IndiGo does not offer any additional leg room on rows 2 and 3, since it keeps the same seat pitch of 30 inches for all its rows, with the exception of the two emergency exit rows 12 and 13. But, may be the airline had made some recent changes?

To dispel my doubts I contacted the call centre, and after many holds of "a few minutes" the agent was unable to say one way or the other. Even the airline's spokespersons were unable to clarify the doubts when I contacted them.

On November 22, when I flew the airline's newest A320 VT-IFV from Bangalore to Mumbai, I confirmed there is no additional or extra legroom in rows 2 and 3.

Seat plus description page on December 3, 2013

So one must ask why is IndiGo indulging in such practices? Someone at the airline over-zealous to get more value added revenue? One could take it as misleading advertising, and over-selling a feature that does not exist.

On December 3rd, As I web-checked-in for my flight, I decided to look-up the 'Seat Plus' information page, again.

Lo and behold, there is no change in the page even though I had pointed out to IndiGo the misleading information on their site two weeks ago.

So this clarification and warning to all the tall people looking for extra leg-room. Stick with rows 12 and 13. Even row 1 may not offer you the leg-room you desire. For the extra wide bodies (XWBs) like me, do not choose rows 12 and 13. IndiGo uses non-standard shorter seat-belts, and cabin crew are prohibited by regulations from giving you an extension seat-belt if you are seated in an emergency exit row.

I invited IndiGo to comment on this story, but there is no response from the airline till the publishing time. 

Do you think IndiGo is misleading its customers? Share your thoughts on this via a comment.

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Lufthansa to start charging fees for advance seat reservations

by Devesh Agarwal

German flag carrier Deutsche Lufthansa will start charging passengers fees for advance seat reservations (ASR). However, unlike fellow European carrier British Airways, Lufthansa will limit its fee to economy class as of now.

From November 26, 2013, for a fee of 10 euros Lufthansa passengers can reserve in advance, their preferred seat in economy class when booking flights on German and European routes. For emergency exit row seating, which offers more legroom, the fee is 20 euros on European routes and 60 euros on intercontinental flights. In the mid-price and flexible booking classes in Economy, advance seat reservations will be free.

HON Circle Members and Senators as well as companions travelling with them are exempt from the ASR fees. Initially these seat reservations can only be made from sales through the Lufthansa Service Center and at Lufthansa ticket counters, and at travel agencies. They will also be available on-line from spring 2014 for flights booked at the Lufthansa website.

Seats will be available free of charge during online check-in 23 hours in advance of the flight.

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Virgin America Reports August Traffic

By BA Staff

Image Credit: Virgin America

San Francisco-based Virgin America reported its preliminary operational results for August and August year-to-date. Virgin America’s August 2013 traffic (revenue passenger miles) decreased 5.1 percent on capacity (measured in available seat miles) that was 5 percent lower than in August 2012.

Load factor was 82.2 percent, which is unchanged from the same month a year prior. The number of onboard passengers fell 1.9 percent compared with August 2012. Virgin America estimates August 2013 passenger revenue per available seat mile (PRASM) to have increased by between 8 and 9 percent, compared with the same month in 2012.

	August				August Year to Date
	2013	2012	Change		2013	2012	Change
Revenue Passenger Miles (000)	913,612	962,133	5.1%		6,666,197	6,712,749	0.7%
Available Seat Miles (000)	1,110,443	1,168,567	5.0%		8,206,745	8,363,432	1.9%
Passenger Load Factor	82.2%	82.3%	0.1		81.2%	80.3%	1.0
Onboard Passengers (000)	590	601	1.9%		4,259	4,202	1.4%

Virgin America also announced the resumption of its seasonal flights between New York JFK and Palm Springs, which are offered every Saturday as the only nonstop flight between the New York City area and Palm Springs. 

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Airbus A380 airline-wise seating configurations compared

by Devesh Agarwal

Early next year Qatar Airways will become the eleventh operator of the Airbus A380 super-jumbo. We have researched and produce below an airline-wise A380 seat configuration infographic for comparison. Airbus had original projected the aircraft in a three class 555 seat configuration.

We have also reached some conclusions which are produced below the infographic. Study the infographic and see what conclusions you derive. Compare them with ours, and please post your thoughts and conclusions via a comment.

Airbus A380 seating configuration airline-wise deck-wise (U=Upper, L=Main/Lower), class-wise (CT = class total)

Qatar's CEO Mr. Akbar Al-Bakar has indicated a first class of eight seats and a business class of 52 seats, both on the upper deck. The economy class will have 457 seats, the most by any A380 operator till now.

The main deck (also called the lower deck) will be all economy class, but most likely, there will also be, a small section on the upper deck. The exact configuration has not been revealed as yet, but a study of the Emirates'A380 configuration of the same 517 seats leads us to expect about 30 economy class seats on the upper deck and 427 on the main deck.

With a total configured capacity of 517 seats, Qatar will have the densest A380, second only to Lufthansa which operates its A380s in a 526 seat configuration. However Emirates which also has a 517 seat configured A380 packs seven more economy class passengers on the main deck when compared to Lufthansa to take top spot in the "stuffed" ranking.

Korean Air operates the least dense A380 with 407 seats, just two less than launch operator Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines offers the widest business class seat

The dual configurations of the Singapore Airlines A380 also allows us to derive that for each of its "over the top" ultra-wide 1-2-1 business class seats, the airline loses 3.385 economy class seats. The airline adds 26 business class seats on the upper deck and loses 88 economy class seats. A similar deduction can be derived for Australia based Qantas as well.

The world's largest operator of A380s, Dubai based Emirates airline, sacrifices a full 28 seats to provide crew sleeping accommodation in the rear of the aircraft on its A380s configured for long distance flights (Dubai Australia and Dubai North America). That area is apparently so quiet, that pilots who are accustomed to a hum, are unable to sleep due to the silence. (Read story here).

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IndiGo modifies its seat pricing after ministry rap

by Devesh Agarwal

Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal. All rights reserved.

A chastened IndiGo airline, hurried modified portions of its much annoying seat pricing policy after facing the irritation of passengers and the rap of the civil aviation ministry.

A late night statement from the airline says

The feedback of our flyers is of utmost importance to us and as a result, with immediate effect, IndiGo will not charge for pre-booking of any of its middle seats (except for rows 1, 12 and 13)

About 11 days ago, the airline had announced a new seat pricing formula called IndiGo Seat Plus, after the aviation ministry had indicated their acceptance of un-bundling of additional services like baggage, food, seat pre-selection, etc, which helps drive ancillary revenue, a major income source for airlines.

Under IndiGo Seat Plus, passengers could pre-block seats for a premium. Rs 500 for sitting in Rows 1, 2, 12 and 13 on domestic flights and Rs 800 for international. For all other window and aisle seats the premium was Rs 200 and Rs. 300 for domestic and international flights respectively. However, what got the goat of almost everyone was IndiGo's Rs. 100 and Rs. 200 charge for booking of even the most unwanted seat in the aircraft, the middle seat.

Earlier today, reports indicated The Ministry of Civil Aviation has directed domestic airlines to limit the number of seats on their flights for which they charge passengers a fee which is over and above the cost of the ticket. Since IndiGo was the only airline charging for seats, quiet clearly it was in the cross-hairs of the officials.

Indian carriers would be well advised to take heed of the developments in the North American market, where airlines nickel and dime their passengers every step of the way. Last year, US airlines earned in excess of $6 billion (about Rs. 33,000 crores) in change fees alone. Change fees are normally charged for changing ticketed schedules.

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Jet Airways to upgrades Delhi-Brussels-Toronto to Airbus A330-300

Mumbai based, Jet Airways, has upgraded its Delhi Toronto via Brussels route to be operated by their brand new Airbus A330-300 (A333). The route was previously operated by A330-200's.

The A330-300 will increase seating capacity from 18 in business class and 236 in economy to to 34 in Business and 259 in Economy. The economy class passengers will get some additional leg-room, while the Première class features the new 280 degrees lie-flat air cushioned ‘Contour Vantage 2’ seats.

The Airbus 330-300 incorporates a lighter, brighter and more spacious cabin results from updated features that include smoother contours, new interior styling, state-of-the-art LED lighting and newly-designed air conditioning units adding to the comfort of the guests. Onboard mood lighting and advanced safety features like an inbuilt air-bag within the seat belt in both the Première and the Economy add to guest security and safety.

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Jet Airways takes delivery of first new Airbus A330-300

Jet Airways, today took delivery of the first of four new Airbus A330-300 series aircraft into its fleet, at the airframer's headquarters in Toulouse, France. Aircraft registration VT-JWR. The airline is expected to take delivery of an additional A330-300 (VT-JWS) later this month.

The first A330-300 aircraft will be be deployed from December 22 as 9W 228/227 on the Mumbai Brussels sector.

The airline already has 11 of the smaller variant A330-200 aircraft, shorter than the A330-300 by 17.7ft, in its fleet. Each of the new A330-300's will replace an existing A330-200 aircraft, which will be returned to lessors.

Compared to the A330-200s, the new A330-300s have an additional 73 seats 4 Première business class and 69 Economy seats. Jet pilots will enjoy the benefit of a common flight deck between the two variants. The aircraft are configured with 34 seats in Première, and 259 seats in economy.

Jet continues with Welsh seat manufacturer Contour, though it has dropped the 'Herringbone' configuration whose design a court ruled in favour of Virgin Atlantic. The new seating is the ‘Contour Vantage 2’ seat control featuring air cushioned seats in a configuration very similar to the new Lufthansa business class (see photos and video here). The seat converts to a horizontal flat bed and offers pumped air lumbar support, with a massage feature.

The in-flight entertainment (IFE) system is via a 12.1” monitor. An eXport socket located immediately below the video screen is for guests to plug-in their personal Apple devices such as iPods, iPads and iPhones allowing them to view their personal video content on the video screen and/or listen to music, while allowing for the device to be charged. The seats also feature a PC power socket and USB socket both of which can charge various electrical items.

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Cathay Pacific upgrades Delhi Hong Kong route to new Business, Premium Economy and Economy class cabins

Cathay Pacific Airways is upgrading its daily Delhi Hong Kong service with the introduction of the airline’s new Business Class cabin and its new Premium Economy Class cabin from October 29.

Cathay Pacific will operate this route with an Airbus A330-300 aircraft featuring a three-class configuration - new Business Class, Premium Economy Class and the new long-haul Economy Class seats.

The airline’s new Business Class cabin features private, lie-flat seats with direct aisle access. Cathay Pacific was voted “World’s Best Business Class” in the 2012 Skytrax World Airline Awards™.

Cathay Pacific’s new Premium Economy Class features a quieter, more spacious cabin than the traditional Economy Class with between 26 and 34 seats per aircraft. The seat pitch is 38 inches and the seat itself is wider and has a bigger recline. It has a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, a 10.6-inch personal television, an in-seat power outlet, a multi-port connector for personal devices and extra personal stowage space.

For more details on the new premium economy cabin, read this story. For images of premium economy and economy cabins, read this story.

The new long-haul Economy Class seat features a cradle mechanism to enhance the level of comfort in the recline position. Each seat comes with the latest high-resolution touch-screen personal television, a USB outlet and an iPod/iPhone outlet to allow passengers to connect their own mobile devices to view content through their personal television. The seat also offers improved living space and more personal storage space.

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Analysis: Jet Airways re-configures its Boeing 777-300ER economy class seats to lower costs

When India’s largest full service carrier Jet Airways announced that it was reconfiguring its fleet of five Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, it was a part validation of Bangalore Aviation’s suggestion made in March of this year.

Jet Airways will be switching its Boeing 777-300ERs from a 9-abreast 3-3-3 seating configuration in economy class to a 10 abreast 3-4-3 seating configuration. The move will lower the width of Jet Airway’s 777-300ER economy seats from the current comfortable 18.5” to a narrow 17”. The move will increase the economy class seat capacity 13% from 274 to 310. Business class remains at 30 seats and the extra-heavy First class suites at 8.

The aircraft will be entering service first onto Jet Airways’ multiple routes to London Heathrow. The newly reconfigured aircraft will be placed onto Jet Airways Flight 122 Delhi – London Heathrow on 16th October, onto Jet Airways Flight 118 Mumbai- London Heathrow (afternoon) from 1st November, and onto Jet Airways flight 120 Mumbai – London Heathrow (overnight) from 15th November. Mumbai-Hong Kong resumes with the 777-300ER this winter, but no confirmation as to whether it will stay that way with the new Airbus A330-300s coming on board. A similar question surrounds the current thrice weekly Mumbai-Brussels-Newark 777-300ER service, for which no announcement has been made in terms of adding the reconfigured 777-300ERs to the route.

While a certain degree of passenger comfort will be sacrificed because of the move, ultimately it was necessary for Jet Airways in its fight to compete with the large UAE carriers Emirates and Etihad, both of whom configure their 777-300ERs with 10-abreast economy class seating.

This denser configuration leads to lower seat-mile costs for these two airlines, which in turn leads to lower fares (if your costs are lower on a per seat basis, then you will offer lower fares to try and fill up your plane and maximize profits).

Ultimately, what this move will do is reduce Jet Airways’ per seat costs by more than 12%, which will allow it to more effectively compete with Emirates and Etihad. Emirates essentially operates the A380 on its Mumbai-Dubai-London routes (the vast majority of flight time is on the A380 on the Dubai-London leg.

With either 499 or 517 seats, Emirates’ A380s have more than 30% lower seat mile costs than Jet’s 777-300ERs. Thus from a simple competition perspective, Emirates can offer much lower fares profitably on the same route than Jet can. In a price sensitive market like India, it is often more profitable to offer lower fares than to have excellent service.

We do feel that it was a mistake for Jet to only go part way, and not strip these 777-300ERs of their 8 first class seats, which are reportedly so heavy that they don’t allow Jet to do Delhi-US nonstops, which the 777-300ER’s less powerful cousin the 777-200ER easily makes for United Airlines.

However, given that First Class loads are reportedly very good to Heathrow, perhaps Jet Airways can opt for a split fleet of 777-300ERs, 4 with first class to cover the Heathrow route and 6 others reconfigured into a two class configuration keeping the 3-3-3 economy class configuration but adding 5-6 more rows to provide the same boost in seating capacity and reduction in seat mile costs.

There is no question that this move will degrade Jet Airways’ strong passenger experience to some degree; a narrower seat is just plainly more uncomfortable. We are of the opinion that this move will affect Jet’s ability to continue to charge a premium for its economy class product and will move some of the Jet loyalists away from the airline. Jet Airways should consider offering about 18~27 (2 or 3 rows) seats in the 9 abreast seating as a premium economy class, to cater to the higher class leisure traffic that it attracts today.

Right now, our thinking is that the lower costs will outweigh any fare and comfort degradation, but it remains to be seen what will occur.

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ANA to launch services to Delhi - deepening ties between India and Japan

Japan’s largest airline, All Nippon Airways (ANA), has announced that it will be launching flights between Tokyo Narita and New Delhi later this fall as part of a broader plan to increase its international capacity by 22% by the beginning of fiscal year 2014. The expansion will be enabled by a growth in ANA’s long haul fleet, as it will take delivery of 22 new jets, including 14 more of the fuel efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner while retiring 17 older aircraft including up to 7 Boeing 747-400Ds, which are used primarily on short haul routes.

 According to an ANA spokesperson, “ANA is planning to launch the Delhi service this year, but it has not been announced which aircraft will be used.” However, one can hope that the Dreamliner, which ANA’s chief rival Japan Airlines will be using to serve Delhi on all 7 weekly flights from November 30th onwards. Currently, Japan Airlines operates the Dreamliner on 4 of 5 weekly services (Boeing 777-200ER operates the final one). The service will be increased to daily on October 28th (with the two additional flights also operated by Boeing 777-200ER) before going all-787 in November.

According to ANA, customer response to the Dreamliner has been nothing short of extraordinary

“The results of the survey, the first to be carried out since the 787 entered service with ANA in October last year, show that passengers are attracted by the unique features of the Dreamliner, which include higher cabin humidity and lower cabin altitude, more headroom and larger windows and overhead luggage bins than conventional aircraft….Some 98 per cent of passengers said they would like to fly again on the Dreamliner with ANA or another airline or go out of their way to do so.”

ANA has 55 Boeing 787s on order; 40 of the smaller 787-8 and 15 of the larger 787-9, which is planned for entry into service (EIS) in 2014.

According to ANA, the Dreamliner is also saving them money in the fuel department, offering 21% savings over ANA’s 767-300ERs. Furthermore, ANA’s first 787s were considerably overweight and lacking in engine fuel efficiency (requiring major weight reductions on the part of Boeing and performance improvement packages [pip] from the engine makers), meaning that if the early 787s are already performing this well, then the first 787s that meet spec (our sources tell us that this will happen around LN 90) are sure to perform even better. And the superb fuel efficiency could be very beneficial for India’s beleaguered national carrier Air India, who will be taking delivery of the first of 27 Dreamliners on order in the coming months.

ANA’s Dreamliners are configured in 3 separate configurations; domestic, regional, and long haul. The seat pitches and configurations for the aircraft can be found below.

Domestic : 264 (12J / 252Y): Business class seat pitch – 59 inches, Economy class seat pitch – 31~32 inches
Regional : 222 (42J / 180Y): Business – 59 inches, Economy – 31~32 inches
Long Haul : 158 (46J / 112Y): Business – 44 inches (staggered), Economy – 34 inches

Meanwhile, ANA operates daily flights between Narita and Mumbai already, twice weekly with the Boeing 737-700ER in all-business class configuration and the rest of the flights with normal mainline Boeing 737s.

According to ANA’s spokesperson the rationale behind adding Delhi service is, "ANA continues to expand the network and opportunities in Asia where the economic growth is strong, and Delhi fits the profile perfectly."

Overview of India – Japan market

As India’s economy continues to diversify and expand in fast growing sectors like technology and IT, Bangalore Aviation feels that India-Japan passenger traffic figures are set to explode. The following is an overview of the India-Japan market as it will stand in November, assuming that Air India’s re-start of international operations goes as planned.

Furthermore, we feel that there is significant potential for Indian carriers to launch more service to Japan, especially for India’s largest private carrier Jet Airways. With the airline reportedly in talks for up to 9 Airbus A330-300 aircraft, perhaps 1-2 of its A330-200s can be shifted to begin service to Narita from Mumbai? And airlines from both countries should also consider launching services from Bangalore and Chennai, both large local markets with no nonstop service. As Tokyo-Narita airport offers up more slots, there is a significant potential for India-Japan air links to grow and prosper.

Special Thanks to ANA PR team for their always prompt responses, and for confirming Delhi route plan even though no formal route announcement has been made through their PR page. 

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Images: Cathay Pacific's new Premium Economy and international Economy Class seats

Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways has taken delivery of a new Boeing 777-300ER registration B-KPY which is the first aircraft to feature its new Premium Economy Class product and new long-haul Economy Class seats.



The new Premium Economy class features a quieter and more spacious cabin with between 26 and 34 seats per aircraft. The seat pitch is 38 inches – six inches more than Economy Class – and the seat itself is wider and has a bigger recline. It has a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, a 10.6-inch personal television, an in-seat power outlet, a multi-port connector for personal devices such as iPods, and extra personal stowage space.

For full details visit the Cathay Pacific website.

Premium Economy will be offered from 1 April onwards on selected flights on the Sydney (CX101/100), Toronto (CX826/825/828/829), Vancouver (CX888/889), and New York (CX830/831/ 840/841/888/889) routes. In May, Premium Economy will be featured on some of the selected flights on the London route (CX252/255). As more aircraft fitted with these new cabins increases in the Cathay fleet, priority will be given to achieving daily availability on these routes.

Cathay plans to add the Adelaide, Los Angeles, Melbourne and San Francisco routes in August, Frankfurt in September, and Brisbane and Mumbai in later in October. 

By end of this year, Cathay Pacific plans to have 48 aircraft installed with the new product which will increase to 87 by the end of next year.

The new long-haul Economy Class seat features a cradle mechanism to enhance the level of comfort in the recline position, the latest in high-resolution touch-screen personal televisions, a USB outlet and an iPod/iPhone outlet that allows passengers to connect their own mobile devices to view content through the personal television.

The new seats will be fitted on all Cathay Pacific long-haul Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A330-300 aircraft. The first aircraft will enter service in March flying to Sydney and Toronto initially. A total of 36 Boeing 777-300ERs and 26 Airbus 330-300s will be fitted with the seats by December 2013.

Full details of the new long-haul economy class can be found here.

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VIDEOS: The new Southwest Airlines cabin

On Tuesday, Southwest Airlines announced a series of changes to its interior, including the addition of 6 seats to their 737-700 aircraft and a reduction in seat pitch offset by a decrease in recline.

The new cabin also features, "recyclable carpet, a brighter color-scheme, and a more durable, eco-friendly, and comfortable low-profile seat that weighs less than the current seat."

All 372 of the airline's 737-700 aircraft will be retrofitted with the "Evolve" interior beginning in March 2012. Completion is targeted for 2013, and the interior will also be fitted onto the 737-800s which will begin to arrive on property this year, as well as on the carrier's plethora of 737 MAX aircraft which are tentatively scheduled for delivery starting in 2017.

The following video is a time-lapse of the first Southwest 737 to be retrofitted.



Read below for the full details of the new cabin.

The Evolution of the New Cabin Interior Improves Customer Experience and Preserves Personal Space

With a continued focus on Customer comfort, Evolve: The New Southwest Interior retrofit enhances the Customer Experience:

• Modern Cabin Design: The new design incorporates natural, earthy tones combined with Southwest's iconic Canyon blue and clean, aluminum accents for a more modern, fresh appeal. The redesign is inspired by Southwest's past with a nod to the future.
• Lighter and More Comfortable Seat: The redesigned low-profile seat is more durable, made of eco-friendly products, is lighter, and more comfortable.
• Increased Under-Seat Space: The new design allows for more under-seat room for carryon luggage and approved pet carriers.
• Customer Living Space: Reducing the recline from three inches to two inches preserves onboard personal living space while still allowing for ample seat adjustment for Customer comfort.
• Seatback pockets: The new netted seatback pockets are streamlined to provide more knee room.
• Headrest: The fixed-wing headrest provides better neck and head alignment with side-to-side support for sleeping.
• Improved Ergonomics: The combination of the low-profile cushion and fixed wing headrest improves ergonomics by positioning Customers "down and back" into the seat, allowing for better lumbar support, armrest alignment, and increased personal living space.

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Details of Cathay Pacific's new Premium Economy and Economy class seats

Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways has released details of its new premium economy class and economy class seats which will be progressively introduced on its long-haul flights from March 2012 for operational commencement from April 2012 onwards. Unfortunately the carrier is not releasing pictures of the new cabin till next year.

With the carrier intending a clear differentiation between the two classes, the new premium economy product will feature a quieter, more spacious cabin than the existing Economy Class with between 26 and 34 seats. The seat pitch 38 inches, six inches more than economy class, with seats that will be 19.3 inches wide compared to 18.1~18.5 inches in economy. It will have a large meal table, cocktail table, footrest, a 10.6-inch personal television, an in-seat power outlet, a multi-port connector for personal devices, and extra personal stowage space.

Additional ground services like dedicated counters, priority check-in and aircraft boarding. There will also be an increase in baggage allowance from 20kg to 25kg (weight system) or two pieces of baggage from 23 kg to 25kg each (piece system).

Onboard, premium economy passengers will receive an amenity kit with dental kit, socks and eyeshade for use during the journey. Larger pillows and noise-cancelling headsets will be provided to enhance the onboard experience.

Cathay's new Premium Economy and Economy class seating compared to the existing

On the food front too, premium economy passengers will be welcomed aboard with juice and champagne, and enjoy an enhanced onboard meal selection. Each passenger will also receive a bottle of water and additional snack choices to include more fresh fruit, energy bar and dessert.

The new premium economy cabin will be installed on all Cathay Pacific long-haul aircraft including Boeing 777-300ERs, Boeing 747-400s, Airbus A330-300s and Airbus A340-300s.

The airline plans to have 87 aircraft fitted by the end of 2013. Initial routes to feature the new class include Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver and New York routes, followed by London, Los Angeles, San Francisco, continental Europe and other long-haul routes as the number of aircraft fitted with the product increases.

The new long-haul economy class seat will feature a cradle mechanism to enhance the level of comfort in the recline position, the latest high-resolution touch-screen personal televisions, a USB outlet and an iPod/iPhone outlet that allows passengers to connect their own mobile devices to view content through the personal televisions. The seat will also offer improved living space and more personal storage space.

The new economy class seats will be fitted on all Cathay Pacific long-haul Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A330-300 aircraft and will be operated on Sydney and Toronto routes initially. A total of 36 Boeing 777-300ERs and 26 Airbus 330-300s will be fitted with the seats by December 2013.

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Lufthansa mantra - spend 170 million euro get 1 billion worth of additional seat capacity

German carrier Lufthansa has unveiled a new cabin for its short and medium haul flights within Europe featuring the Recaro BL35xx slim-line seats which will provide the carrier both weight saving and increased seating capacity while still maintaining superior seating comfort and leg room.

Click on image for a larger view

The new Recaro seats are fitted with a special foam and net material that makes them slimmer, lighter and take up less room than the previous seats. The average seat pitch has been reduced from the current 32 inches to 30 inches, but the new slim-seat with its slim backrest allows passengers to gain 4cm (1.6 inches) at the knee. The interior of the backrest is perforated, which ensures high breathability to improve seating comfort. No more sticky back after a flight.

Click on image for a larger view

The reduction in seat pitch allows for the installation of up to two additional rows of seats which will allow the airline's total capacity to grow by 8% or 2,000 additional seats. This is the equivalent of twelve Airbus A320 aircraft which would be worth about 1 billion euros, more than enough to off-set the 170 million euro cost the airline will spend in the cabin renovation.

Question to other airlines -- why are you not using these seats as well ?

A reduction of over 300kg in seat weight even after the additional seats will continue to deliver the carrier long term savings.

In order to provide enough cabin stowage space for all passengers, the new seat-backs have been designed with a different angle of inclination, ensuring permitted cabin luggage fit under the seat in front.

Lufthansa is also deepening its overhead bins in its Boeing 737-300 and 737-500, which are not from the current generation 737s, to allow hand luggage to be stowed vertical i.e. sideways to the direction of travel thus increasing capacity and passenger comfort.

For a detailed view on the seating, and how it was designed, tested, selected, and how it will be rolled out, please read this document, It has some very interesting snippets of information embedded in it.

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