Embraer plans to offer new "slim seats" as standard across its E-Jets family within the next two years. The project is part of a list of improvements planned for the E-170/175 and E-190/195.
A new generation seat, developed by C&D under Embraer specification, the slim seat improves the passenger living space - specifically the knee distance to the front seat back - by as much as 2in compared to the current E-Jets elite seat, Embraer market intelligence vice-president Luiz Sergio Chiessi tells RWG.
"Such slim seats can be used by airlines to either increase passenger comfort or achieve better economics by increasing onboard seating capacity maintaining the current comfort level," he adds.
And before you ask, I don't yet have a picture of the slim seat. But isn't that a delicious E-190 to the upper right?
This isn't the first time we've heard of slim seats, although the last time it was mentioned we got slim pickings. During the Farnborough air show in July, Austrian budget carrier Niki ordered five E-190s. At that time, the carrier revealed it would eventually fly the airliners with 112 slim seats, but would initially have to accept a 104-seat configuration pending certification of the new slim seats.
on December 1, 2008 12:56 AM | Reply
Bravo Embraer on a job well done.
on December 1, 2008 1:34 AM | Reply
Well, I'm gonna guess that passenger comfort or extra leg room is the last thing on the minds of a lot of airlines who are gonna order these.. I'd expect to see them cram in a row or two more of cattle class :)
Wait, isn't that what Niki is doing already..
on December 1, 2008 8:40 PM | Reply
So true. Slight but not unrelated tangent here. How many carriers wanted the original eight abreast offering for the 787? Then nasty old CASM came in and ruined the good time. It does beg the question. Do any customers remain on the books with eight abreast in 787 economy?