Niki confirmed as launch customer for E-190 slim seats

You might recall that Embraer has been working to offer new slim seats as a standard option across its E-Jets family.

Well, I can confirm that Austrian budget carrier Niki next year will become the first commercial operator to install the seats in its Embraer 190 aircraft.

The carrier is scheduled to start taking delivery of the first of five 104-seat E-190s this spring. But it will "install slim seats by next year", Embraer executive VP airline market Mauro Kern told me last week.,

He acknowledges that Niki is the launch operator for the seats.

With the C&D-manufactured slim seats, Niki will be able to increase the capacity of its E-190s to accommodate 112 passengers.

The seats are one of three options for E-Jets seating - the others are "standard" and "elite" but airlines can pick "several different configurations within these varieties", notes Kern.

(Photo taken from Niki A320; courtesy of AirTeamImages)