Back to basics
Airline claims that its lighter, roomier seat design has cut maintenance costs and could lead to fuel savings. Siobhan Wagner reports.
claims its latest seat design is not only more comfortable but has also significantly reduced onboard weight and lowered maintenance costs.
The seats, which were introduced this year across the airline's Heathrow fleet of A340-600s, 747-400s and A340-300s are built using a new lightweight composite back structure and covered with a durable polyvinyl fluoride (PVF) film more typically used in heavy-duty applications such as wrapping bridge cables.
As a result each premium economy seat weighs 70kg less and is claimed to save 30 per cent on maintenance costs compared to its predecessor.
Virgin Atlantic plans to install the seats across its Gatwick fleet of 747-400s. The airline owns a total of 38 aircraft, and with between 35 and 62 new lightweight seats in each, it estimates an annual fuel saving of £136,000. And the company reckons it will save £200,000 a year in maintenance costs on the Heathrow fleet.
The airline worked on the seat revamp with ergonomic furniture specialist
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