Lots of cabin and connectivity news bits to catch up on as the week comes to an end…
Seats & Cabin
Upstarts get creative in economy class for 2024 Crystal Cabin Awards
The economy cabin is typically optimized for airline profit over customer comfort, but that doesn’t mean all creativity is lost. Here are a few upstarts looking to move the market and win a 2024 Crystal Cabin Award.
JetBlue boosting crew on Mint A321neo planes
JetBlue is boosting staffing on its newest Mint-configured planes in a move that appears to be tied to the mini-suite doors and “regulatory clarification” from the FAA.
Bigger bins coming to some United Express/Skywest E175s
United Airlines has a new plan to avoid gate-checked bags on its regional jet fleet: Larger overhead bins will be installed on 50 planes by the end of the year.
Back to basics: New business class seat designs vie for Crystal Cabin Award honors
Forget about luxury. A market exists for the most basic of business class needs: a flat bed. Two short list candidates for the 2024 Crystal Cabin Awards aim to fill that gap.
Low cost or cheap? Flying New Pacific first class
What’s the inflight experience like on New Pacific? Certainly not worth going out of the way for, but also not terrible, assuming you can get a cheaper fare.
Expliseat launches new economy class seat with Hop! E190 contract
Expliseat will launch a new version of its lightweight TiSeat, targeting the Embraer E-Jet family of aircraft. Air France’s HOP! is the launch customer.
Malaysia Airlines picks Collins, Recaro for A330neo seats
Malaysia Airlines unveiled its A330neo interiors, with seats from Collins Aerospace for the business class cabin and Recaro for economy. The new planes, with 297 seats on board, are expected to join the fleet from Q3 2024.
Frontier’s UpFront Plus brings EuroBiz to North America
Blocking the middle seat in a row is a staple of the European business class travel market. Now a similar offering will fly in North America, as Frontier Airlines introduces UpFront Plus.
American orders 260 single-aisle aircraft for fleet up-gauging
American Airlines is spreading its delivery timeline and its supplier base, with Embraer, Boeing, and Airbus involved. All told, the carrier announced firm orders for 260 aircraft on Monday, part of its plan to keep the fleet fresh into the next decade.