On top of the sustainability benefits, the additional legroom and enhanced comfort these seats will provide will also deliver an improved onboard experience for our customers which we know they’ll love.
– David Morgan, Chief Operating Officer at easyJet
As with the other Mirus products, Kestrel is built on a carbon fiber frame, reducing weight while maintaining its safety qualifications. The seats list at 6.9kg fully dressed, including the cover dress and seatbelts. easyJet anticipates saving up to 500kg per aircraft on the A321neo compared to prior generations of seats, more than 2kg per seat.
The seats come “pre-reclined” to 22°, rather than being adjustable.
I’ve taken this photo of my knees in a seat hundreds of times to offer a consistent comparison across airlines and seat pitch ranges. The Mirus Kestrel seems to be OK, even at 28″ pitch.
The frame structure is also thinner than prior generation seats, allowing for improved legroom without changing seat pitch. Notably, easyJet’s release suggests it will leave that space for passengers rather than squeezing in an additional row.
The design also features fewer individual components, reducing maintenance requirements and extending the overall lifespan of the seat. Mirus further claims it 98% recyclable, reducing waste when the seats are eventually removed from service.
Speaking to the deal, Mirus CEO Ben McGuire added, “This landmark agreement marks a defining moment for Mirus and reflects our shared commitment to enhancing passenger experience and comfort, while delivering sustainability and significant operational cost savings through reduced fuel burn and CO₂ emissions.”
Kestrel is slated for installation on easyJet’s order book of new Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, with deliveries from 2028.
Mirus first showed off the prototype Kestrel seat at the 2019 edition of Aircraft Interiors Expo, nearly seven years ago. At the time I described it as the “best I’ve seen so far” for making the knee room comfortable, even in that tight a space. I’ll reserve judgement on overall comfort until I can/have to sit in it for more than a few minutes at a trade show, but knees should be relatively safe.
The product evolved since then, but it will be nearly a decade from initial concept to first flight. This tells of the challenges new entrant manufacturers face trying to break into the market. It is possible, and key orders from major airlines often play an outsized role (Mirus’s first order was a similarly sized deal with AirAsia).
But even once that door cracks open, gaining further access can prove challenging.
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Seth Miller has over a decade of experience covering the airline industry. With a strong focus on passenger experience, Seth also has deep knowledge of inflight connectivity and loyalty programs. He is widely respected as an unbiased commentator on the aviation industry.
He is frequently consulted on innovations in passenger experience by airlines and technology providers.
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