Air India, now under new ownership, has grand plans for growth. And now it has a line on aircraft to fulfill those goals. The carrier (finally) announced Letters of Intent for 470 planes, plus 70 options, from Airbus and Boeing in a blockbuster move.
777-9
Recaro selected for Lufthansa long-haul economy seating refresh
Recaro will provide the economy class seats for Lufthansa’s new “Allegris” cabin refresh program. The company announced it secured the order for nearly 24,000 CL3710 and CL3810 seats to equip just under 100 Lufthansa and Swiss planes. The first seats will be delivered in Q4 2022.
Boeing plans for airbags in some 777X seating structures
Airbags on planes are not new. Seatbelts have had them to protect passengers in case of a crash, but for at least some seats on the 777X Boeing intends to change the setup a bit. Rather than mounting them on the seatbelts the airbags will be mounted on structures in the cabin. The Federal Aviation Administration is now soliciting feedback on this new design as it considers the type certification for the 777-9.
Inmarsat GX Aviation brings virtual networking online with 777X
The newest twin-aisle aircraft will also be the first to take advantage of an improved satellite connectivity architecture from Inmarsat’s GX Aviation. Dubbed “smart pipe,” the system allows for multiple virtual connections to be provisioned across a single satellite link.
British Airways picks 777X as 747 replacement
The Boeing 777X folding wingtip will see plenty of action in one of the world’s busiest airports. International Airlines Group, the parent company of British Airways, announced intentions today to purchase up to 42 777X airplanes, including 18 orders and 24 options.