With its inaugural flight A321neo to Shanghai-Pudong on 4 August, Cathay Pacific will break through a number of milestones, particularly around in-flight entertainment and connectivity services.
seating
Mirus adds in-house crash testing facility
Designing and building a new, market-leading seat design is no easy feat. Mirus Aircraft Seating will soon be able to perform another portion of the process in house. The company received a grant to build the largest commercially available aircraft seating test facility in the UK. The facility is expected to enter service in July 2022.
Swiss Premium Economy to fly from Spring 2022
A new premium economy product is coming to the Swiss long-haul fleet. The carrier announced the new cabin – including increased space, baggage allowance, and other benefits – with plans to equip the 777-300ER fleet in the months ahead.
Lufthansa brings back A346s, confirms first class for Munich A350s
The big seats up front matter a lot for Lufthansa. The carrier, citing “growing premium demand, for business as well as leisure travel,” will “temporarily” reactivate five of its A340-600 aircraft for the Summer 2022 season to help fill that need.
Qatar Airways launches 787-9 with new business class, economy improvements
The new Qatar Airways 787-9 formally enters service this week. The carrier will introduce the aircraft, including updates to both the business and economy class cabins, on key routes to to Europe and Asia.
Helvetic takes delivery of first E195-E2
Swiss regional carrier Helvetic Airways took delivery of its first E195-E2 today at Embraer’s facility in Sao Jose dos Campos, Brazil. Three more E195-E2 deliveries are planned by the end of July 2021.
Taking off: The Breeze Airways era begins
The Breeze Airways era is underway. The carrier launched flights this morning from Tampa to Charleston, kicking off a 16 city network covering 39 routes expected to be in operation by the end of July. It is a bold start, with 13 planes anticipated in the fleet by the middle of the summer.
New Recaro seats take flight on TAP’s newest A320neo
TAP’s relationship with aircraft seating giant Recaro continues to evolve. The carrier’s newest plane now flies the latest generation economy seats. TAP was the first announced customer for SL3710 seat, and its new A320 is the first European Airbus aircraft to be equipped with the economy class seat, according to Recaro.
KLM unveils refreshed 737-800 interiors
The first of 14 refreshed KLM 737-800s returned to service this week with a brand new cabin interior. New seats, overhead bins, and other passenger-friendly features greet travelers on board.
Turkish scales back MAX fleet plans
Turkish Airlines is the latest carrier to adjust its 737 MAX order book, and the news is not good for Boeing. The carrier’s restructured order includes cancelations, conversion to options, and deferral of future deliveries for the single-aisle aircraft.