United Airlines is expanding access to its Economy Plus extra leg room seating option. The carrier now offers passengers the option to purchase it directly in search results, appearing akin to a distinct class of service between economy class and business or first class on board. But it is not a different cabin of service. And that’s just one of the ways the implementation is a wee bit wonky.
seats
Iberia taps Recaro for new A350 business class suites (with doors!)
Iberia’s next generation of A350 aircraft will offer business class suites, including a sliding door for privacy. Recaro will provide the seats for the carrier.
JetBlue, Spirit agree to $3.8 billion deal
Four months after starting the conversations, and just a few hours after the Frontier Airlines bid was formally rejected, Spirit Airlines and JetBlue announced a definitive agreement to merge.
Back in Business: A transcon trip in the American Airlines A321T
Is $50/hour a fair price to pay for upgrading to a business class seat? American Airlines suggested that price to me last week, and after a long couple days of work north of Los Angeles I took the offer. With a transcon flight home ahead, I figured the extra space and comfort would be worthwhile. It was a pleasant and comfortable trip, though the A321T fleet is starting to show its age.
IndiGo selects Recaro seats for A320neo fleet
IndiGo’s newest A320neo and A321neo planes will shave a bit of weight on the seating side. The carrier selected Recaro’s BL3710 seats to fit its next 75 aircraft, with deliveries expected from January 2023.
Dash 8 adds IFE/C with Starlink option
In-flight WiFi connectivity is coming to the turboprop market. De Havilland Aircraft announced a series of enhancements to its Dash 8-400 offering, including integration of a Starlink in-flight internet kit on board.
Delta confirms 737 MAX 10 order
Delta Air Lines confirmed an order for 100 new Boeing 737 MAX 10 jets this morning, the first big order announced at the 2022 Farnborough International Airshow. Assuming the plane is really built.
Virgin Atlantic launches "Retreat Suite" in A330neo Upper Class
Virgin Atlantic is the latest airline to offer a differentiated experience for some passengers in its business class cabin. The carrier introduced the Retreat Suite, a more premium version of its Upper Class suite, as part of the unveiling of its new A330neo interior.
MAX 10 on the ropes: What’s an airline (or congresscritter) to do?
Boeing currently holds orders for more than 700 737 MAX 10 aircraft across 20 airlines*. It is the second most ordered variant of the MAX family. And if the company is forced to upgrade the flight deck to meet new safety certification requirements those could all be at risk.
Additional details, images for Air New Zealand’s new Business Premier Luxe, SkyNest seats
After five years of design and development work, the new Air New Zealand business class cabin is expected to formally launch this week. This includes the new Business Premier Luxe offering in the bulkhead row, and SkyNest sleeping bunks for economy class passengers