Thompson Aero Seating reports increased activity for wide-body seating

Thompson Aero Seating says it is seeing an upsurge in interest from airlines regarding new twin-aisle projects for aircraft such as the A330 and B787.

Airlines are looking at seats such as the manufacturer’s VantageXL, which the company enhanced and enriched in 2022. Thompson Aero Seating says the seat offers ultimate passenger comfort with impressive personal living space, a fully flat horizontal bed, and 100% direct-aisle access. The VantageXL also includes the option for fully enclosed suites and a ‘Business Plus’ enhanced front row.

According to Thompson Aero Seating, with OEM line-fit programmes taking typically between 24-30 months from the start of the project to the first aircraft delivery, airlines will need to start these projects now to have the capacity available for 2024 when the market is predicted to be fully recovered to pre-pandemic levels.

For retrofitting existing aircraft, Thompson adds that whilst lead-times are often shorter, anything between 12 to 24 months depending upon the complexity and scope of the project, these again need to be started soon in order to support the recovery.

Andy Morris, VP Commercial for Thompson Aero Seating commented: “It is really positive that we are seeing such strong recovery and renewed interest in wide-body aircraft. We have some exciting projects already underway and will be looking to increase our capacity based upon the current and forecasted demand for our products.”