Thompson Aero Seating has launched a new business class seat product aimed at the growing number of single-aisle aircraft being used on mid-to-long-haul routes.
With aircraft like the B737 Max and A321 LR able to operate longer flights than previous models, Andy Morris, VP Commercial for Thompson Aero Seating said that there was a “fast-emerging mid-to-long-range single-aisle market”.
To this end the firm has created the Vantage Duo seat, which it says benefits from “a similar pitch to traditional single-aisle business-class recliner seats while offering the passenger significantly greater levels of comfort, privacy, and personal space”.
The fixed shell seat offers what Thompson says is a “game-changing” 130 degrees of recline, compared to the typical maximum of 110 degrees for traditional recliner seats.
Crucially for airline economics the increased recline has been achieved with a 41-inch pitch, meaning that there is “no compromise on density”.
Thompson said that the seat had been made possible through “clever angling”, adding that it was based on the principle of zero gravity, “where research into the relationship between posture and pressure has established the most comfortable position possible, other than lying flat”.
To this end the seat “elevates and reclines” the passenger, suspending them in a neutral position which “increases the feeling of weightlessness, allowing deep relaxation and comfort, taking pressure off the heart and allowing a stress-free position”.
Features of the Vantage Duo seat include an IFE screen (between 13.3 and 16 inches), power socket, USB port, water bottle and tablet stowage, reading light, coat hook, wireless charging capabilities, and an extended countertop area at window seats.
While carriers including Jetblue have opted for a fully-flat business class seat (Thompson’s Vantage Solo product) on its A321 LR aircraft, Morris said that the “fast-emerging mid-to- long-range single-aisle market means that passengers want greater comfort and privacy but not necessarily a fully flat seat such as the Vantage Solo”.
“The Vantage Duo offers exceptional comfort and a very marketable seating option, with the same number of passengers as traditional business-class seating,” added Morris.
“Our aim was simple – greater comfort in the same space, which we have achieved through our many years of experience in design and engineering innovation.
“The result: no loss of density, no increase in weight, just greater comfort, space, and recline for the passenger.”
The Vantage Duo is being displayed at next week’s AIX 2022 in Hamburg – the firm has yet to confirm any customers for the new seat.
