Summary

  • Flyadeal is the launch customer for the Acro Series 9.
  • The lightweight seats prioritize safety and comfort.
  • The Series 9 is versatile, available for long-haul and short-haul flights, and 99% recyclable.

Acro Aircraft Seating is a UK-based seat OEM that primarily focuses on the economy class market segment in both widebodies and narrowbodies.

We take a look at their latest flagship offering – Series 9 – which was showcased during this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo, which took place in Hamburg from May 28th to May 30th. As a flier, we will examine five key aspects you should know about.

1

The launch customer is Flyadeal.

This is the hot seat of the KSA.

flyadeal Airbus A320neo

Flyadeal, the low-cost arm of the Saudia Group, is a long-term customer of Acro. During the expo, John Ward, the OEM’s commercial director, explained that the airline used to use the Series 9’s predecessor, Series 6. He emphasized the carrier’s desire to upgrade and told us the following:

“One of the things that they liked about Series Nine is that we have made weight savings, but we haven’t compromised the quality.

“We haven’t made the seat thinner; we have been smarter in how we put the product together.”

Our host then explained a paradigm shift in the revenue stream of low-cost airlines like Flyadeal. Before the past few years, LCCs focused mainly on selling anything but the overhead bin space, meaning that while passengers could travel with a bag in the cabin, airlines had to save money, and that was mainly done with the seat. Today, it is different. As airlines now charge for cabin bags, they have generated enough revenue to compensate with more comfortable seats.

Related

Interview: How Airline Seat Leather Manufacturers Customize Their Products To Suit Carriers’ Needs

When airlines confirm the layout for their new aircraft, cabin outfitting begins.

2

The seats are designed with safety in mind

Like all of the industry, everything is made to keep flying safe.

Like all seats available today, the Series 9 has been enhanced to meet enhanced HEC (Head Impact Control) criteria. Essentially, the seat pitch acts like a buffer zone to slow down your head during a rejected takeoff or a runway overrun. Here is what our host had to say about the new technologies.

“When Series 3 came in, the process was called G testing, and the seats needed to withstand up to 16G of impact.”

Today, he explains that the seats need to absorb the 16Gs and minimize the impact the accident may have on the passengers onboard. Thus, this testing aims to improve the survivability of these already infrequent events.

Related

Mirus Aircraft Seating Opens The UK’s Largest Crash Test Facility

The facility is also the country’s most technologically advanced of its kind

3

The series 9 is lightweight

This means fuel savings for the airlines.

Flyadeal seating

John Ward explained to our journalist how significant weight improvements have been made from one series to another, he told us.

“We’ve done some studies that show around $20,000 in cost reduction in terms of fuel. So when you put it in perspective, where some of our clients meet 239 passengers, they have huge economies of scale. You see, our newer Series 9 seats are lighter by around a kilo and a half.”

He emphasized that despite those weight savings, the seats remain incredibly comfortable.

“We have curved the back of our seats so that you don’t feel like somebody’s sitting behind you. When the person ahead of you reclines, you don’t feel as if they’re pushing you back.

“The way we’ve designed that is that the seats and the cushions are mounted as you recline, giving you more space under the seat in front of your legs.”

Related

Interview: Why Is Sustainable Aviation Fuel So Hard To Come By For Low-Cost Airlines?

Many budget carriers are keen to increase the amount of SAF they use but face logistical difficulties in doing so.

4

There are versions of Series 9 to suit every need

From long-haul to short-haul, Acro has got customers covered.

On display at their stand at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, the manufacturer had several variants of their flagship product available for their customers and prospects to try. It ranged from the reclining Series 9R to the fixed back Series 9FB which has adjustable cushions for enhanced passenger comfort.

Simple Flying couldn’t take photos of the other seats in the back of the stand during our stay as a client demo was taking place, but our host also showed us their offerings of long-haul seats. These seats are based on Series 9 except wider and adapted to long-haul travel. This means that customers can install various options, from cupholders to IFE and footrests.

The flagship ACRO seat is highly versatile. After all, with an industry as varied as airlines, versatility is essential. Seat manufacturers need to adapt to carriers’ standards with widely changing business models, from LCCs to world-class airlines.

5

A sustainable seat

Recycling is the word.

ACRO flyadeal ​​​​​​​

Finally, and most importantly, this modern seat is one of the most sustainable available today, 99% recyclable.

Here is what John Ward had to say about this achievement.

“Our Series 9 products are 99.5% recyclable. So again, massively, you know, in terms of sustainability, airlines want products to comply with legislation and what to think big about sustainability going forward, all that stuff is important to them.”

He explained that this product line is mainly made from components of used Series 6 seats. Acro has the savoir-faire to take care of the recycling program in-house, giving customers with older products even more confidence to come forward and upgrade.

TLDR

Acro Aircraft Seating is a UK-based seat OEM that presented its latest flagship offering, the Series 9, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo. The launch customer is Flyadeal, and the seats are designed with safety in mind, focusing on weight savings and comfort. The Series 9 is lightweight, available for both long-haul and short-haul travel, and is 99% recyclable, making it a sustainable option.

What do you think of series 9? Have you flown on Acro aircraft seating products? Be sure to let us know what your experience was like in the comment section.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *