Safran Seats presented at the Aircraft Interiors Show (AIX 2022), being held in Hamburg, Germany, two new business class seats: VUE, for narrow-body aircraft, and Unity, for wide-body aircraft.
A new business class for Airbus A320s and Boeing 737s
VUE is adapted for long-haul flights on narrow-body aircraft. It is designed to offer passengers an experience like that of wide-body aircraft, while maintaining an efficient cabin design for the airline.
Safran stated that it already has two launch customers, one on the Airbus A320 family and one on the Boeing 737 family, and they will enter service in 2023.
According to the manufacturer, the concept offers window-facing seats, always giving each passenger a much more pleasant view.
This design provides optimized density while giving passengers a long bed with plenty of foot space.
All travelers have direct access to the aisle with easy egress, even with a screen or table deployed. In addition, it allows for privacy without direct visual contact and with the possibility of adding a door to the suite.
Progressively, airlines are implementing improvements to their narrow-body aircraft to provide greater comfort on long-haul flights. However, there are few such options on the market, forcing airlines to create their own concepts.
Flydubai and Copa Airlines with their Boeing 737-9s have a business class with aisle access, both airlines have flights of more than 5-6 hours connecting through their respective hubs in Dubai and Panama.
JetBlue and American Airlines implemented a premium concept for their transcontinental flights between the West and East Coast of the United States, with Airbus A321 aircraft for 100-150 seats.
However, with the entry of the A321LR and soon the XLR, airlines are looking for new concepts for these 7–8-hour long-haul flights in that model.
Unity, a new option for long-haul flights
Unity is a new generation of high-end business class seats. Taking advantage of its design benefits and its ability to provide all passengers with direct aisle access, it offers a spacious suite design and multiple storage areas.
In addition, it has an optional door to complete a full suite. It caters to both individual travelers and companions, with an adjustable center divider.
Unity can offer the latest technologies developed by Safran Seats, including Euphony, a wireless system dedicated to acoustic comfort.
Unity has already been selected by two customers and is available on wide-body aircraft such as Boeing 777, Boeing 787, Airbus A350. It will also enter service in 2023.
