Norwegian to retrofit existing 737 MAX fleet with new seat and cabin
James ChappleNorwegian will retrofit its existing fleet of Boeing 737 MAX aircraft with an upgraded, more spacious cabin featuring new lighter and comfier slimline seats.
The low-cost carrier says the new seats are designed for greater comfort on longer routes and give passengers more personal space.
Norwegian was Boeing’s European launch partner for the 737 MAX last year and will take delivery of 12 of the new 189-seat aircraft in 2018, with a further 88 on order.
The first Norwegian 737 MAX to feature the new RECARO 3710C seat entered service last month.
The aircraft will service Norwegian’s transatlantic routes, replacing its older Boeing 737-800s.
It comes after Norwegian this week announced a weekly Gatwick-Tampa service while expanding a number of other transatlantic routes.
The airline also recently announced its first Canada route, flying daily to Toronto from Dublin.
'All new standard of economy'
The new seat has a 30-inch pitch and is 17.2 inches wide, creating extra space, Norwegian says, at knee-level.
The seats also weigh just 10kg each, one kilo less than the pervious model, significantly reducing weight and fuel burn, and allowing Norwegian to continue offering low fares.
Thomas Ramdahl, Norwegian’s chief commercial officer, said: “More than 370,000 customers have flown Norwegian between the UK and Ireland and the US East Coast and now thousands more passengers can fly in slimmer seats that provide more space for the longer flights.
“The Boeing 737 MAX’s versatility can provide passengers with lower fares on direct transatlantic routes and shorter flights as we plan to replace older aircraft as we maintain a young, modern and fuel-efficient fleet.”
Dr Mark Hiller, RECARO Aircraft Seating chief executive, added the seat set “all new standards in economy class”, balancing lightweight design against comfort.
James Chapple
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