It was talked about in hushed tones at Aircraft Interiors Expo, but it seems that STELIA Aerospace is ready to unveil its new seat – called RENDEZ-VOUS.
The new RENDEZ-VOUS seat is a staggered Business Class offering, to give passengers the utmost “at home” feeling. It was designed in collaboration with Design Investment.
A seat of this size will target widebody platforms (such as the Airbus A330, A350, Boeing 787, and Boeing 777), rather than single-aisle aircraft.
The seat is offered in both a “Honeymoon configuration” (as shown below) and in a solo configuration. The Honeymoon configuration brings two seats close together, thus targeting both the premium leisure markets, as well as business markets as needed.
The seat is designed like a comfortable and vast sofa, integrating the backrest into the backshell. Things such as headrests have been redesigned, whilst armrests have been removed from the design to give wide space to the passenger, allowing them to curl up as one would on a sofa.
The seats convert into a flatbed, which can be a single or double configuration depending on the seat layout deployed.
Of course, we are in the 2020s, so a seat with a door on it is a requirement, to create a suite space.
The seat will feature dividers for when you don’t want to be disturbed by the person next to you. It also features direct aisle access (so there won’t be a need to climb over other passengers to get in and out of the seat).
Like all STELIA products, it has a high degree of customisation for airlines who want to stamp it with their brand.
In Quotes
Thierry Kanengieser, VP Cabin Interior STELIA Aerospace on the launch said:
“When you’re travelling far, thousands of miles from home, all you desire is to feel like you would at home. With RENDEZ-VOUS®, our brand new Business Class staggered seat presenting a unique sofa seating comfort, airlines can offer their passengers an outstanding travel experience with a perfect ‘at home’ feeling while flying”
The move to being at home continues – but questions exist.
This is the second seat to set its primary focus on home comforts, rather than the traditional business class seat we’ve all come to know and love (be it in reverse herringbone, forward herringbone, reversible, cubed, etc).
And the home feeling seems to be the next trend in premium seating, as passengers value space, privacy and travelling together (for those who travel as a pair)
However, there are questions, that would have been helpful with a few more renderings today. For example, it would have helped to visualise this in a full cabin layout – in addition, renders of a single seat would have helped to “sell” the cabin vision on how this all comes together.
Premium Lesuire seems to be the core market for this seat – which could be key as we move out of the pandemic and business travel continues to take its time recovering. There is a section of the travelling public that will pay for premium comfort – especially when they can travel together (and that gives airlines some interesting revenue generation chances).
Runway Girl Network has its usual excellent coverage – with interviews from STELIA, including possible deployments
At Economy Class and Beyond, we will be keeping an eye on which airlines take interest and delivery of this seat – and hopefully see it in person.
All Images – STELIA Aerospace.
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