With HK Express taking delivery of their new Airbus A321neo, the airline will also be featuring new seats for the aircraft.
The airline will utilise Recaro’s SL3710 onboard for new deliveries and retrofits.
Recaro SL3710 front row seats, Rendering Recaro.
Recaro SL3710 – Normal Rows. Rendering, Recaro.
This is the first-ever order of RECARO seats by HK Express, and with the upcoming retrofit, the total seat order exceeded 4,000 units.
The SL3710 is the lightest seat in the RECARO portfolio, with it weighing around 8kg (17.6lb) per seat. This was customised for HK Express with a custom-made artificial leather dress cover and advertising frame on the backrest.
Seats installed in the HK Express A321neo – Image, HK Express.
At the time of writing, HK Express operates 27 aircraft, including five Airbus A320ceo, 10 A320neo, 11 A321ceo and one A321neo. The average age of the fleet is 5.7 years, with the planned operation of the A321neo taking place in April 2023.
In Quotes
Dr Mark Hiller, CEO of Recaro Aircraft Seating and Recaro Holding said on the delivery of the seats:
“The SL3710 is a great fit for HK Express because of its lightweight structure and ergonomic design,”
“Our strong relationship with the Cathay Pacific Group paved the way for this opportunity, and I am looking forward to this strong new partnership with HK Express.”
Lightweight seats matter – no matter the mission
Airlines love lightweight seats for one reason – cost. This may not be the cost of acquisition and installation but rather the long-term savings they offer, in terms of maintenance costs and the fuel used to lift the seats into the sky on every take-off and landing.
Recaro has pulled off a comfortable seat with the SL3710, as I’ve noted more than once in press viewings of the design, providing a reasonably comfortable seat, along with adequate legroom (dependent on the configuration).
With it being seen as a lightweight and premium option – as well as customisable to different airlines’ requirements and missions, it should be a good fit for the HK Express network.
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