LATAM to refit their Boeing 787 with Recaro Business Class Seats

LATAM is going to be refitting their Boeing 787 fleets, with the airline electing  the Recaro R7 Business Class Suite.

It marks the first time a South American airline has selected the R7 mini-suite.

The refit will cover both the airlines Boeing 787-8 and Boeing 787-9 aircraft – 24 shipsets in total. The Boeing 787-8 will have 20 suites, whilst the Boeing 787-9s will have 30.

To optimise cabin layout, both teams worked in parallel to bring a heightened premium experience to the cabin. Seats will feature an increased shell height for additional privacy and suite doors – again, making LATAM the first South American-based airline to offer this experience to passengers.

Seats will be customised with the house colours of LATAM while using dress covers using recycled antimicrobial faux leather.

In Quotes

Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding said:

“Both RECARO and LATAM teams have worked in close collaboration to enhance passenger comfort and privacy with this bespoke R7 design,”

 “Knowing that LATAM will be the first South-American based airline to fly our R7 is an outstanding milestone for all involved.”

Paulo Miranda, VP of Customers at LATAM Airlines Group added:

“With a design that reflects the unique essence of the LATAM Group and attention to the finest details, our new cabins have been created to offer a world-class travel experience. The new Premium Business seats mark a significant leap forward, combining comfort, privacy, and elegance. These renovations position LATAM as a leader in the industry, providing our passengers with an unprecedented level of comfort and an exclusive flying experience”, 

A big upgrade

It seems the seat count remains the same with this upgrade (with LATAM operating its 787s with 20/30 business class seats depending on the aircraft). Currently, they utilise the Zodiac Aura Lite seats, which are the usual reverse herringbone staggered business class seats.

At Economy Class and Beyond, we’ve seen this seat more than a few times (as the R7 and as its previous name the CL6720).  It provides a lot of space for the passenger, with a lot of configuration options for the airline – including the beloved suite door that they all love these days.

For passengers, it should offer comfort and privacy in a well-contained package. For the airline, it should also be helpful to attract customers, whilst being lower weight for the aircraft – reducing the fuel costs to lift these seats into the sky over the longer term.

Renders – Recaro Aircraft Seating
Images – Economy Class and Beyond at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2024

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