China Southern Airlines is deploying new seats for its Airbus A350-900, with them signing for the Recaro R3 Economy Class seat
Recaro R3 Demostator seats – Image Economy Class and Beyond
China Southern Airlines will be the first airline customer in mainland China to select the R3 Economy Class seats for its Airbus A350-900 fleet. This strategic partnership includes the installation of R3 seats across 10 aircraft, scheduled for delivery in the third quarter of 2026.
As the launch customer for the RECARO R3 seats in the APAC region, China Southern will improve the passenger experience with this seating solution.
The Recaro R3 features an optimised ergonomic design, which includes improved living space, a high comfort seat cushion combined with enhanced lumbar support, and a six-way adjustable headrest integrated with a patented neck support feature to provide comfort for those passengers on long-haul flights.
The R3 seats will also be equipped with a 13.3-inch 4K IFE system in the seat back/seat side (depending on the row).
Recaro R3 Seat with the tray table deployed and IFE Screen installed
In Quotes
Left to Right, Irene Tan, Yunkai Tan, Mark Hiller, Yongchao Zeng, Denis Altmann, Kai Ni, Abraham Yang – Imaage, Recaro Aircraft Seating
Mr. Yongchao Zeng, Executive Vice President of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited, said:
“For China Southern Airlines, comfort in our passenger’s travel experience is a top priority. We are proud to partner with RECARO who is renowned for its heritage of delivering highly ergonomic and comfortable seats,”
Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding said
“The decision of China Southern Airlines to equip their new A350-900 fleet with the RECARO R3 is a testament to the superior quality and innovation RECARO delivers,”
“We are proud to support China Southern Airlines in enhancing their passenger experience while providing them with solutions that bring their fleet to the next level.”
Ms. Irene Tan, General Manager of RECARO Asia Pacific, added:
“This partnership with China Southern Airlines represents a pivotal moment for RECARO in reinforcing its presence within the Chinese aviation market, having delivered a total of 8,270 pax CL3710 seats, the R3 predecessor, to China Southern Airlines as of today”
Building on a relationship, whilst improving the product
As noted, China Southern Airways has a lot of Recaro seating products, with 8,270 of the previous generation CL3710 (itself a strong economy class seat, which your author has spent some time with in travelling on long-haul segments.
Indeed, previous A350-900 aircraft had nose-to-tail Recaro products installed on them.
With China Southern selecting the R3, it should improve passenger comfort. For those who spend time in the back of the aircraft, having every bit of comfort matters – be it in the seat pan, the seat back, the headrest and the seat pitch.
Disclosure: Economy Class and Beyond was a guest of Recaro Aircraft Seating at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2025.
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