Page 29 - AAA January / February 2024 Digital Magazine | GBP

Seat Factor

Indian carriers are also opting
for the latest generation of
aircraft seats, which are lighter
than their predecessors and
again delivering efficiency gains.
Airline passenger seats are a
significant contributor to the
overall weight of and aircraft and
selecting lightweight seats can
significantly reduce the carbon
emissions of an in-flight aircraft.
There is of course the obvious
aspect of fuel savings. As an
example, on an ATR 72-600,
a weight reduction of 3 kg per
seat represents a total of weight
saving of over 200 kg for the
entire aircraft. When operated
on a 200 nm flight, it would save
8 kg of fuel. If this aircraft was
operated on 2,000 flights annu-
ally it would result in fuel savings
of 16,000 kg, with the attendant in Economy Class and 11% in flights to determine the feasibil-
benefit of reducing CO2 emis- Business Class as compared to ity of using biofuels, to reduce
sions per year per aircraft by 50 their predecessors. These seats emissions. Vistara, Air India and
tonnes. also have a longer life and don’t AirAsia India are part of the Tata
In May, this year, IndiGo require replacement as fre- Aviation Sustainability Working
announced the arrival of its first quently as their predecessors. Group which is working together
aircraft fitted with Recaro Aircraft to reduce carbon emissions as a
Seating’s bestselling BL3710 IndiGo selected RECARO as a collective effort. They have also
Economy Class seat. Unveiled seating solution partner in 2022, entered into a Memorandum of
in 2019, the BL3710 features the first time in chose to do so, Understanding (MOU) in 2022,
a slim design and weighs less since the airline’s inception in with the Council of Scientific and
than 10kg per passenger. It 2006. In total the BL3710 seats, Industrial Research – Indian
also features a small number of will be installed on a fleet of 75 Institute of Petroleum to col-
seat parts, reducing waste and A321/A320neo aircraft. Each laborate and work together on
advancing IndiGo’s sustainable A321 can seat 232 passen- research, development and
goals. Seats that require minimal gers. Indian carriers Air India, deployment of SAF. IndiGo has
maintenance are a big benefit for Go First (erstwhile GoAir), Jet also signed a MOU with the
sustainably focused airlines. The Airways, Spice Jet, and Vistara Indian Institute of Petroleum
selection of a modular seat with have received over 30,000 air- (Dehradun) and is engaged with
a predefined recline, results in a line seats from Recaro Aircraft Indian oil marketing compa-
sizeable reduction in the number Seating since 2006. nies, who are working on SAF
of seat parts, reducing mainte- initiatives. IndiGo’s long-term
nance costs significantly. decarbonisation plan focuses
SAF Path on cutting fuel emissions by
Both carriers are exploring introduction of SAF. However,
Recaro Aircraft Seating’s greater use of Sustainable globally, and in the Indian con-
newest seats provide average Aviation Fuel (SAF). Vistara text, SAF’s availability remains a
weight savings of at least 10% and IndiGo have both run pilot constraining factor.•

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE JANUARY - FEBRUARY 2024 | 29