Greensboro, NC | August 19, 2019– Latitude Aero, a leading global aircraft seating overhaul provider, recently announced the hiring of Taylor Caslin as Director of Marketing. In this role, Caslin will develop and implement a marketing plan that will translate the company’s business strategy into marketing objectives using website management, public relations efforts, and branding.

“I am honored to join such a successful young company that is on the verge of great change and growth, and hope to propel that success at the helm of the Marketing team,” says Caslin. “I look forward to getting acquainted with the aviation industry and applying my experience in strategic communication and design.”

Caslin comes to Latitude Aero with seven years experience in marketing and graphic design. Most recently, Caslin worked as Marketing Specialist and Graphic Designer in the contract furniture industry. There, she led marketing efforts, including managing digital and print materials, creating and maintaining an active email campaign and database, developing sales presentations and controlling social media. This background has helped Caslin to make an easy transition into her current position.

Caslin will be based primarily out of Latitude Aero’s corporate headquarters in Greensboro, N.C., where she will work closely with President & CEO Kelvin Boyette to provide sales and trade show support.

France | December 17, 2018–

Rockwell Collins’ industry-leading MiQ seating platform has been chosen by Turkish Airlines for the business class cabin of its new fleet of medium-haul, single-aisle aircraft. Initial deliveries of 92 shipsets for Airbus A321neo aircraft and deliveries of 77 shipsets for Boeing 737 MAX aircraft are now underway.

The MiQ platform was selected for the superior passenger experience it delivers to business class travelers with a comfortable, ergonomic reclining position, including a four-way adjustable headrest and leg rest. The seat also provides a large console for passenger storage. Aisle seats feature level access in which the aisle-side armrest retracts downwards to allow passengers extra width in the seat, as well as enabling them to swing their knees into the aisle so window-seat passengers may move in and out of the row.

“We are very excited to introduce our latest business class seats in our new generation 167 narrow body aircraft. As we continue to take firm steps to increase our passengers’ comfort to an even higher level, we now place those state-of-the-art seats, having special features such as seat back inflight entertainment screens, retractable privacy panels, accessible personal stowage and power outlets, in our new medium-haul fleet. With keeping a close eye into customer expectations, we will continue to present the highest standards with our cabin and seat designs in the future,” said Ahmet Olmuştur, Turkish Airlines Chief Marketing Officer.

“The modular design elements of the MiQ seating platform allowed us to work closely with Turkish Airlines to provide a customized configuration that includes a new privacy feature to ensure that business class passengers enjoy an optimal flight experience,” said Mark Vaughan, vice president and general manager for Interior Systems at Rockwell Collins. “In addition, we designed custom leather dress covers to fully reflect the airline’s brand.”

MiQ’s award-winning design is available for business class and premium economy seating for both narrow- and wide-body aircraft.

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ASTRONICS

Astronics is celebrating it’s 50th Anniversary! Happy Anniversary from IFExpress! and, oh yes, Astronics PGA Solutions was selected by AMAC Aerospace for a VIP jet completion program – A Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental VIP jet will incorporate Astronics PGA inflight entertainment and cabin management systems.

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SITA

GOL, Brazil’s largest airline, is introducing new self-service bag-drop technology to speed up the airport experience. Passengers of the carrier, can now use SITA’s Scan&Fly to check in their bags when flying domestically from Rio de Janeiro International Airport and will soon be able to do so at São Paulo–Guarulhos International Airport as well. This self-service option halves the time it takes to check in a bag and gives passengers more control over their journey. Each year, GOL flies around 32 million passengers. Providing significant reductions in the time it takes to check in is a major bonus for passengers, as well as helping GOL reach the targets set as part of the IATA Fast Travel program.

Sergio Quito, Vice President of GOL Operations, said: “GOL has always pioneered the use of innovative processes. Self-service is important for us because it improves the customer experience and helps streamline our operations. SITA’s self bag-drop technology provides what we look for – it is fast, reliable and easy to use.”SITA is retro-fitting Scan&Fly units at each airport. Using them, passengers will be able to check in their baggage in just 40 seconds. As well as the units themselves, SITA also provided consultancy to develop the optimized processes in both airports, integrating the solution into the airlines’ and airports’ infrastructures. Elbson Quadros, SITA Vice President, Latin America, said: “Our goal is to use technology to improve the passenger experience and to make airline and airport operations more efficient. Our self bag-drop solution does exactly that. We are proud to have GOL as the first airline to adopt this technology in Latin America.”

SITA is providing 24/7 support both on the ground and through the SITA Command Centers, which proactively detect issues to avoid any passenger disruption. That monitoring ranges from tracking surges in internet usage which might have an impact on the airport, to alerting the team on the ground that bag tag paper supplies are running low.

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AIRBORNE WIRELESS NETWORK

Airborne Wireless Network announced that they are implementing a 30,000-to-1 reverse stock split. every 30,000 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding will be automatically combined into one new share of common stock without any action on the part of Airborne Wireless Network stockholders.  As a result of the reverse stock split, there will be approximately 296,000 shares of common stock outstanding (subject to adjustment due to the effect of rounding fractional shares into whole shares).

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AIRBUS

Airbus Perlan Mission II, the world’s first initiative to pilot an engineless aircraft to the edge of space, made history again yesterday in El Calafate, Argentina, by soaring in the stratosphere to a pressure altitude of over 62,000 feet (60,669 feet GPS altitude). This set a new gliding altitude world record, pending official validation.

The pressurized Perlan 2 glider, which is designed to soar up to 90,000 feet, passed the Armstrong Line, the point in the atmosphere above which an unprotected human’s blood will boil if an aircraft loses pressurization. This marks a second glider altitude world record for Jim Payne and Morgan Sandercock, the same two Perlan Project pilots who soared the Perlan 2 to 52,221 feet GPS altitude on Sept. 3, 2017, in the same remote region of Argentine Patagonia. The 2017 record broke a previous record that was set in 2006, in the unpressurized Perlan 1, by Perlan Project founder Einar Enevoldson and Steve Fossett.

“This is a tremendous moment for all the volunteers and sponsors of Airbus Perlan Mission II who have been so dedicated to making our nonprofit aerospace initiative a reality,” said Ed Warnock, CEO of The Perlan Project. “Our victory today, and whatever other milestones we achieve this year, are a testament to a pioneering spirit of exploration that runs through everyone on the project and through the organizations that support us.”

“Innovation is a buzzword in aerospace today, but Perlan truly embodies the kind of bold thinking and creativity that are core Airbus values,” said Tom Enders, Airbus CEO. “Perlan Project is achieving the seemingly impossible, and our support for this endeavor sends a message to our employees, suppliers and competitors that we will not settle for being anything less than extraordinary.”

Another first-of-its kind achievement this year for the Perlan Project was the use of a special high-altitude tow plane rather than a conventional glider tow plane. During yesterday’s flight, Perlan 2 was towed to the base of the stratosphere by a Grob Egrett G520 turboprop, a high-altitude reconnaissance plane that was modified for the task earlier this summer. Operated by AV Experts, LLC, and flown by chief pilot Arne Vasenden, the Egrett released Perlan 2 at around 42,000 feet, the approximate service ceiling of an Airbus A380.

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BOEING

Boeing reports that the Asia Pacific region will have the greatest global demand for new civil aviation personnel over the next 20 years. The region is projected to account for 33 percent of the global need for pilots, 34 percent for technicians and 36 percent for cabin crew.

The 2018 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook is an industry forecast of new aviation personnel demand. It is closely tied to projections for new airplane deliveries around the globe. As with personnel demand, the Asia Pacific region leads demand for new commercial airplane deliveries over the next 20 years. Forty percent of all new passenger airplane deliveries in the next 20 years will be delivered to airlines in the Asia Pacific region.

According to the outlook:

• The 20-year demand for new commercial sector pilots in the region remains strong at 240,000. While demand decreased five percent, this was driven by regional trends that indicate a peak in pilot retirements in the first decade of the forecast and a softening of replacement demand in the later years, due to a younger generation entering the pilot ranks long before reaching mandatory retirement age.
• New commercial technician demand decreased five percent to 242,000. This is due to advancements in product development on the 737 MAX, which have resulted in increased maintenance efficiencies. Overall, maintenance hours required over the life of the airplane will be reduced.
• New commercial cabin crew demand increased three percent to 317,000 due to anticipated fleet mix, cabin configuration and regulatory requirements.

For the first time, the outlook included the helicopter and business aviation markets. The inclusion of these sectors increases the region’s demand to 261,000 pilots, 257,000 technicians and 321,000 cabin crew.

Leading the region in projected demand for new pilots, technicians and cabin crew:

• China: 128,500 pilots; 126,750 technicians; 147,250 cabin crew
• Southeast Asia: 48,500 pilots; 54,000 technicians; 76,250 cabin crew
• South Asia: 42,750 pilots; 35,000 technicians; 43,250 cabin crew

“Strong demand for pilots in the region continues, and we expect that this will continue for the next several years,” said Keith Cooper, vice president of Training & Professional Services for Boeing Global Services. “Through our pilot training solutions, including the Pilot Development Program, we are helping to ensure a pipeline of pilots is ready to meet the industry’s demand.”

Boeing’s Pilot Development program is an accelerated training program intended to guide pilots from early stage ab-initio training through type rating as a first officer.

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OTHER NEWS

• Check out this article in VenturBeat on Gogo’s use of AI for machine learning tools to personalize your IFE experience and hardware monitoring – How Gogo uses AI to predict equipment failures, personalize customer experiences | VentureBeat – One clever use monitors the cooling fans speed to monitor system temperature. The off load the data on the cell links on the ground and analyze the data there.
• Good video on using 5G for aircraft communications – Moving towards 5G for aircraft communications – Aircraft Interiors International
• The Aircraft Interiors folks have a simple slide show on the use of interior colors for jet application designed by LIFT Strategic Design. Cool!The PAL A350-900 cabin lighting schemes, created by LIFT Strategic Design – Aircraft Interiors International

IFPL

As always, IFPL showed their flair for innovation in the peripherals marketspace during AIX. As many of you may remember, they announced a working relationship with Mirus Aircraft Seating at the 2016 APEX in Singapore for their USB A outlet. Not such big news you might say; however, this deal for AirAsia’s new Hawk slimline economy seating in their A320 fleet is now up and flying. This initial retrofit program is being followed-up by a line fit order for AirAsia’s new Airbus A320/A321neo aircraft. The new line fit order will also feature integrated high power 2A USB from IFPL. IFPL has been very excited to work alongside Mirus on this project as the company takes a different approach and really wants to ergonomically integrate technology into their seats. “How to make a seamless integration that was also ergonomical, was an exciting challenge for us,” said David Thomas of IFPL.  “IFPL’s aim has been to provide world leading seamless seat integration, while maintaining a consistent design language and aesthetic. Our focus also ensures the ergonomics deliver a truly enhanced passenger experience. This has enabled us to reduce the complexity, weight and cost, therefore delivering a competitive advantage to the airline,” continued David. The USB-A product has been integrated into the Mirus seat arms while leveraging the KID Systeme’s power supply. IFPL also demonstrated their latest audio products: Long Life Audio jack with testing on 100,000+ insertions; their Rapid Fit technology for quick on-wing maintenance; an Integrated Noise Cancelling Audio Module; as well as their patented MagSignal technology that virtually eliminates Customer Induced Damage (CID). IFExpress always enjoys seeing the ingenious products that IFPL brings to the industry and this year’s AIX was no different. We are looking forward to seeing what they unveil at APEX in September. (Editor’s Note: IFPL also offers USB-C to the industry.)

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AIRBUS
The first A330neo for launch operator TAP Air Portugal – MSN1819 – completed its 4:32 hours maiden flight. The aircraft now joins the fleet of two A330-900 test aircraft already performing flight tests since 19 October 2017. MSN1819 is the first aircraft fitted with the Airspace cabin by Airbus. It is equipped with light Flight Test Instrumentation during its test phase to check cabin systems such as air conditioning, crew rest etc.

With over 1,700 orders, the A330 is the most popular wide-body aircraft ever, performing nearly 1,000,000 flights every year. Today, more than 1,400 aircraft have been delivered to almost 120 customers worldwide on a wide range of routes, from domestic and regional flights to long range intercontinental services.

Offering the lowest operating costs in its category, and thanks to continuous investments in latest innovations, the new generation A330neo is the most profitable and best performing aircraft in its size category according to Airbus. The A330neo first delivery is planned in summer 2018. The A330neos will usher the brand-new Airspace by Airbus cabin concept, a consumer-centric cabin developed with passengers at heart and airlines in mind around the four pillars: Comfort, Ambience, Service and Design. These cabin options will ensure that the A330neos will set the benchmark in passenger experience and airline value, alongside its widebody partner, the A350 XWB.

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WATCH: AFTERMARKET CONNECTIVITY OPPORTUNITIES
As we all know, the IFEC industry is duly focused on connectivity and how it will enable both the passenger and the airline to stay more connected throughout the journey. In fact, some are predicting that connectivity will double by 2019! But have we really looked at what that statement truly means for our industry and the customers served, whether that be airlines, the traveler, or both? The short answer is yes. Airframers, such as Airbus, Boeing, and Embraer certainly have ‘Aftermarket Visions’. The concept here is that historically within the aviation sector the supply chain has been vertically aligned and fragmented. In order to achieve cost efficiencies, the OEMs are bundling maintenance, flight ops, parts, engineering, modifications, training and various other packaged solutions in an effort to establish agile capabilities that can respond rapidly to their customer demands. In years past, many of these services were strictly after market and often performed by third party companies. Now the OEMs are leveraging their service capabilities to increase the value of the aftermarket – for their customers and themselves. Much of this is being accomplished via Big Data, working across the various value streams and utilizing data analytics to improve efficiencies and costs, thus benefiting their customers – the airline.

All of this is being facilitated by the rapid acceptance and installation of global aircraft connectivity. In a recent SITA IT Survey 37% of airlines who participated indicated they operate connected aircraft. While 45% are either operating or taking delivery of aircraft that have connectivity. Significantly, the survey established the importance of connecting aircraft to the ground in flight, with 71% stating they are investing in EFBs, this is an important indicator that airline managers are seeking to improve maintenance and operational efficiencies. The survey indicated that the percentage is slightly lower for providing Wi-Fi to passengers, while 49% of those participating indicated they are allocating funds to provide wireless services for crew – both cabin and flight deck. Perhaps this is fairly intuitive, if you have been around the IFEC industry over the last 4 or 5 years. However, what might not be so obvious is the move from ‘siloed’ industry alliances to alliances with important other synergies that enable increased efficiency.

A prime example is the Seamless Air Alliance that was announced on February 26, 2018. This is an alliance between Airbus, Delta, OneWeb, Sprint, Airtel and Gogo. “By empowering member mobile operators to extend their services into airline cabins, the Seamless Air Alliance will allow them to continuously provide their customers – via satellite technology – with the same high speed, low latency connectivity from ground, to air and back again. It will also significantly reduce costs for everyone involved while creating a smooth, positive user-experience. The alliance – which aims to attract additional industry operators beyond the five initial members – will eliminate the immense costs and hurdles commonly associated with acquisition, installation, and operation of data access infrastructure by streamlining system integration and certification, providing open specifications for interoperability, increasing accessibility for passengers, and enabling simple and integrated billing.” Other companies have diversified their portfolio through acquisitions to achieve the same outcome. IFExpress firmly believes that we will see more of these types of alliances and acquisitions in the coming months. If you wish to read more here are some additional links of interest:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/airbus-delta-oneweb-sprint-airtel-announce-the-formation-of-seamless-air-alliance-enabling-airlines-to-empower-passengers-with-seamless-in-cabin-connectivity-experience-675121143.html

http://www.mro-network.com/airlines/airline-connectivity-will-double-end-2019?NL=AW-022&Issue=AW-022_20180514_AW-022_193&sfvc4enews=42&cl=article_1&utm_rid=CPEN1000000418196&utm_campaign=14815&utm_medium=email&elq2=c7d9f37b95e6447cba0df4b853915cfa

http://www.mro-network.com/airframe/insight-airbus-boeing-embraer-s-aftermarket-visions

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YOU FIGURE IT OUT…

Both Airbus and Boeing commented on the latest WTC rulings and

they upheld that AIRBUS subsidies from the EU for the A350 and A 380 development programs were improper while those for the A320 and A330 were in full compliance. This will allow US to impose tariffs on imports from the EU to recoup (total unknown). Later this year, they will rule on Boeing. See if that’s what you get from their press releases:

AIRBUS
WTO confirmed: no prohibited subsidies at Airbus, minor elements of actionable subsidies to be addressed.

•  “Repayable launch investment” confirmed as legal financing mechanism for aircraft development.
•  WTO confirms compliance fully achieved on A320 and A330, remaining tweaks on A380 and A350 only minor.
•  94 percent of all US / Boeing’s original claims now dismissed by WTO
•  Any potential US sanctions, now likely to be minor compared to what we expect on the European case against Boeing, would be counter-productive, ill-timed and ultimately harmful to the airlines and passengers
•  Report is only “half the story.”  Much more interesting part – on Boeing’s more egregious and competition-damaging subsidies – to come later this year.
•  Only real solution to 15-year-long dispute remains a negotiated deal

BOEING
The World Trade Organization (WTO) today in its final decision found that the European Union (EU) has failed to honor multiple previous rulings and has provided more than $22 billion of illegal subsidies to European aircraft maker Airbus. After examining this case for more than a decade, the WTO has determined the EU must end its unfair business practices and remedy the ongoing harm caused by the illegal subsidies.

This landmark ruling by the WTO Appellate Body is the final decision in this case, which was initiated in 2006. Today’s decision ends the dispute and clears the way for the United States Trade Representative (USTR) to seek remedies in the form of tariffs against European imports to the United States.

The authorized tariffs are likely to total billions in duties per year, unless and until Airbus addresses the illegal subsidies it received from European governments for its most recently launched airplanes. It is anticipated that U.S. tariffs will be authorized up to the amount of annual harm this market-distorting tactic is causing. Tariffs could be scheduled as early as 2019. This is expected to be the largest-ever WTO authorization of retaliatory tariffs.

“Today’s final ruling sends a clear message: disregard for the rules and illegal subsidies is not tolerated. The commercial success of products and services should be driven by their merits and not by market-distorting actions,” said Dennis Muilenburg, Boeing chairman, president and CEO. “Now that the WTO has issued its final ruling, it is incumbent upon all parties to fully comply as such actions will ultimately produce the best outcomes for our customers and the mutual health of our industry. We appreciate the tireless efforts of the U.S. Trade Representative over the 14 years of this investigation to strengthen the global aerospace industry by ending illegal subsidies.”

The U.S. government, with Boeing’s full support, has complied with WTO rulings stemming from the two cases the EU brought against the United States. One case has already ended in favor of the United States, and in the other, the vast majority of the allegations the EU made against the United States and Boeing were dismissed. Where there were narrow rulings against U.S. practices, they have been fully addressed to the WTO’s satisfaction.

Just one finding against the United States now remains before the WTO, which concerns a Washington state tax measure. It is under appeal and should be decided later this year or in early 2019. Boeing believes that ruling will be reversed, but if not, Boeing has pledged to do whatever necessary to come into full compliance in the interest of upholding rules-based trade, which is essential to fairness and the future prosperity of the global aerospace industry.

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OTHER NEWS

• Pre-Register to Visit AEE in Munich and Save on Entry Fee
• The folks at PDT do a really great job of summarizing shows and here is the link to the 2018 AIX Trend Report: If you did not go but need a summary for your boss, this one is perfect! Congratulations PDT (Astronics).
• With the US Supreme Court permitting gambling, we wonder which airline will deliver a seatback gambling version to make a few bucks?
• This newspaper headline says it all: “Passenger strips naked on an Alaskan Airlines flight from Seattle to Anchorage”
• We wondered when this was going to come along – Twelve South AirFly Lets You Connect AirPods To In-Flight Entertainment Systems, Gym Machines, More | Redmond Pie

• JetBlue Reveals First Complete Restyle of A320 Aircraft Interior Since Airline Launched in 2000, Bringing a Living Room-Comfort to the Sky
• JetBlue Goes All-In on In-Seat Connectivity and Customer Comfort With Larger Seatback TVs, More Channels, Streaming Entertainment, Free Gate-to-Gate High-Speed Internet, The Most Legroom in Coach®, and the Widest, Most Comfortable A320 Seats

New York | May 2, 2018–JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) today formally unveiled its first Airbus A320 to undergo the airline’s fleet restyling, which is bringing an all-new interior to its A320 aircraft. The aircraft – tail N646JB named “Bravo Lima Uniform Echo” – operated its first scheduled flight today between Boston Logan international Airport (BOS) and Bermuda’s L.F. Wade International Airport (BDA). True to its founding mission to bring humanity back to air travel, JetBlue’s restyled interiors boast the very best in customer comfort, connectivity and entertainment – creating an environment that feels more like lounging in your living room than flying at 35,000-feet.

“JetBlue’s A320 restyling is about making the best even better,” said Marty St. George, executive vice president commercial and planning, JetBlue. “JetBlue has built its innovative reputation on offering our customers the very best products and a level of service they won’t find on another U.S. airline and this update ensures we remain the go-to choice for flyers who expect nothing but the best.”

JetBlue’s A320 cabin restyling marks the first major overhaul the customer-friendly airline’s original fleet since launching in 2000. The industry-disrupting airline that first revolutionized flying with a refreshing reputation for its customer-focused approach, free snacks and signature live TV at every seat is creating a modernized experience based on customer preferences. For most of the airlines 101 destinations the A320 restyling will bring the first upgraded JetBlue product to their city in nearly 20 years.

A major focus of the restyling is keeping customers connected throughout their flight, including a new inflight entertainment system, high-definition seatback televisions, in-seat power outlets with USB ports and continued free gate-to-gate Fly-Fi high-speed internet.

“We are excited to partner with JetBlue on their plan to further enhance the customer experience,” said Jeff Knittel, Chairman & CEO, Airbus Americas, Inc. “JetBlue’s decision to upgrade to state of the art wireless connectivity and IFE will truly be a highlight to their customers. The A320 remains a market leader with JetBlue’s focus on customer comfort and innovative technologies. Airbus is proud to be a part of JetBlue’s success!”

Phased Restyling Schedule
The restyling will include two iterations of the design, with the 2018 model introducing features from the popular A321 interior and the 2019 and beyond model featuring an innovative seat design and inflight entertainment system unlike anything offered by U.S. airlines today.

For roughly the next nine months, JetBlue’s A320s will be restyled with the Rockwell Collins Pinnacle seat and LiveTV 4 entertainment options currently enjoyed by customers on the airline’s A321 aircraft.

In early 2019, JetBlue will transition to the restyling featuring the Rockwell Collins Meridian seat and Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 products.

Introducing A Sleek and Smart Seat
In 2019, JetBlue will outfit its A320 aircraft with the Rockwell Collins Meridian seat, customized for the airline’s needs and featuring a number of design elements with customer comfort in mind:

• Expanded seat width offers more than 18 inches, the widest available for the A320.
• The most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline (a).
• Enhanced cushion comfort.
• Adjustable headrests, a new feature for JetBlue’s A320.
• Contoured seatback design at knee level creates additional living space for every customer.
• Redesigned seatback stowage options, including an innovative elastic grid to accommodate a variety of customer items.
• At least two easily-accessible and repositioned power connections at every seat.

Exceptional Entertainment Options
Also in 2019, JetBlue will build on its reputation as an industry leader in inflight entertainment options with Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. With this system, JetBlue will offer customers aboard its restyled A320s expanded entertainment choices in nearly every region the airline flies.

• 10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screen at every seat.
• More than 100 channels of live television.
• Expanded collection of on demand movies, TV shows and video content, plus new gaming features.
• Destination-specific content allowing customers to enhance their travel experience.
• Picture-in-picture function.
• Enhanced, 3D flight map offering multiple ways to track time to destination.
• NFC paining turning personal handheld devices into remotes or gaming controllers.
• Expanded Fly-Fi connectivity, providing coverage to nearly the entire JetBlue network.

All About In-Air Ambiance
JetBlue’s A320 restyling also allows the airline to refresh the overall feel of the aircraft interior. New LED lighting will enhance the look and tone of the in-cabin ambiance and allow for a variety of lighting settings to increase customer comfort. New sidewalls and overhead bins will also be installed, as well as a variety of newly incorporated design elements throughout that will capture JetBlue’s unique style and personality.

Restyling Schedule
JetBlue expects to complete approximately a dozen A320 restyles by the end of 2018, with the ability to complete multiple aircraft each month by 2019. JetBlue’s so-called A320 classics will be restyled first. JetBlue’s overall A320 restyling is set to take approximately three years.

Often Copied, Never Duplicated
As JetBlue refreshes its A320 fleet the airline is also enhancing an additional element that cannot be matched anywhere else in the sky: the airline’s crewmembers.

JetBlue’s philosophy has always been to hire those who are passionate about providing great service. In 2017 the airline grew to include more than 5,000 inflight crewmembers. At the same time JetBlue made a commitment to provide every one of them with enhanced tools and training for more meaningful interactions with customers every day.

Building on the success of JetBlue’s specially trained Mint inflight crewmembers, the airline expanded its unique ‘JetBlue Promises’ training standards across the board, with every inflight crewmember on track to compete the program in 2018. JetBlue is committed to offering world-class hospitality experiences across the entire airline, on every flight and at every seat.

Multimedia
Please visit JetBlue’s Media Room to download and view additional images and video.

Plaisir, France | April 6, 2018–

Adient Aerospace will develop, manufacture and sell a portfolio of seating products to airlines and leasing companies

Seattle, WA | January 16, 2018– Boeing [NYSE: BA] and Adient [NYSE:ADNT] today announced the formation of Adient Aerospace, a joint venture that will develop, manufacture and sell a portfolio of seating products to airlines and aircraft leasing companies. The seats will be available for installation on new airplanes and as retrofit configurations for aircraft produced by Boeing and other commercial airplane manufacturers.

The joint venture between Boeing, the world’s largest aerospace company, and Adient, the global leader in automotive seating, addresses the aviation industry’s needs for more capacity in the seating category, superior quality and reliable on-time performance. Adient Aerospace will benefit from the world-class engineering teams and innovative cultures at both companies, as well as shared expertise in managing complex, global supply chains.

“Seats have been a persistent challenge for our customers, the industry and Boeing, and we are taking action to help address constraints in the market. Adient Aerospace will leverage Boeing’s industry leadership and deep understanding of customer needs and technical requirements, to provide a superior seating product for airlines and passengers around the world,” said Kevin Schemm, senior vice president of Supply Chain Management, Finance & Business Operations and chief financial officer for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. “This joint venture supports Boeing’s vertical integration strategy to develop in-house capabilities and depth in key areas to offer better products, grow services and generate higher lifecycle value.”

“Adient has a strong set of transferable competencies that will offer a unique opportunity to create value for our company and for Boeing, our shareholders and the broader commercial aircraft market,” said Adient chairman and CEO Bruce McDonald. “To enhance the customer experience for passengers, airlines and commercial airplane manufacturers, we will apply our unmatched expertise for comfort and craftsmanship along with our reputation for operational excellence.”

Adient Aerospace’s operational headquarters, technology center and initial production plant will be located in Kaiserslautern, Germany, near Frankfurt. The joint venture’s initial customer service center will be based in Seattle, Washington. Adient Aerospace aftermarket spare parts distribution will be performed exclusively through Aviall, a wholly owned subsidiary of Boeing.

Adient is the majority stakeholder in the new company (50.01 percent share) and expects the joint venture to be included in its consolidated financial statements. Boeing (as 49.99 percent partner) will receive a proportionate share of the earnings and cash flow. Both will have representation on Adient Aerospace’s board of directors.

Industry analysts forecast the commercial aircraft seating market to grow from approximately $4.5 billion in 2017 to $6 billion by 2026.

Santiago, Chile and California, USA | August 2017– UK based aircraft seating manufacturer Mirus has announced the opening of two American offices to assist with its ambitious expansion plans. The California (US) and Santiago (Chile) based operations allow Mirus to better serve the airline industry locally and are managed by Executive VP Cameron Allan and LAM Account Director Kai Kosicki respectively.

Phil Hall, Mirus founder and CEO, said, “I’m delighted by the amount of interest we’ve generated worldwide and it’s crucial that we support our future customers with strategic positioning of regional offices. America is a vital market for Mirus and we’re very much looking forward to proving how well our unique solutions work for both North and South American operators.”

To reinforce this commitment to the market, Mirus will be exhibiting its range of seating solutions at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Long Beach, California for the first time (September 26th – 28th 2017). Mirus will be showcasing the stylish Hawk economy seating platform. A modular product, the Hawk can be configured for a range of airline applications. On display at Long Beach will be two examples of the Hawk seat configuration – an entry-level fixed recline variant and a plush, USB equipped reclining seat. The Hawk redefines value for aircraft seating, providing an unrivalled blend of cost, weight, durability and quality, along with best in class living space proposition.

Dubai | April 5, 2017– Dubai-based carrier flydubai and the German aircraft seat manufacturer Recaro Aircraft Seating today announced at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg the continuation of their long-standing partnership.

The carrier will equip its new Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2017, with Recaro Aircraft Seating’s global bestseller CL3710. The seat will reflect the maturity of the airline as well as the growing network it serves, ranging from Prague in the west to Bangkok on the east. The order builds on the successful relationship between flydubai and Recaro Aircraft Seating. Since 2008, flydubai has equipped its current fleet of 58 Next-Generation Boeing 737-800s with premium seats from the German seat manufacturer.

“Opting for Recaro Aircraft Seating when we launched our airline in 2008 has proved to be the right choice. The seats with their revolutionary design have substantially reduced the weight of our aircraft, resulting in lower fuel costs. We pass these savings on to our passengers through lower fares without compromising comfort on board,” said flydubai’s Chief Executive Officer, Ghaith Al Ghaith, about the new order. “We are excited to continue our collaboration with Recaro Aircraft Seating on the CL3710 seats for our new aircraft. They will enhance the overall experience on board with added comfort, functionality and aesthetics, that complement our newly redesigned cabin interior.”

The CL3710 economy class seat reflects Recaro Aircraft Seating’s Ingenious Design with the perfect combination of ergonomics, function and aesthetics. Weighing less than 12 kilograms, it is one of the lightest seats in its class and stands out with its numerous comfortable features. For example, the six-way adjustable, ergonomic headrest has the ability to tilt horizontally, offering passengers outstanding comfort through optimal neck support.

“flydubai and Recaro have been trusting and successful partners for many years. We are extremely pleased about the opportunity to continue our partnership with this major order for CL3710 economy class seats. We are proud to contribute to the success of flydubai’s continuously expanding fleet,” said Dr. Mark Hiller, Chief Executive Officer and Shareholder of Recaro Aircraft Seating.

NBAA, Las Vegas | November 16, 2015– Lufthansa Technik AG’s new seating concept, chair[TM], has passed all 16g and 9g certification tests for forward and aft facing installations. This certification allows owners, operators, and designers to choose from thousands of possible chair[TM] configurations to match the need of a particular cabin environment. The ETSO (European Technical Standard Orders) / TSO (Technical Standard Orders) certificate is in process and will be issued over the next few months.

The chair[TM] is based on an innovative pedestal design upon which is mounted a baseline core skeleton or structure. This certified pedestal and structure is intentionally left incomplete, allowing designers to create a chair to meet the particular needs of a particular cabin – dining room, video lounge, office, bedroom, etc. Not only the height, width, and depth, but also the overall “look-and-feel” can be configured. The shape, upholstery, and padding can be selected to allow for an uncompromised interior design under one certification.

An innovative certification process allows the Lufthansa Technik experts to validate changes to the chair[TM] without intensive re-testing. Testing was designed and passed to maximum dynamic load cases. This enables changes to be classified as minor deviations under the umbrella of an existing ETSO/TSO.

The benefit of chair[TM] is not only an artistic interpretation, it also permits a variety of design options which in the past were not possible. The chair[TM] family concept will save space, optimize weight, and create a more ergonomic interior.