Emma Kelly reports from the Singapore Air Show.
Italian seat manufacturer Aviointeriors was exhibiting at this week’s Singapore Air Show as part of efforts to strengthen partnerships in the Asia-Pacific region and regain business in the fast-growing market.
The company was the only seat manufacturer appearing at the show and displayed its latest economy and business class seats, comprising the Mya economy seat, which is available in short-haul and long-haul versions; the Synthesys Evo business class for narrowbody aircraft or premium economy for widebodies; and the Allegra HD concept for the Airbus A321XLR, which is also available in a number of different versions for narrowbodies and widebodies.
The seat manufacturer returned to the Singapore Air Show in order to regain market knowledge; inform the market of its rebranding and restructuring; as well as its extensive in-house capabilities, including a test laboratory, product and design development, says Christian Battisti, director, sales and marketing.
Aviointeriors, which has been in the market since 1972, has seats installed with airlines worldwide, including Icelandair, Aegean and Air Algerie. It is in discussions with a number of carriers in the Asia-Pacific, says Battisti, with the request for quote process under way with a number of undisclosed airlines in the region. The seats are currently available for retrofit only, but Aviointeriors is in discussion with aircraft manufacturers on linefit offering, he says.
Battista highlights the manufacturer’s customisation approach, Italian style and its ability to meet airline requirements quickly due to it managing the supply chain within its facility. He points, for example, to a recent contract with an unnamed airline where it delivered 2,500 pax within four months for a Boeing 777 programme.
At this year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg in May, Battisti says Aviointeriors will launch a new evolution of its Allegria widebody business class seat, as well as announce a launch customer in Africa for the Mya seat to be installed on Boeing 737s.
Aviointeriors was the only seat manufacturer in attendance, but Recaro Aircraft Seating was keen to point out that its CL3710 economy class seat was also at the show, installed on the Airbus A330neo of Taiwanese carrier Starlux Airlines, which was on display in the static park.
