Summary
- Alaska Airlines chooses Recaro seats for retrofits, upgrading 79 aircraft with R2 and R5 models.
- Recaro R5 seats feature adjustable headrest and calf rest, while R2 seats to come with comfort cushion.
- Alaska Airlines is embarking on a major retrofit project involving over 200 Boeing 737 aircraft.
Alaska Airlines has opted for Recaro’s R2 economy and R5 business seats as part of its upcoming retrofit program. The seats will be installed across the airline’s Boeing 737-800 and MAX 8 fleet, with deliveries starting in Q4 2024.
Alaska chooses Recaro for 737 retrofits
As Simple Flying reported earlier this week, Alaska Airlines has announced a massive retrofit program that will see the carrier add 1.3 million yearly premium seats to its Boeing 737 fleet, involving over 200 aircraft. Today, the airline has announced that seating company Recaro will provide the seats for 79 of its 737-800 and MAX 8 planes in the form of its R2 economy class and R5 business class seats.
Photo: Alaska Airlines
Todd Traynor-Corey, Managing Director of Guest Products at Alaska Airlines, commented,
“For years, RECARO seats have been synonymous with our industry leading First Class product. As we continue to grow our premium offerings to meet guest demand, we’re excited to bring on the R5 & R2 seats on our 737-800 and MAX8 aircraft.”
Alaska was the launch customer for Recaro’s R5 seat and will implement “significant upgrades” to the seat, including:
- Six-way adjustable headrest
- Calf rest
- Bring-your-own-drink (BYOD) holder in the seatback
- USB-C connectivity
Photo: Alaska Airlines
Recaro’s R2 seat will also feature in the refreshed cabins – these lightweight seats will come with a comfort plus cushion and also help Alaska cut down the weight of each aircraft. At the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) earlier this year, fellow US carrier Southwest Airlines revealed that it had also chosen the R2 for its new MAX fleet, while airBaltic is another notable R2 customer.
Related
Southwest Emphasizes Appealing Features Of Future Boeing 737 MAX Recaro R2 Seats
The airline revealed the new seats at the 2024 Aircraft Interiors Expo.
Alaska welcomed its first Boeing 737 MAX 8 in December and now has five MAX 8 airframes following the arrival of N805AK earlier this week.
12-year partnership
Alaska Airlines and German-based company Recaro are celebrating 12 years of working together. Alaska was the launch customer for Recaro’s R5 seat (previously marketed as the CL4710) back in 2017, retrofitting 11 of its First Class cabins with the seat.
Photo: Recaro
Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding, said,
“We are honored that Alaska Airlines has once again trusted RECARO Aircraft Seating in elevating the cabin experience with our premium seating solutions. Our R2 and R5 seats will also support the commitment of Alaska Airlines to a modern, efficient and eco-friendly fleet.”
Alaska’s drive to install more premium seating will begin this fall, starting with 79 737-900ER aircraft (set to increase Premium Class seats from 24 to 30), followed by 59 737-800s (from 12 to 16 First Class seats) in 2025.
Photo: Robin Guess | Shutterstock
Then, 80 of its 737 MAX 9 planes will be retrofitted (from 24 to 30 Premium Class seats) starting in Spring 2025. The carrier has seen a notable uptick in First Class and Premium Class revenues year-on-year, benefiting from higher load factors in both cabin classes.
