US ultra low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has contracted Acro Aircraft Seating to supply some 5,000 slimline economy class seats for 30 Airbus narrowbodies, Runway Girl Network can reveal.
The deal, which will see UK-based Acro deliver a total 30 shipsets of its ‘Superlight’ seat to Spirit, is worth an estimated £6 million ($9.9 million), and marks the company’s second major US client.
Five Airbus A319s operated by Spirit will be retrofitted with Superlight this spring, and installation on 25 new A321 and A320 deliveries will begin in 2015.
“The US market is a major part of Acro’s growth strategy and we’re delighted to be further expanding our American presence by working in partnership with Spirit Airlines. We share a view that simplicity in our business brings lower costs and more straightforward experience to our customers and we are therefore a good fit,” says Acro commercial director Cameron Allan.
Acro has made a name for itself for the monospar construction of its seats, which maximizes leg and shin space and makes a 29in pitched seat feel like a conventional seat at 32in pitch. Spirit provides passengers with a seat pitch of 28 inches.
Acro seats are also distinguished by their light weight, low part count, robust design and easy-clean structure. And Acro says it can offer a short lead time to airlines of 16 weeks. “The weight saving benefit is highly appealing to Florida-based Spirit Airlines who aim to be one of the most environmentally friendly US carriers in operation,” adds the firm.
This latest win for Acro follows a successful 2013 for the company, with contract wins to supply 3000 seats to an undisclosed US carrier as well as to Braathens Regional for 13 Saab 340/2000 aircraft, South Africa’s Mango Airlines for eight Boeing 737-800s and KLM Cityhopper for 26 Fokker F70s.
