Expliseat, the French manufacturer of the world’s lightest aircraft seat, announced today that Air France has selected its innovative TiSeat for the cabin renewal program of its Embraer 190 fleet operated by its regional subsidiary HOP!.

The aircraft will be fitted with a new model of the TiSeat, making Air France the launch customer of the new product. This series of seats will be unveiled in May at Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg and will be produced at Expliseat’s new factory in Angers (France).

Latest evolution of the TiSeat 

With the new TiSeat, Expliseat is building on its unique advanced technology to push the aesthetic and functional boundaries of innovation in aircraft interiors.

Leveraging its patented titanium and composite fiber frame and its collaboration with Air France, this latest evolution of the TiSeat combines unparalleled reduction in seat weight, significant improvement in seat robustness and sustainability with advanced comfort and design features, setting a new standard for economic efficiency, elegance and functionality.

The passenger experience at the heart of the specifications 

The collaboration with Air France, which will benefit from a customised version of the TiSeat, marks an important step in improving passenger comfort and the overall cabin experience for all customers. While details of the new TiSeat remain confidential until its official unveiling in May 2024, they can look forward to an enhanced travel experience thanks to a new human-centric design philosophy.

With this new production, launched for Air France in the new Angers factory from Fall 2024, Expliseat aims to combine continuous innovation with passenger comfort.

Amaury Barberot, CEO of Expliseat, said: “Partnering with Air France – known through the airline industry for its high class brand, aesthetics and engineering standards –  marks a pivotal moment for Expliseat in our pursuit of innovation. Together, we’re setting new standards in cabin design. This collaboration underlines Air France confidence in our technology and the commitment to delivering exceptional experiences for all passengers.”

About Expliseat

Since 2012, Expliseat has been working to make transportation more environmentally friendly. Thanks to its innovative technologies and more than 100 patents, Expliseat design lightens aircraft with its ultra-light seats, significantly reducing fuel consumption and CO₂ emissions while enhancing seat durability and comfort. Leader in ultra-light economy class seats for commercial aviation, Expliseat has been endorsed by all major aircraft manufacturers and has more than 10,000 seats flying worldwide.

In 2021, Expliseat was a finalist for the prestigious Airbus Innovation Award, which recognizes the best technologies for commercial aviation among the 12,000 suppliers of the Airbus Group.

In April 2023, Expliseat announced the raising of 19 million usd in capital and the setting up of a new factory in Angers, complementary to that of the industrial partner in Montauban. Bringing production capacity to 37,000 seats per year, and increasing its workforce to 100+ employees.

The urgent need to decarbonize various forms of mobility opens up huge new markets for Expliseat. Accelerating the deployment on aircraft, diversifying the offer towards other forms of mobility (rail, electric land, eVTOL…), increasing the leadership in sustainable, high-performance and technologically innovative seats are its objectives for the coming years.

Featured image credited to Air France