New easyJet aircraft to be equipped with ultra lightweight seats, additional legroom

Low-cost carrier easyJet has announced it will install ‘ultra-lightweight’ seats on its new aircraft, cutting down on CO² emissions and providing extra legroom for passengers.

The ‘Kestrel’ seats, from UK manufacturer Mirus Aircraft Seating are designed specifically for short- and medium-haul aircraft.

They are 20% lighter than current seats and see up to 2 inches of additional legroom per passenger without reducing flight capacity through removing a row of seats indeed, some new aircraft will have an additional row of seating due to rear cabin space efficiency improvements.

Legroom improvements remain the case without altering seat pitch or tilt, and seats will provide additional comfort and shin/knee clearance for passengers.

A fleet of 237 new aircraft in the A320neo and A321neo range, coming into service from 2028 onwards, will be kitted out with the new seats.

“We are delighted to be introducing the Kestrel seat across our future fleet. This investment supports our continued focus on making our operations as efficient as possible, capitalising on small incremental gains that result in meaningful reductions in fuel burn and CO₂ emissions,” said easyJet Chief Operating Officer David Morgan in a press release.

“On top of the sustainability benefits, the additional legroom and enhanced comfort these seats will provide will also deliver an improved onboard experience for our customers which we know they’ll love.”

It is not yet known what routes new aircraft will be used on, but French destinations are almost certain to be covered as the new aircraft represent a modernisation of more than half of the airline’s current fleet of 356 planes.

Sustainability focus

Use of the seats will see the new aircraft weigh around 500kg less than models without them installed, seeing each aircraft save 12,936 tonnes of aviation fuel across its lifespan – equivalent to over 40,513 tonnes of CO².

A reduction in aviation fuel consumption is timely, after airline CEO Kenton Jarvis said ticket prices on the airline may rise due to a reduction in fuel supply related to the current conflict in the Middle East. 

The seats are also 98% recyclable at the end of their lifespan. 

Other additions to the new ‘neo’ aircraft have seen models increase their efficiency by around 13%, and the introduction of ‘sharklets’ on airplane wings will save 308 tonnes of fuel and 970 tonnes of CO² per aircraft. 

Lighter paint, air conditioning unit improvements, increased taxi management efficiency and new technology to communicate with air traffic control towers are all set to be introduced in the new fleet to help improve efficiency and reduce CO² output.