Quantcast

Acro launches innovative premium economy seat INNOVARES

American Halts CRJ-200 Operations
Shanghai Airlines to Launch Casablanca Route
Delta employees to receive an average five weeks of pay in annual profit sharing
Akasa Air faces DGCA heat for lapses; warning letter issued to airline's accountable manager
Engine maker agrees to compensate WizzAir for grounded planes
Turkish Airlines’ flights are riddled with bedbugs, passengers say
British Airways frequent flyers react to Executive Club changes
Inside the short-lived, men-only flights where kids and women were banned but cigar and pipe smoking were rife
China steps up drive to break Boeing, Airbus grip on plane market
Heathrow’s New York service clings to spot in top aviation routes
Airline praises pilots in crash-landing where both died but nearly half the passengers survived
Mexico state airline to buy five Embraer planes next year
A record number of people are expected to fly over the holidays. That's good for travel stocks, but not for passengers.
American Airlines technical issue sparks travel chaos on Christmas Eve as flights heavily delayed after being grounded
Why United Airlines has had such a stellar year despite being Boeing's biggest customer
JetBlue nixing routes between multiple major cities, reducing several others
Airline Stocks Led The Travel Industry's Record 2024 Rally. Here's What's Next.
It’s beginning to look like another record for holiday travel
Qatar Airways cleans up at the World Travel Awards
All of the strikes at European airports this winter – find out if you are affected
Meet the CEO trying to turn around Air India, the 92-year-old airline with a pile of problems
Skiplagging: Unpacking the Risky Travel Trend That Involves Tricking Airlines
Qantas engineers walk off job on one of the busiest travel days of the year
South Korea to safeguard competition after Korean Air, Asiana merger
China Southern returns to Adelaide
Global Airline Industry Revenues Forecast To Top $1 Trillion For First Time In 2025
EasyJet to launch six new routes from the UK next year with £24 flights
Here's Why Analysts Say It's a Good Time to Buy Airline Stocks
A No-Frills Airline Is Getting Into the Premium Game
TAKING OFF: Major airline introduces new inflight service rules with less time to order your drinks
Acro launches innovative premium economy seat INNOVARES
Webp xebyjetibtlnfv8ennpitoimd6d5
Mary Kirby Editor and Publisher | Runway Girl Network

Fixed-shell premium economy seats have elicited varied responses from passengers. Some appreciate the privacy and control over their space, while others criticize the absence of a traditional reclining mechanism, which slides forward to avoid encroaching on the space behind.

Acro Aircraft Seating has introduced its new INNOVARES platform, which integrates a combination of recline mechanisms by blending an articulated seat pan with a pivoting seat back. "This innovative design ensures a genuine pivoting recline experience for passengers, resulting in a 'cradle' effect that enhances overall comfort during extended flights," said Acro CEO Neil Cairns. He added, "This allows INNOVARES to get the best of both worlds through a high pivot point, resulting in passengers experiencing no reduction in living space around their knees and legs when the seat in front reclines."

INNOVARES marks Acro’s strategic entry into the premium economy seating segment and supports a recline of up to 11 inches. An initial version was showcased at last year’s Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, while an improved version appeared at AIX 2024 with enhanced color, materials, finish (CMF), and branding elements.

Get the Newsletter
Sign-up to receive weekly round up of news from Sky Industry News
By submitting, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Service. By providing your phone number you are opting in and consenting to receive recurring SMS/MMS messages, including automated texts, to that number from our short code. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to end. SMS opt-in will not be sold, rented, or shared.

"Generous recline, maximal foot space and contemporary design" are key differentiators of INNOVARES according to Cairns. The firm aimed to bring simplicity and minimalist thinking to the design while maintaining its core principles.

The footwell of INNOVARES is designed to prioritize passenger comfort by addressing limited living space in premium economy cabins on widebody aircraft. Cairns stated, "By reviewing other products in the market, it was clear that innovation in delivering footwell space was a key opportunity to move this segment forward." He emphasized that smart design decisions enabled this benefit rather than new unique materials.

The positive reception of INNOVARES’ foot-space at AIX 2023 led Acro's engineers to further develop this feature as a key attribute of the seat. Feedback also suggested improvements for the headrest area, which were addressed for AIX 2024 along with enhancements to ergonomics such as tray position and table clearance.

Discussions with several airlines about potential retrofit opportunities are progressing positively. Cairns noted significant enthusiasm for the enhanced passenger experience offered by INNOVARES. Additionally, Acro is collaborating with an established IFE vendor to enhance usability and reliability.

While some manufacturers design seats for both premium economy and domestic first class needs, INNOVARES is tailored primarily for long-haul premium economy class on widebodies. For narrowbody markets, Acro focuses on its Series 7 seat with updates launched at AIX 2024 featuring enhancements aligning with current trends.

Acro is known for lightweight economy class seats providing ample room even in tight configurations. At AIX 2024, they also showcased expanded variants of their Series 9 family of economy seats. “Word is spreading amongst airlines about the advantages Series 9 offers,” said Cairns.

Recently securing two new customers for its Series 9 economy class seats—Volotea and Pegasus—Acro continues expanding its footprint within various cabin segments.

Organizations Included in this History
More News

Flying Food Group has announced that a union employee at its Schiller Park, Illinois facility has filed a petition with the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) seeking a vote to remove Unite Here Local 1 as the union representative for the...

Jul 8, 2025

Air New Zealand has launched Dream Seats, a nationwide initiative aimed at supporting New Zealanders in pursuing their dreams.

Jul 8, 2025

dnata Catering & Retail has entered into a management contract with PT IAS Hospitality Indonesia (IASH) to enhance the inflight catering business at Denpasar International Airport.

Jul 8, 2025

Emirates is set to introduce its Premium Economy service on the Dubai-Kolkata route, starting July 18, 2025.

Jul 8, 2025

Flight searches for summer travel in 2025 have increased by 7% compared to the previous year, with France experiencing a significant 35% rise in outbound travel searches.

Jul 8, 2025

The Emirates A350 aircraft has made its debut in Dammam, operating on flight EK 827 from Dubai.

Jul 8, 2025