FARNBOROUGH — Amid ongoing issues of overconsolidation, production problems, and quality concerns in the seatmaker and supplier industry, TCI Aircraft Interiors has expanded into the business class seat market. This move is anticipated to be well-received by airlines. Interest in TCI's new Crystal business class mockup was notably high at the Farnborough Airshow. Runway Girl Network interviewed Ahmet Ozyilmaz, TCI’s strategy and marketing manager, for more details.
Crystal is a wide forward-facing staggered seat with a door, similar to Safran Unity, Collins Horizon, or Thompson Vantage XL+. The first model of Crystal is showcased in a Boeing 777 cabin model that will be installed by launch customer Turkish Airlines from 2026. TCI is partially owned by Turkish Airlines.
The seat offers several features: a width of 22 inches, a bed length of up to 76 inches (193 cm) at a 44-inch pitch, a 22-inch Panasonic Avionics Astrova screen, wireless charging capabilities, among others.