Jetstar to add an extra row of seats in A320 refresh

Jetstar is adding a row of seats to its Airbus A320 aircraft operating in Australia and New Zealand in a major refresh it says will not reduce already tight legroom. The refresh, due to start in August and be largely complete by the end of the year, is the airline’s first since it launched in 2004. It will introduce a new generation of ergonomically-designed Recaro seats on 43 existing A320s used on domestic and short-haul international flights and will be accompanied by LED lighting, carpets and a new colour scheme. Ten aircraft are due to be replaced and the new aircraft will be configured with the new cabin, a Jetstar spokesman said. The seat count on the A320s will rise from 180 to 186 seats per aircraft using an Airbus Spaceflex design that removes galley space at the rear of the aircraft and moves the toilets. It will also add up to six overhead lockers to increase baggage space and add an additional row of extra legroom seats to 24 the number of seats offering a 32-38 inch seat pitch compared to the average pitch of 28-29 inches. Jetstar noted the Airbus design is used by more than 26 airlines, including Lufthansa, JetBlue and EasyJet. It estimates it will cut costs by 2 to 3 per cent and Jetstar Australia and New Zealand chief executive Dean Salter said this would allow the airline to keep offering low fare while maintaining “a great customer experience’’. He said it would allow the airline to carry more leisure customers, particularly at peak times. “Our cabins will look and feel like new and we think this will be a win for customers and have great business benefits as well,’’ Jetstar Australia and New Zealand chief executive Dean Salter said “The new seats are comfortable and our customers will have the same amount of legroom and space as they currently do on our A320 aircraft. “This is the latest cabin design from Airbus, which is smarter about the way space is used on the aircraft and allows for an extra row of seats and more baggage space.’’ Jetstar has carried 200 million passengers since launch and now services 82 destinations in 16 countries through its own network and that of its joint ventures. In addition to A320 family aircraft, it flies Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners on long-haul routes and is due to get A320neos from the 2018-19 financial year.