Ultra-low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines has rolled out its first aircraft featuring a colorful new interior and roomier seats featuring a larger tray table and extra legroom.
The updated interior, installed on a new Airbus A320neo, features a new ergonomic seat padded with ultra-lightweight foam and a composite frame that makes each seat 2.6 pounds lighter than its existing counterparts.
The airline says the Acro Aircraft Seating design allows for a wider range of healthy postures and movements and offers an extra two inches of usable legroom compared to flatback seats with the same pitch.
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Literature pockets have been elevated to give extra knee room and the new seats have full-size tray tables.
Middle seats will gain another inch of width, and every seat will gain nearly an inch of pre-recline compared to Spirit’s current seating configuration, with exit rows adding even more.
The new seats are accompanied by updated carpet, new signage and a Spirit color-palette throughout the cabin for what the airline promises is "an improved aesthetic and a modern look and feel".
The airline has also updated its “Big Front” seat with an ergonomically-improved headrest with plush memory foam, additional memory foam in the seat cushion for comfort and thigh support, and yellow-and-black stitching.
The changes were guided by passenger feedback and survey results.
The redesigned interior will be installed on nearly 150 new Airbus A320 Family aircraft being delivered to Spirit over the next several years. Aircraft cycling through maintenance will also be updated.
Spirit's colorful A320neo. Photo: Spirit.
“We listened to our Guests and went on the hunt for the optimal Spirit seat,'' Spirit chief executive ted Christie said.
"Our new seats and cabin redesign were developed from the ground up to enhance the experience, while maintaining our low fares at the same time.
“We’re the fastest-growing airline in the country, and we’re delighted to usher in these innovations in Guest comfort as our fleet doubles in size over the next five years.”
Other projects in the pipeline as part of the Invest in the Guest initiative include inflight Wi-Fi, a revamped Loyalty program, and self-bag drop operations to reduce check-in lines.
Sprit provides ultra-low-cost fares and then charges for extras beyond the fare.
It operates more than 600 daily flights to 75 destinations in the US, Latin America and the Caribbean,
