Frontier Airlines announced the debut of its new Airbus A320neo plane featuring lighter-weight seats that will provide the carrier with significant fuel savings.
Once Frontier’s newest aircraft had the light-weight seats installed, the Airbus completed its first commercial flight from Orlando International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport on Tuesday morning.
The new seat design features a 30 percent weight reduction over existing seats, marking it as the latest fuel savings initiative from the carrier. The light-weight seats will be featured on 155 aircraft currently on order, in addition to the plane that debuted this week.
The fuel savings provided by the new seat design equates to 31,683 gallons per plane, per year.
“This new aircraft, which is the 105th in our fleet, represents a significant milestone in Frontier’s commitment to being America’s Greenest Airline,” Frontier CEO Barry Biffle said. “We are in continuous pursuit of leading-edge strategies to reduce our environmental footprint and, at the same time, reduce fuel costs, which enables us to pass savings on to consumers in the form of lower fares.”
Biffle also noted the new seats feature extra comfort, along with redesigned armrests and a larger tray table that provides added space for laptops, reading materials and other personal devices.
The seats are part of a deal between Recaro Aircraft Seating and Frontier’s parent company, which encompasses approximately 32,600 seats scheduled to be installed on all aircraft by mid-2027.
