Many Southwest Airlines planes are getting a $60 million makeover.
The Dallas-based carrier unveiled a new cabin interior Tuesday that includes eco-friendly leather seat covers, blue carpet tiles and aluminum accents to give its aircraft a modern feel. The redesign will also add six seats per plane."This has all been done with customer comfort in mind," Chief Marketing Officer Dave Ridley said. Southwest said it will use the existing seat frames, which will save it $50 million, and new seat cover material called e-leather, a lightweight alternative to traditional leather.The seats, however, will recline only two inches instead of the current three. The seat-back pockets have also been redesigned to provide more knee room. Unlike older seats, which have a slight incline forward, the new seats have improved ergonomics that give passengers better back support and armrests.Each seat weighs 6 pounds less with the lighter material and a smaller life-vest pouch that creates more room for carry-on items underneath.With less weight on the planes, Southwest said it expects more than $10 million in annual fuel savings.The carrier plans to spend $60 million to retrofit its 372 Boeing 737-700s, completing the project by 2013. Along with the new interior, Southwest will add six seats to its 737-700, increasing its capacity to 143."This project was not about adding seats. It was about designing a better seat and a better cabin interior for our customers," Chief Commercial Officer Bob Jordan said."Once we determined how much space could be saved while preserving the personal space around our customers, we determined we could accommodate six more seats on board and not sacrifice customer comfort and customer experience."The new Boeing 737-800s, which Southwest will begin receiving in March, will also have the new interior.However, the company has not decided whether it will retrofit its older 737-300 and 737-500 models, which will eventually be replaced. Southwest has nearly 700 aircraft in its fleet.It is also replacing the carpet with carpet tiles, which will be easier to repair.Some accents on the plane, such as tray table latches, will be made from recyclable aluminum instead of plastic.As Southwest converts AirTran Airways planes, which are Boeing 737-700s and 717s, they will also be retrofitted with the new interior, executives said.Southwest bought AirTran in 2011 for $1.4 billion.The last time Southwest renovated its aircraft interior was in 2002, Ridley said.The retrofitting can be done overnight on the Boeing 737-700s, he said.Andrea Ahles, 817-390-7631Twitter: @Sky_TalkHave more to add? News tip? Tell us
