Aeroflot chooses seat and IFE system suppliers for its forthcoming Airbus A350s

Aeroflot’s first Airbus A350-900 is scheduled for September 2019 delivery (Airbus)

Aeroflot, Russia’s largest passenger airline, has chosen B/E Aerospace (a subsidiary of Rockwell Collins) as the supplier of seats for its entire order of 28 A350-900s, according to tender documentation.

The USA-based manufacturer of commercial aircraft passenger cabin interior products – the only participant to submit a comprehensive proposal – has won the contract for supplying 7,336 economy, 672 premium economy and 784 business class seats for the total contract value of some US$130 million.

B/E Aerospace’s legacy of co-operation with Russia’s aviation industry already includes the provision of cabin equipment for the Sukhoi Superjet 100 (SSJ100) project, of which Aeroflot operates 44 and has six more of the regional jets on order.

Aeroflot will take delivery of its first Airbus A350-900 in September 2019, a year behind the original schedule. A further two will be delivered in the same year, with the timeframe for the remaining 25 of the 28-strong A350 order stretching from 2019 to 2025.

At the same time, Panasonic Avionics has also become a cabin equipment supplier for Aeroflot’s A350s, winning a $56.8 million contract for on-board internet connectivity and inflight entertainment systems (IFE).

According to the tender documents, cabin layout and design for the A350s is being fashioned by British design firm Priestman Goode, under a $1 million contract. According to the tender, candidates had to submit a proposal for the design of economy and business class cabins, as well as a bar zone in the business class cabin, a feature that has never before appeared on an Aeroflot aircraft.

The state-of-the-art Airbus A350s will replace Aeroflot’s fleet of 22 A330s as and when their lease terms expire. The national carrier is thus far the only Russian customer for Airbus’s new-gen wide-body, long-haul airliner.