Adient, Collins Aerospace tapped for Hawaiian's 787-9 Dreamliners

Hawaiian Airlines has selected Adient Aerospace and Collins Aerospace to supply seats for its new 787-9 aircraft, set to hit the skies on the airline's transpacific routes in 2021.

The airline has an order of 10 new 787-9s, with rights to acquire an additional 10 aircraft.

The contracts, which were announced earlier this month at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, see Adient Aerospace, a joint venture between Boeing and automotive seat manufacturer Adient, developing lie-fat seats for the premium cabins of the airline's approaching Dreamliner fleet, while Collins Aerospace and the carrier are extending its current partnership for products in the main cabin.

Avi Mannis, senior vice president for marketing at Hawaiian Airlines, commented in a statement: “We couldn’t be more pleased for Adient Aerospace and Collins Aerospace to join us in creating a distinctively Hawaiian cabin experience in our future flagship aircraft. Our guests will enjoy the island-inspired comfort and warm hospitality for which we’re known, while relaxing in seats that represent the cutting edge of innovation in seating technology.”

“We are excited to announce Hawaiian Airlines as our launch customer for the Ascent Seating System,” said Adient Aerospace CEO Alan Wittman. “We look forward to working with Hawaiian Airlines, providing a fresh perspective in cabin quality and comfort to improve the passenger experience.”

Adient Aerospace will tailor its Ascent Seating System, designed specifically for the wide-body cabin of the 787-9, for Hawaiian's needs, providing the airline's passengers with the flexibility of more shared and private seating options.

Collins Aerospace’s Aspire seats will be featured in the Dreamliners' main cabins. Aspire lightweight seats are designed to maximize space with more shoulder and hip room, plus ergonomically contoured back and arm rests. Along with a practical tray table and ample storage, the seatback can accommodate a large IFE screen. The manufacturer's Pinnacle Economy Class seats can be found on Hawaiian's fleet of narrow-body A321neos.

Colin Mahoney, vice president, Business Development, Interiors for Collins Aerospace, said: “This is a significant agreement for us as we build on a strong relationship with Hawaiian Airlines. As the widest seat available for a wide-body aircraft, Aspire is uniquely designed to provide their passengers with maximum living space. Aspire offers an enhanced comfort system with an advanced kinematic mechanism that cradles the passenger during flight.”