Expliseat elevates Economy Class with lightweight seats and PED holders
This is a special feature from the April 2026 AIX Hamburg issue of PAX Tech, on page 46.
Last year, Expliseat unveiled the V PED holder as a complement to inflight entertainment systems in Economy Class
One year after its rebrand, Expliseat is reporting strong momentum in the airline seating market. Antonio Ficca, VP Strategy, Marketing & Communications, tells PAX Tech that the French manufacturer’s progress is reflected in portfolio expansion, a strengthened presence in North America and endorsements from airline customers such as Air Canada, Air France and Jazeera Airways. Ficca also cites the establishment of a commercial office in Montreal as a key factor in Expliseat’s North American growth.
Antonio Ficca, VP Strategy, Marketing & Communications, Expliseat
“That created a lot of traction. We have actively engaged with North American customers, promoting our products on the regional market, specifically on regional jets. The North American market is the biggest market for the regional platform and there is a lot of interest for a new seat in that segment,” he reveals.
Premiumization and PEDs
Air Tahiti is among the carriers that have selected Expliseat’s V PED Holder for Economy Class cabins
Last year, Expliseat unveiled the V PED holder as a complement to inflight entertainment systems in Economy Class, for which Ficca says there is global demand. The accessory is a non- plastic, high-resistance solution that integrates entertainment and device charging capabilities.
“Over the past six months, many more airlines are talking about ‘premiumization’ of the cabin, upscaling the product offering, even on regional aircraft,” he says. “One of the features that is now expected by any passenger traveling on short- and medium-haul routes is the option to bring a device and watch content comfortably.”
The V PED Holder is part of Expliseat’s V product class, primarily linked with versatility and robustness.
“The V product family can be operated in different environments– most of the customers that are acquiring that product line are turboprop operators,” he explains, naming Air Canada and Air Tahiti among those that have selected the V PED Holder for Economy Class cabins.
TiSeat2X takes off on Jazeera
Jazeera Airways selected Expliseat’s TiSeat2X seats across its A320 fleet
Jazeera Airways is among the carriers investing in the “premiumization” of Economy Class, introducing Expliseat’s TiSeat2X seats across its A320 fleet. Operating mixed-class aircraft makes the carrier a distinctive case, Ficca explains.
“Jazeera Airways is traditionally a low-cost carrier, yet they operate two products: a fixed backrest, a slim design, and a more premium front-of- cabin design,” he says.
As a result, two of Expliseat’s product lines entered service with the airline: its TiSeat 2X lite product and its TiSeat 2X prime product for the A320 Family of Aircraft.
“The main reason why Jazeera Airways selected us was the flexibility we offer in that different product range, complemented with weight savings,” Ficca explains.
With Expliseat’s seating installed, Jazeera was able to achieve 1,200 kilograms in weight savings on an A320 aircraft while increasing cabin capacity, he says.
Expliseat’s seats are designed to deliver weight savings of up to 30 percent for airlines. As Ficca explains, this translates to a significant reduction of emissions at the seat level, particularly considering that approximately 97 percent of a seat’s lifecycle emissions occur during its operational phase.
“We are talking about millions of dollars of fuel savings just by operating a lightweight seat,” he says.
Ficca says these cost and emission savings are “banked” every time that seat flies, noting that retrofitting seats for weight reduction is one of the quickest and most impactful options for improving sustainability.
“Jazeera Airways managed to upscale their product, offer more features, add iPad holders, USB ports, headrest solutions and segment their layouts with different classes of product while saving weight,” Ficca explains, calling it a benefit that can be enjoyed by any A320 operator worldwide.
Building for brands
Expliseat works closely with its airline customers to align seats with the carrier’s unique brand identity. Ficca notes that airlines are increasingly focused on extending and enhancing the passenger experience across all aircraft types, from wide- bodies to the smallest regional aircraft. The goal, he explains, is to ensure that whether a passenger begins or ends their journey on a smaller aircraft, the onboard experience aligns with that of a single-aisle or wide-body aircraft.
“A widebody experience across classes and segments,” he calls it. “That dialogue with the airlines is linked with the need to ensure a consistent experience is maintained independent from the class and size of the aircraft,” Ficca emphasizes.
Take a seat
Expliseat is exhibiting at AIX 2026 in Hamburg, Germany this month at booth 6A110. Ficca says attendees should stand by for some “big surprises” from the seating manufacturer.
“AIX 2026 will be another pivotal moment for us. We will disclose strong customer endorsements, and we will update the industry on our ambitious product development,” he teases.
