Why A Single Airplane Seat Can Cost Airlines $300,000

April 6, 2015
New “premium” seat designs can require extensive rewiring, ductwork changes and reinforced cabin floors.

A recent report from Bloomberg describes how a shortage of business-class seats for Boeing’s Dreamliner is mucking up the company’s production schedule. As a result, Boeing is parking two of its brand-new planes at an airfield in the Mojave Desert—yes, the airfield famous for housing the decaying remains of commercial and military planes.

So, what seems to be the holdup? The seat-maker in question is a company called Zodiac Aerospace, which specializes in developing the products and interiors that are installed inside commercial aircraft bodies. Demand for “lie-flat” seats is skyrocketing right now—in part because many airlines are realizing that charging a premium based on seat design and other cabin perks is an extraordinarily lucrative alternative to trying to boost the seat count in coach.

More details here.