Controversy Hits PIA A310 Business Class Seats — Civil Aviation Forum

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Controversy Hits PIA A310 Business Class Seats

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 5252 times:

The plan has been shelved as Airbus refuse to grant approval to the airline to retrofit their A310 fleet with new (160kg, heavier than recommended weight) recliner seats with 10.4 inch PTV's, costing $50,000 each, only one aircraft AP-BEQ got these, without being permitted, and has been grounded to get the older seats in place again.

Old seats weighing 47kgs dont look so bad either.

.....up there with the best!

11 replies: All unread, jump to last

BOEING787 From India, joined May 2004, 158 posts, RR: 0
Reply 1, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 5220 times:

Your older seats look pretty good too! What about the IFE on the older seats/biz class?

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Reply 2, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 5199 times:

They did not have IFE as far as I know, the new seats are the same as in the 777 Busniness class, details of the controversy here http://www.satribune.com/archives/apr25_may1_04/P1_seats.htm.

.....up there with the best!

BOEING787 From India, joined May 2004, 158 posts, RR: 0
Reply 3, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 5176 times:

Thanks, I'll read it! With competition from EK/GF & possibly others, they need to look into installing them soon.

Mrniji From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 4, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 5057 times:

Is it only the weight why they were not permitted? Or some other licence agreement?

Strange... (could they in exchange have surrendered some of their cargo capacity for the new seats?)

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Reply 5, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 4947 times:

PIA's management claim that they do not require approval as only the interiors are being refurbished and no structural changes are being made to the aircraft, yes they will loose cargo if they go with this plan, the new seats have also reduce dthe number of pax accomodated in the Business section, so they're losing out which they cannot afford to.

.....up there with the best!

Singapore_Air From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2000, 13711 posts, RR: 21
Reply 6, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 4846 times:

Do you know what the total weight of one of the seats is?

Anyone can fly, only the best Soar.

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Reply 7, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 4818 times:

160kg each according to the article, which I doubt, previous seats weigh 47kg.

.....up there with the best!

B747-437B From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 8, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 10 hours ago) and read 4783 times:

PIA's management claim that they do not require approval as only the interiors are being refurbished and no structural changes are being made to the aircraft

You have gotta be kidding me. Seat certification for an aircraft interior is one of the most stringent processes involved in aircraft certification. There are so many issues involved ranging from mooring strength to G-force resistance, etc...

I sincerely hope this article has the facts wrong, because I can't believe any airline would not be aware of the safety issues involved.

Airmale From Botswana, joined Sep 2004, 368 posts, RR: 2
Reply 9, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 9 hours ago) and read 4574 times:

Quote from a press report:

"As for the seeking of permission from Airbus Company, it was stated that PIA does not require any as has been intimated by the Airbus in their Communication. PIA does not need NTO (Non Technical Objection) because "it concerns a cabin configuration and not a design/standard deviation for which and NTO can apply."

The project of these seats installation in Airbus A-310 aircraft along with IFE (Internal Flight Entertainment) equipment was undertaken jointly by equipment manufactures and certified by DER/DAR (Designated Engineering Representatives/ Designated Airworthiness Representatives) from DG AC France authorised by European Association Safety Authority (EASA). Based on certification by DER/DARI Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan (CAA) gave approval of the project to PIA. As is the aviation certification procedure, DG AC France on behalf of EASA will issue a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for these installations".

Source: Business Recorder

.....up there with the best!

GF-A330 From United Kingdom, joined Apr 2001, 1643 posts, RR: 3
Reply 10, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 7 hours ago) and read 4378 times:

Airmale - the whole story is rubbish. The plane has not been grounded and neither has the plan for the refit been shelved. This was clarified in a press release issued today by the airline, stating that it got approval from all the necessary commitees before commencing work on the A310 and that the false articles/stories were appearing in some newspapers, only to create a bad name.

The next five A310s infact are to get a interior refit within the next 8-12 weeks as per maintenance schedules.

P.S. The above posted picture of the old Business class interior is deffinately not of PIA's I assure you.

Mrniji From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR:
Reply 11, posted (9 years 2 weeks 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 4261 times:

I am just wondering whether PK can make up the cargo and pax loss with the new equipment (weight, less seats)

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