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Frontier Airlines Debuts First Aircraft With 30 Percent Lighter Recaro Seats, Piping Plover Livery

Frontier Airlines new Airbus A320neo will be the first aircraft to feature 30 percent lighter Recaro seats, resulting in a significant fuel savings. The aircraft also features Francie, the Piping Plover, an endangered species, on the tailfin.


Frontier Airlines Debuts Their First Airbus A320neo Featuring 30 Percent Lighter Recaro Seats. The Aircraft Livery Features the Endangered Piping Plover on the Tailfin.

On Tuesday (March 23, 2021), Denver-based ULCC Frontier airlines announced the debut of their first aircraft featuring 30 percent lighter Recaro seats, which will result in significant fuel savings. The aircraft also includes a livery design featuring ‘Francie’ the Piping Plover, an endangered species, on the tailfin. After installation of the new streamlined seats, the new Airbus A320neo entered commercial service this morning on a flight between Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR).

In Tuesday’s announcement, Frontier Airlines’ CEO, Barry Biffle, said,


“This new aircraft, which is the 105th in our fleet, represents a significant milestone in Frontier’s commitment to being America’s Greenest Airline. We are in continuous pursuit of leading-edge strategies to reduce our environmental footprint and, at the same time, reduce fuel costs, which enables us to pass savings on to consumers in the form of lower fares.”


The aircraft has been named in honor of Dr. Francie Cuthbert of the University of Minnesota, who leads the Great Lakes Piping Plover Research Team. The Piping Plover came close to extinction in the Mid-1980s and Dr. Cuthbert and others are helping to restore the population. Currently, Frontier Airlines features 34 endangered animals on their aircraft tailfins.


Speaking on the plight of the endangered Piping Plover, Dr. Francie Cuthbert said,


“The Piping Plover is a symbol of the magnificent Great Lakes ecosystem, which is both rare and fragile. Restoring plover numbers will ensure this species and the spectacular coastal beaches that are their habitat remain for future generations. Having a namesake Piping Plover on this new aircraft is an incredible honor and not only recognizes my efforts over a long career but all people who have been part of the North American team protecting Piping Plovers. I applaud Frontier’s efforts to highlight endangered species by featuring them on their plane tails.”



The new seats will be featured on 155 aircraft on order by Frontier, in addition to the A320neo that debuted today and are part of a major deal between the airline and the world-renowned German seat design and manufacturing company, the Recaro Group. The total seat order encompasses approximately 32,600 seats, which are expected to be installed by mid-2027. On an average A321 aircraft, the fuel savings attributable to the lighter seat design equates to 31,683 gallons annually.



Source: Frontier Airlines

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