RECARO Aircraft Seating has announced a landmark partnership with China Southern Airlines, which becomes the first airline in mainland China to select the latest R3 economy-class seats for its new Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The agreement will see RECARO's state-of-the-art R3 seats installed across ten aircraft, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the third quarter of 2026.
This collaboration represents a significant step forward for RECARO's presence in the Asia-Pacific region, marking China Southern Airlines as the launch customer for the R3 product in this market. The airline's decision underlines a strong commitment to enhancing passenger comfort on long-haul routes, aligning with RECARO's mission of delivering superior comfort in the sky.
The R3 economy-class seat has been engineered with an optimised ergonomic design that offers passengers improved living space. Key features include a high-comfort seat cushion, enhanced lumbar support, and a six-way adjustable headrest with an integrated, patented neck support function. These innovations aim to deliver an elevated economy-class experience, ensuring passengers can enjoy greater comfort throughout their journey. Additionally, each seat will be equipped with a 13.3-inch 4K in-flight entertainment system, providing high-quality content access at passengers' fingertips.
“For China Southern Airlines, comfort in our passenger's travel experience is a top priority. We are proud to partner with RECARO who is renowned for its heritage of delivering highly ergonomic and comfortable seats,” commented Yongchao Zeng, Executive Vice President of China Southern Air Holding Company Limited.
“The decision of China Southern Airlines to equip their new A350-900 fleet with the RECARO R3 is a testament to the superior quality and innovation RECARO delivers,” said Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding. “We are proud to support China Southern Airlines in enhancing their passenger experience while providing them with solutions that bring their fleet to the next level.”