RECARO Aircraft Seating (RECARO) has announced an innovative sustainability-focused trial in partnership with Iberia. The initiative will launch this spring aboard an Iberia A320neo, where passengers will experience new environmentally conscious seating features within a hybrid cabin fitted with R1 and R2 economy-class seats.
As part of a RECARO modification kit, 186 seats will be installed in a selected A320neo for a trial period of at least six months. Iberia becomes the first RECARO customer to collaborate on the introduction of these more sustainable seating solutions, highlighting a shared commitment to combining passenger comfort and premium design with improved environmental performance.
The development process followed a structured approach, including the creation of seating mock-ups, qualification testing and final material certification, enabling these innovations to be introduced into an operational cabin environment. Both R1 and R2 seats will incorporate several sustainability-driven features, including literature pockets made from upcycled fishing nets and a real wood inlay element.
The recycled literature pockets utilise discarded fishing nets previously polluting marine environments. For a single-aisle aircraft such as the A320, this equates to the removal of approximately 2 kilograms of waste material from the oceans per shipset. In addition, the seating design integrates a real wood-based component within the seat bumper, introducing a natural material into the cabin while maintaining durability and aesthetic quality.
