Aviation

Nine freedoms of the air

The freedoms of the air refer to a set of commercial aviation rights that allow airlines from one country to fly into and land in the airspace of another. The first two freedoms deal with commercial aircraft flying over foreign airspace and airports, while the remaining freedoms deal with international transportation of people, mail, and goods.

• First freedom
The right to fly across another country without having to land.

• Second freedom
The ability to refueling or perform maintenance in another country without having to board or disembark passengers or cargo.

• Third freedom
The ability to travel between one’s own country and another.

• Fourth freedom
The freedom to fly from another country to one’s own.

• Fifth freedom
The ability to travel across two foreign countries on a flight that starts or ends in one’s own country.

• Sixth freedom
The ability to fly from one country to another while making a non-technical stop in one’s own country.
➢ Modified sixth freedom
The right to travel across two locations in a foreign land while making a non-technical stop in one’s own country.

• Seventh freedom
The ability to fly across two foreign countries without passing through one’s own country.

• Eighth freedom
The ability to fly within a foreign country after departing from or returning to one’s home country.

• Ninth freedom
The ability to travel inside a foreign country without returning to one’s own.

Commercial aviation is subject to the freedoms of the air. Even if countries permit the services, airlines may still be restricted from using them due to treaty provisions or other factors

Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.