Aviation

Air India loyalty members can now earn points on Legoland tickets

WINDSOR/GURUGRAM, 7 AUGUST 2024: Air India, India’s premier global airline, has partnered with Merlin Entertainments, a worldwide leader in family entertainment, to offer a new benefit for Air India Flying Returns loyalty program members.

Starting today, members will earn Reward Points when purchasing tickets to LEGOLAND® theme parks.

Flying Returns members can accumulate up to 10 Reward Points for every INR 100 spent at any of the five participating LEGOLAND® locations: Windsor (UK), New York and California (U.S.), Dubai (UAE), and Malaysia.

To start earning Reward Points, members should book their LEGOLAND® tickets through this link.

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LEGOLAND® is designed for families with children aged 2-12, providing an exciting day out or an ideal short getaway. Each park features interactive rides, live shows, building workshops, and a variety of attractions, including Miniland areas showcasing famous landmarks and attractions from the local area—all constructed with LEGO® bricks

Sunil Suresh, Head of Marketing, Loyalty & E-commerce, Air India, said: “This partnership
enables families to create lasting memories at LEGOLAND® destinations around the world,
while also earning valuable Reward Points towards future flights and travel experiences with
Air India.

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.