KLM has started the complete renewal of the cabins of 14 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, for both Business Class and Economy Class. The refurbished aircraft, which are mainly used for European flights, offer passengers more comfort and style and consume less fuel because the renewed cabin weighs 700 kilos less. The first refurbished aircraft has already gone into service. In March 2022, the interior of the last in this series of 737-800s will be completely transformed. All activities are carried out by KLM’s Engineering and Maintenance division.
Comfortable, lightweight seats
The new ergonomically designed seats for Business Class and Economy Class offer more comfort and extra legroom. The upholstery is made of mostly recycled leather. The seats are 20% lighter on average, reducing the total cabin weight by 700 kg. This saves 58 tonnes of fuel and 184 tonnes of CO2 emissions per aircraft per year. For all 14 aircraft combined, this represents annual fuel savings of 812 tonnes and a reduction of 2,576 tonnes of CO2 emissions.
Style and convenience
All refurbished Boeing 737-800s are equipped with Wi-Fi. To use the service passengers can purchase vouchers on KLM’s free in-flight portal. Passengers always get 30 minutes of free messaging. Each seat has its own USB port for charging devices during the flight. Larger overhead bins provide more storage space on board. LED mood lighting creates a fresh or soothing atmosphere – depending on the time of day.
“KLM wants to offer its passengers even more comfort and style on European flights, while reducing the CO2 emissions of flights. That is why KLM continues to invest in its on-board product and sustainability, so we can continue to meet our customers’ expectations and emerge stronger from the crisis, ” says Boet Kreiken, Executive Vice President Customer Experience, KLM.
