Markdorf, December 21, 2020 – ZIM Flugsitz GmbH, an independent designer and manufacturer of Economy and Premium Economy seats for commercial aircraft, has won Lufthansa Group and SWISS as launch customers for its newly developed Premium Economy generation, the ZP610. The seat will enter service first with SWISS on the Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A340-300, followed by introduction on Lufthansa's Boeing 777-9.
A new generation for a growing segment
The ZP610 is the logical evolution of the first product line, the PC-01, which has been in service since 2014 with renowned airlines including Lufthansa Group, Singapore Airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines and flies on around 150 aircraft. For the new generation, ZIM has completely rethought seat kinematics, ergonomics and space utilization: a fixed back shell clearly delineates each passenger's personal space, so that reclining the backrest does not intrude on the row behind. At the same time, the seat remains so efficient in weight and seat pitch that airlines do not have to compromise on cabin density.
For airlines, Premium Economy is thus the segment with the highest revenue per square meter of cabin floor space. The ZP610 addresses exactly this point: more perceived privacy and comfort without any additional cabin real estate.
A contract award as a vote of confidence in the middle of the crisis
The decision comes at a time when commercial aviation is experiencing the most severe downturn in its history as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. That Lufthansa Group and SWISS are ordering a newly developed seat generation in this environment sends a clear signal: for the product, for the certification and engineering expertise on Lake Constance, and for the expectation that long-haul demand will return first in the premium segment.
For ZIM, the order is far more than a major commercial success. It confirms the confidence of a leading airline group in the company's technological competence, innovative strength and ability to deliver. At the same time, it lays the foundation for further expanding the partnership with Lufthansa Group.
