A Southwest 737-700 lands at Detroit last July. Photo: Chris Jacobs - OPShots Contributor
Southwest Airlines’ new cabin refurbishment program, which adds another row of seats to each of the carrier’s Boeing 737-700s, will give the airline additional revenue capabilities on each frequency as it reduces the number of aircraft in its fleet.
The retrofit project, dubbed Evolve, introduces a redesigned, lighter-weight, lower-profile seat, using existing frames, to Southwest’s -700 fleet. The project enables the carrier to remove 635 lb. (288 kg) from the aircraft while adding six more seats to the current 137-seat configuration. This coincides with the introduction of Boeing’s 737-800 to Southwest’s fleet. The airline expects to take in 33 of the 175-seat aircraft this year.
Evolve is scheduled to start in March and is expected to be retrofitted on all 372 of Southwest’s 737-700s throughout this year and next at a cost of $60 million, $40 million of which will be allocated to the carrier’s 2012 maintenance expenses. AirTran Airways’ 737-700s and Boeing 717s also will be retrofitted as that airline’s fleet is merged with Southwest’s over the coming years. Southwest’s 737-300s and -500s likely will be retired before being considered for the new cabin.
via New Southwest Seating Plan Offsets Drop In Fleet Size | AVIATION WEEK.
