Aircraft Seating Market Size, Share, Growth Analysis, By Platform(Narrow-Body Aircraft, Wide-Body Aircraft, Business Jet, Regional Transport Aircraft), By Seat Material(Cushion Materials [Polyurethane, Polyethylene, Neoprene, Others]), By Seat Type(Passenger Seats [First Class (First Class Seat Components {Structures, Foams, Actuators, Electrical Fittings), By Standard(16G, 21G), By End User(OEM, MRO, Aftermarket), By Region - Industry Forecast 2024-2031

Aircraft Seating Market Drivers

Significant Growth in Air Traffic  

• Rising air traffic around the world is a major factor driving the demand for aircraft seating. Orderbook demand continues to grow from global airline operators seeking greater efficiency and siting comfort per passenger in new generation aircraft over previous generations. Global air passenger traffic itself is forecasted to double by 2037 – reaching 8.2 billion people per annum according to the International Air Transport Association (IATA). This surge in air travel demand requires additional aircraft and, correspondingly, more seated capacity.  

Rising Demand for Premium Seating  

• Premium offerings by airline companies aim to enhance passenger experience, increase revenue and develop loyalty in a highly competitive environment. Premium economy is projected to thrive outperforming all other seat classes. Premium economy is becoming a popular arrangement for airlines that want to target this in-between space of business customers who are too cheap to pay full price and leisure passengers who crave more comfort.  

Aircraft Seating Market Restraints 

High Investment Cost  

• Developing and testing seats for aircraft is a big investment, especially with new designs to meet stringent safety or comfort requirements. Premium seats for business and first class can start at upwards of USD 60,000 to USD 150,000 per seat. This can make it unappealing from an economics perspective for the airlines to modernize their fleet or purchase new forward-looking products especially with a price sensitive market.  

High Entry Barrier due to Stringent Regulations  

• The regulatory compliance is quite stringent, which restricts the growth of aircraft seating market. Manufacturers, need to comply with severe safety requirements, including crashworthiness and fire safety laws set forth by aviation agencies such as the FAA and EASA. Such limitations not only result in fairly limited design freedom but also incur a higher manufacturing cost stifling any true innovation and hindering new seating products from hitting the market altogether. In order to ensure compliance with these standards, several small manufacturers or first-time companies find it difficult.