In order to continue improving its fleet and the onboard experience for passengers, LATAM announced that starting in September, it will begin a refurbishment process for 24 of its Boeing 787 aircraft, with a total investment of US$360, completely upgrading the cabin interiors with new seats, onboard entertainment, and design enhancements.
The renovation will include a new Premium Business cabin, featuring the new Recaro R7 Suite seat (previously known as CL6720) from Recaro Aircraft Seating. This seat model is designed to offer greater privacy, personal space, and comfort for passengers. For the first time, it will include privacy doors, making LATAM the first airline group in South America to offer this feature.
The Economy class seats will be completely refurbished with state-of-the-art seats, ergonomically designed to provide more space and comfort. Additionally, passengers will enjoy more comfort in the Economy Plus seats, which offer more legroom, greater recline, footrests, and exclusive luggage space.
"With a design that reflects the unique essence of the LATAM Group and attention to the finest details, our new cabins have been created to offer a world-class travel experience. The new Premium Business seats mark a significant leap forward, combining comfort, privacy, and elegance. These renovations position LATAM as a leader in the industry, providing our passengers with an unprecedented level of comfort and an exclusive flying experience", says Paulo Miranda, VP of Customers at LATAM Airlines Group.
The seats, both in Premium Business and Economy, will be upholstered with up to 70% recycled leather, a material already used on most of LATAM group's narrow-body aircraft (single-aisle planes). This upholstery allows for an 87% reduction in the amount of water used in the production of this material compared to the amount required for regular leather. Additionally, this material has so far prevented 21 tons of waste from being sent to landfills, according to data from the manufacturer Gen Phoenix.
Economy passengers will be able to connect to onboard entertainment via Bluetooth and enjoy the region's largest content library, including over 240 movies, 740 TV show episodes, 1,500 music tracks, and exclusive content from Max, Paramount+, and Disney+, all of which can be viewed on new 12-inch high-definition touchscreens.
Additionally, these aircraft will feature Panasonic's Arc™ interactive 3D map, providing detailed information about destinations from the air, allowing passengers to discover iconic landmarks in various cities.
“Our close collaboration with LATAM has resulted in a truly unique seat for their Business Class passengers," says Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding. "The R7 model offers premium comfort, elevates privacy to a new level, and will be a standout addition to their fleet and the South American market”.
Of the 24 aircraft to undergo retrofit, 10 are Boeing 787-8—exclusively for the Chilean domestic market—and 14 are Boeing 787-9, operating in Chile, Brazil, and Peru. The first planes to be retrofitted will be the Boeing 787-8, which will begin commercial flights on March 1, 2025.
The entire refurbishment process of the 24 aircraft will take place at maintenance bases in São Carlos, Brazil, and Santiago, Chile. The installation is expected to be completed by mid-2026, as each retrofit takes between 1 to 3 months, depending on the upgrades.
