The Allplane Podcast

Sep 13 2023

Mark Hiller is the CEO of RECARO Holding and RECARO Aircraft Seating.

Germany-based RECARO is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of aircraft seats.

Although RECARO is present in, pretty much all segments of the market, its position is particularly strong in low cost and hybrid airlines, where it gets close to a third of the market worldwide.

Yes, you read that right!…roughly one of every three seats in this segment of the airline industry are made by this family-owned company headquartered in the picturesque town of Schwäbisch-Hall the southwest of Germany! (although not all seats are made there, since RECARO has now factories in several other locations around the world).

So, few people know the aircraft seat market as well as Mark Hiller, RECARO’s CEO, our guest today on the podcast.

In this episode, done in partnership with RECARO, we explore not just the fascinating story of the company, that started making chassis for Porsche sports cars, but will also review the current state of the aircraft seating industry and its main trends.

We also have some time, of course, to discuss some of the most original aircraft seat concepts that have been floated recently and their chances of becoming (or not!) a reality in the near future. Another topic that we touch upon is that of premium cabins (first, business and premium economy), an area in which RECARO has been investing significant resources and unveiling a whole range of innovative products lately.

Chances are that if your are reading this, you fly with certain regularity and, therefore, it is very, very likely you have spent time sitting on one of RECARO’s seats, so, I am sure this episode of the podcast will offer you a new perspective on the matter!

Download this episode from:

Apple Podcasts / iTunes, Spotify or Google Podcasts

Things we talk about in this episode

Mark’s professional background
The long and fascinating story of Recaro
What markets is Recaro active in
Recaro’s focus on economy class seats and how it has expanded its range to cover also business class and premium economy
How Recaro co-brands its seats with some airlines
How long are the aircraft seat design and procurement cycles
How Recaro develops new aircraft seat concepts
What are the main drivers of sustainability in the aircraft seat industry
Standing passengers, stacked seats and other ideas…How you can innovate in the aircraft seat industry while remaining within the bounds of what is feasible today
How is the aircraft seat industry preparing for the arrival of eVTOLs