Irkut’s MC-21 Airliner to pamper passengers

Wide and comfortable seats, extra leg room and more space for cabin baggage are usually a luxury only business class travellers can afford. Now, the economy class traveller can indulge in the same extravagance should airlines begin incorporating the MC-21, designed and built by Russian plane-maker Irkut Corp, into their fleet.

With 235 international orders already in the bag, Irkut hopes to become a game changer in the airline industry when it begins the first round of deliveries of the MC-21 in 2017. Designed to save 24 per cent in fuel consumption, reduce about seven minutes in turnaround time, besides carrying more passengers per trip, Irkut claims of achieving extra profits of $5 million per year for airliners if they fly the MC-21, according to Kyrill Budaev, Vice President (Marketing), Irkut Corp.

Irkut plans on setting up service centres for maintenance and repairs in countries that use the MC-21. “Our approach is to go to the airlines, ask them in what way they provide services and negotiate with them to provide the same. It is not a matter of money but about how many aircraft are sold worldwide,” he said.

Attributing additional cabin space of 30 per cent to a wider fuselage, its other features include innovative technology like improved aerodynamics, new engines from Pratt-Whitney use of composites in the wing’s load-bearing to make it lighter and thus travel faster.

“Our goal is to provide the future level of comfort. The game is changing every year, we hope to be the game changers with the MC-21,” Kyrill said.

Irkut intends to manufacture 40 aircraft in the first year and double the target to 70 the next depending on the demand. The aircraft manufacturer also aims on increasing the overall additional profit of an airliner by $4 million. On board climate control will also ensure that children and older passengers who usually suffer from air-sickness will feel much better thanks to the modern biological filters fitted inside the aircraft.