Seat deal secures aerospace jobs

The seats are going into BA's fleet

A Kilkeel factory has won a major order to build new aircraft seats for British Airways.

The American-owned B/E Aerospace is to build new business class seats for the airline, in a deal initially worth about £80m.

Deliveries are to begin next year. B/E Aerospace said the deal would help secure jobs at the County Down plant.

Managing director of the firm Clifford McSpadden said the deal was great news for the factory.

"We now employ 400 people here," he said.

"We see that this new contract - and other future contracts that we hope to secure - will allow us to grow that number, that's good for the people here," he said.

"But is good for the wider community and we're very very pleased to see this sort of result coming good for us."

Revolutionised

The airline said it wanted to improve the standard of business class seating on long-haul aircraft, which already let passengers lie completely flat.

Senior vice-president at B/E, Michael Baughan, said BA was "raising the bar" with the investment.

"In 2000, British Airways revolutionised the industry with its introduction of the first horizontal lie-flat business class seat," he said.

"Now, BA is again raising the competitive bar, and we are very pleased to collaborate with them to introduce an entirely new level of comfort and living space for their business class passengers."

News of the deal was welcomed by the area's SDLP MP Eddie McGrady, who said it was proof of the "skill and dedication" of staff and management at the plant.

"I hope this will now secure and expand the employment opportunities at the factory, at a time when the fishing industry both at sea and onshore are facing continued difficulties," he said.