Our ongoing support and services

We are dedicated to the ongoing support of our customers and products throughout the entire lifecycle of the seat.

Thompson Aero Seating operates and manages an aftermarket engineering and customer support service – wholly based in the UK – to deliver spares, repairs, technical support and on-site support services to our global customer base.

We are committed to providing the 24/7/365 support required to keep seats fully functional and to the highest quality.

We have access to a global support network with diverse cabin capabilities and experiences through the wider AVIC Cabin Systems (ACS) group.

Customer support

Our customers are at the centre of everything we do

We provide:

  • A dedicated customer-support team based in the UK with a customer relationship manager (CRM) creating a single point of contact to ensure easy and clear communication
  • In-house AOG stock holding and a 24/7/365 AOG support line to guarantee responsive despatch of critical stock
  • A standalone aftermarket engineering function with access to the broader Thompson design, certification and manufacturing resources, ensuring fast and accurate technical issues’ resolution
  • An in-house technical publications team to generate and maintain installation and training manuals, CMMs, SILs & SBs
  • A dedicated warranty team to perform timely evaluation and rectification of warranty claims
  • Planned customer reviews on an agreed, periodic basis to ensure overall expectations and performance are met

Aftermarket services

Our service do not stop when the product leaves the factory

We provide:

  • Accurate inventory recommendations based on airline feedback, reliability data and experience with similar cabins
  • A spares catalogue, continually updated and maintained
  • Collaborative forecasting assistance for inventory management and reduction

We provide:

  • Mid-life cabin refresh programmes to reflect latest branding and/or extend the cabin life
  • Tailored heavy maintenance reviews and support to ensure seat quality is maintained
  • A proactive approach to product improvements/enhancements through our dedicated aftermarket engineering team

We provide:

  • An approved P145 Repair Centre
  • Experienced field technicians with the ability to travel and troubleshoot at customer locations

We have:

  • More than 15,000 Pax in service currently

We provide:

  • Involvement through programme milestones to ensure seamless entry into service and transition from the project team
  • Dedicated conferences to discuss spares provisioning and training requirements to tailor a plan specific to the customer’s needs
  • Recommended Spares Pricing List (RSPL) issued at FAI, identifying critical/standard spares, pricing and lead times
  • Long lead-time spares items procured in advance to support EIS
  • Detailed maintenance and cabin-crew-specific training manuals to supplement the onsite training
  • An OEM/MRO delivery support team available at the installation location to ensure smooth seat installation, aircraft delivery, and EIS
  • Training for maintenance crew and cabin crew on familiarity with the seats

Our Approvals

AS9100-approved Quality Management System

UK CAA 21G Production Organisation

UK CAA Design Organisation (Limited Scope)

UK CAA, EASA, FAA and TCCA Part 145 Maintenance and Repair Approvals

Post-delivery modifications

A few examples of our post-delivery modifications include:

  • Product improvement
  • Re-entry into service refresh
  • Embody customer-specific product features
  • Standard seat-to-rear row conversion (LOPA change)
  • Trim change to match airline colour scheme
  • Seat system/cushion upgrades and replacements