MC-21 stands out with an increased fuselage diameter — about 4.06 m. For comparison: for Airbus A320neo, this figure is approximately 3.95 m, for Boeing 737 MAX — about 3.76 m, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) reported.
Due to the greater width of the cabin, the engineers increased the space for passengers. In economy class, the width of the seats reaches 45 cm, and the aisle — up to 56 cm. Competitors usually have lower rates, which affects the comfort and speed of movement around the cabin.
Business class uses seats with a width of 53.3 cm, designed for tall passengers. The designers focused on improving ergonomics for long-distance flights.
The head of the interior department of PJSC Yakovlev, Genar Shuvalov, noted that the characteristics provided by the design of the airframe, engine and systems can be crossed out by the lack of comfort when flying in an uncomfortable seat.
We had to become an integrator ourselves. That is, first break down the entire interior into components and issue a separate technical task for each, and then ensure that all elements seamlessly dock. Fitting on the real MC-21-310 confirmed this.
The cabin is made according to a modular architecture: airlines can change the density of the layout without major modifications to the design, the Aviation of Russia publication added.
This allows you to adapt the aircraft to different routes — from dense regional flights to long-haul flights with increased comfort.
Increased aisles also speed up boarding and disembarking of passengers, reducing flight service time and increasing operational efficiency.
Head of the Ministry of Industry and Trade Anton Alikhanov did not rule out a shift in the timing of MC-21 certification. At the end of March, Rosaviatsiya stated that the aircraft should receive a type certificate in October 2026.