> What component should I be using (I am actually using Devart's Interbase Access Components so I am using TIBCTable or TIBCQuery and I have tested performance on both these datasets)?

I have no idea about this component set. With IBX I would use TIBSQL.
Ask in Devart support about analogue.

> From what I read somewhere, Firebird doesn't support bulk insertion such as sending multiple INSERT statements in one block of SQL - and that I should use a stored procedure or upload a text file.

Not quite so. You can use EXECUTE BLOCK for sending many INSERTS in
one pack or use parametrized query to insert records one-by-one, that
even on slow links can't take more than 1 second for 96 records.

> As for uploading a string of the seat numbers, again, i would need a stored procedure to parse this for me. Any idea? I will ask around.

If your seats are always have three symbols length (or you can bring
them to such state), your procedure can simply and fast split input
string into portions of three letters and insert them into the table.

SY, SD.