Cathay Pacific is rolling out its new business class and premium economy seats on long-haul flights from January, starting in European markets and eventually making its way to New Zealand on Cathay’s daily service between Auckland and Hong Kong.
Cathay Pacific is rolling out its new business class and premium economy seats on long-haul flights from January, starting in European markets and eventually making its way to New Zealand on Cathay’s daily service between Auckland and Hong Kong.
Cathay Pacific has upped the ante in the battle for business-class travel, promising a “next level” flying experience from its new Aria seat designed for its Boeing 777-300ER fleet.
The seat, unveiled at a launch ceremony in Hong Kong this week, marks a significant upgrade from the airline’s current business-classdesign with enhanced privacy, comfort and entertainment features.
The product is being introduced on short-haul routes before being rolled out on long-haul flights from January, starting in European markets and eventually making its way to New Zealand on Cathay’s daily service between Auckland and Hong Kong.
The carrier also launched a new premium economy and a refreshed economy cabin for its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
The revised layout offers 45 business-class seats and 48 in premium economy, up from 40 and 32, while the economy-class cabin shrinks by 28 seats to 268.
The new business-class Aria Suite is laid out in the airline’s existing 1-2-1 reverse herringbone configuration with the seats angled towards the windows.
Cathay said customer experience was at the heart of the design, which began six years ago.
“There are a few things that we have upgraded further, some of them are due to Covid, some of them not,” said Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific’s general manager of customer experience and design.
“But that hindsight of time helped us actually mature the technology and the software development a lot.”
Cathay Pacific's new business-class seat offers enhanced privacy.
The main innovations include improved privacy with a higher shell and sliding door attached to the suites, an upgraded entertainment system featuring a much larger 24-inch screen with 4K definition and Bluetooth audio connectivity, and a high-tech but more simplistic seat control system.
The new touchscreen control unit allows passengers to set and adjust lighting for meal, reading and console modes and select different pre-seating positions, including taxi, take-off and landing, lounge and bed.
While the door must remain open for taxi, take-off and landing, it can be closed once in the air.
The new seat allows passengers to sync the entertainment system with a companion and keeps track of lavatory occupancy. There’s also wireless charging, USB hookups and free Wi-Fi.
The interior consists of soft-touch suede walls, natural wool seat fabric and “gold-accented touchpoints”. The main body of the seat is made of wool, designed for comfort and breathability, with a leather headrest.
In addition to retaining some of the airline’s existing features, Aria Suite enhancements “take the business-class experience to the next level”, Cathay said in announcing the launch.
Cathay Pacific's new business-class suite is being rolled out internationally.
Meanwhile, the upgraded premium economy cabin seat features customised wings near the headrest, updated tables and 15.6-inch 4K screens with Bluetooth integration.
The economy cabin has been refreshed with updated dress covers, improved front-row ergonomics and additional overhead bin space.
Cathay said the refurbishment would start slowly with about one aircraft fitted each month.
“At the start, it’s usually a little bit slower and once you get to aircraft four and five, you can start to ramp up fast,” Lo said.
Asked whether supply chain constraints could hamper the fitout plan, Lo said it was a process every airline had to manage.
“We all want our product to be launched yesterday and we are launching it today. So we’ll continue to manage it and we have been working very closely with our suppliers. We have confidence in the assurance of supply, but it requires a lot of active management and strong partnerships with our suppliers.”
Cathay Pacific has flown to New Zealand for 40 years, at one point serving this country with the most capacity of any overseas carrier.
It currently flies daily between Hong Kong and Auckland with its Boeing 777-300 and last year restored service between Hong Kong and Christchurch flying the Airbus A350 1000, which offers a substantial freight component.
Lo said the South Pacific would be the second region to introduce the new business class and cabin fitouts but no specific date could yet be provided.
*The Herald travelled to Hong Kong courtesy of Cathay Pacific
