Extreme makeover for Boeing aircraft

All Black Mils Mullaina tries out one of the flat-bed seats.

A couple of All Blacks, some witty breakfast radio hosts, dozens of men in suits, a gaggle of journalists - some from Australia - and a few public relations people were on hand at Auckland Airport last Tuesday for the unveiling of Air New Zealand's new-look Boeing 747-400s.

The fleet of eight aircraft currently in service is being refitted with new flat-bed seats in Business Class, the creation of a Premium Economy class upstairs, and new seating and in-flight entertainment systems throughout.

Under the banner "Inspiring Journeys: Redefining Air Travel", the company is repositioning itself in the market as it refits its 747s at a cost of $160 million.

That outlay also includes new menus and consultant chefs, a new range of linen, Zambesi-designed uniforms, and skin care products from the Living Nature range.

Small touches include salt and pepper shakers in the style of river stones, and new crockery.

The refit of the aircraft - each taking half a million man-hours to accomplish - is intended to introduce the traveller to the sense of feeling at home in New Zealand while aboard the aircraft.

The makeover will offer "a first class product at a business class price," says Ralph Norris, Air New Zealand's managing director and CEO. Then the curtain was pulled back to the sound of Dave Dobbyn's Welcome Home and the first of the refitted 747-400s was unveiled.

For those in Economy, the changes are obvious. New digital screens with on-demand programming are in the backs of the seats in front, the cabin colours are more muted throughout (this will be echoed in the new 777 series being delivered in October), and the seats are more contoured and comfortable. Each has a flexible headrest.

The seating configuration remains 3-4-3 across the craft.

In Business Premier, there are wide leather seats which convert into two-metre long beds, arranged in a herring-bone pattern (10 upstairs and 36 downstairs). Because of this arrangement, (headrests against the window or radiating from the axis of the aircraft) every passenger has direct aisle access and there is no need for cabin crew to bring meals or drinks on a trolley. All passengers will be individually served.

These seats, when not folded down into beds, have an ottoman footrest which doubles as a visitor's seat. Passengers have their own high resolution TV screens and noise-cancellation headsets.

The chief innovation however is the creation of the Pacific Premium Economy class upstairs which offers greater leg room, Economy meals but Business Premier beverages and service, and - best of all perhaps - the sense of not being down in Economy.

Costing 25-30 per cent more than Economy these are going to be a major selling point for the company on long-haul routes to San Francisco and London, according to Norris.

The first of the refitted 747-400s will fly the Tasman and to Los Angeles on an ad hoc basis before commencing scheduled services between Auckland and San Francisco on August 7. Further aircraft will be refitted about every six weeks and will be introduced on the Auckland-Los Angeles-London route from November 5.

"It has been a huge commitment from the company," says Norris, "to get us to the point where we can now begin to reclaim our position as the best long-haul carrier in the world."