Cathay Pacific new premium economy sneak peek

When Cathay Pacific revealed plans for its new suite-style “Aria” enterprise class again in March, the aviation world was aflutter. But what might need gotten misplaced within the information was the truth that the airline may also be introducing a refreshed, third-generation premium economy product.

TPG received a primary have a look at these new seats on the airline’s “Customer Experience Showcase,” which occurred April 8 in Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Cultural District. Here are the thrilling developments the airline shared and what passengers can sit up for as soon as these seats go into service towards the center of this yr.

Cathay Pacific new premium economy seats and structure

“Human-centric design is what we’re known for – listening to customer insights is at the core of what we do,” Cathay Pacific’s normal supervisor of buyer expertise and design, Vivian Lo, mentioned as she welcomed media to the showcase. “All the product design you see today are the product many rounds of customer research and validation about what is important to the customers.”

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Like the airline’s present Boeing 777-300ER premium economy part, the cabins aboard refitted 777-300ERs will function seats in a 2-4-2 sample. The cabin may have 48 seats whole, unfold throughout six rows. That’s a 50% improve over the airline’s present 777 configurations, which have simply 32 to 34 premium economy seats.

The present variations are like large recliners, whereas the new fixtures function a extra sculptural, futuristic design. They are about 19 inches large between armrests and have 40 inches of pitch.

They have exhausting shells that cradle the cushions and angular privateness wings adjoining to their headrests that stretch about eight inches from the seatback. Seats on the aisles and home windows solely have these wings one the one facet between them and one other seat; the 2 seats within the heart of every row have them on each side. There is a flip-out studying gentle embedded within the wings as properly.

The headrests are adjustable up and down with consolation wings of their very own to assist cushion passengers’ heads, and they’re going to tip as much as help passengers’ necks.

Unlike similar-looking seats on Japan Airlines’ A350-1000, these seats do bodily recline (fairly than sliding down inside their shell) and lean again about 8 inches, simply because the airline’s present premium economy recliners do. They measure about 19 inches large between armrests.

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Also in contrast to JAL’s seats, the Cathay Pacific ones is not going to be motorized; fairly, their particular person elements, together with the seatback and leg relaxation, might be operable utilizing buttons.

The seats have leg rests for ergonomic consolation with footrests that flip out from their bottoms and may be adjusted nearer or farther, relying on the passenger’s top. This extra intently resembles the airline’s A350 premium economy setup for the reason that present 777-300ER seats simply have footrests.

Seats have bifold tables that pull out of the armrests along with small drinks trays — one which’s a part of the armrest between neighboring seats and one other that pulls out from just under this.

Premium economy passengers may have two devoted bathrooms, one on both facet of the cabin, every with touch-free sinks and bogs for hygienic functions.

Cathay Pacific new premium economy seat options

The new Cathay Pacific premium economy seats will sport thrilling technological updates as properly.

Chief amongst them, their inflight leisure screens are 15.6 inches diagonally (in comparison with 10.6 inches on present 777-300ERs and 12.1 inches on the Airbus A350-900 and -1000). They have 4K decision and the choice for Bluetooth audio pairing if you wish to use your personal headphones. The screens tilt up from the seatback as properly, so if the passenger in entrance of you is reclining, you possibly can nonetheless view the content material simply.

Just under them, a fold-down shelf pops out so you possibly can relaxation your personal private leisure machine must you want to make use of it as an alternative.

Another replace? Each seat may have each USB-A and USB-C ports (in comparison with simply USB-A on present variations) in addition to a common energy level.

The energy level and USB-A ports are embedded within the central column between pairs of seats. The USB-C port is in a small seat-side cubby; the cubby has a helpful gentle so you possibly can see the place your telephone or different belongings are.

Which planes will function the new Cathay Pacific premium economy?

Like the airline’s Aria enterprise class, Cathay’s newest iteration of premium economy might be put in on the airline’s eventual order of Boeing 777-9s and retrofitted onto its present 777-300ERs at a tempo of about one monthly. That means we must always see the rollout begin towards the center of this yr and carry by 2027 or so.

What occurs to Cathay Pacific first-class?

As a part of the information about refitting the Boeing 777-300ERs, Lo additionally revealed that the refurbished planes take away the first-class seats within the course of; they are going to simply function the new Aria business-class suites. The airline has a new first-class product within the works, however this might be reserved for its Boeing 777-9s, which is able to hopefully be delivered beginning subsequent yr.

However, given the rolling delays on Boeing’s 777-9 rollout, there isn’t any telling for certain when these planes will arrive. Cathay has but to launch many particulars on its deliberate new first-class. That mentioned, there’s the multiyear rollout of the 777-300ER refurbishment course of and, hopefully, the eventual look of 777-9s within the airline’s fleet. So, it’d work out that because the 777-300s lose first-class, they will get replaced pretty shortly by 777-9s with the new product onboard.

That creates points for people reserving Cathay Pacific first-class, as some will benefit from the new seats whereas some might be relegated to the previous because the airline’s fleet is standardized. Given how uncommon (virtually nonexistent) Cathay Pacific first-class awards have been in recent times, although, this may not have an effect on many flyers.

Enhanced meals and drinks

In addition to its new premium economy seats, Cathay Pacific additionally showcased its new and ongoing partnerships for business- and first-class meals. This consists of partnerships with well-known Hong Kong eating places Duddell’s and Louise — a French favourite. Among the pattern dishes on show have been steamed rooster with morel mushrooms and goji berries from Duddell’s and pan-seared beef tenderloin with Madeira jus and porcini puree from Louise.

Customers flying enterprise class within the coming months may additionally discover particular wine choices on board, together with Taittinger Champagne and quite a lot of Chinese wines produced within the Ningxia and Shandong areas. Of course, the airline’s specifically brewed Betsy beer, which is supposed to be consumed at altitude, may also stay obtainable.

Onboard and airport connectivity

Media representatives obtained a presentation on the technologically pushed personalization enhancements the airline is hoping to implement within the coming months and years.

These embody making a buyer profile to interface with seats’ inflight leisure techniques in order that passengers can retailer preloaded seat positions and content material playlists. The system may additionally ultimately show flight connection data and lounge suggestions for Hong Kong International Airport (HGK) primarily based on which of them the passenger has entry to; it might present the passenger’s arrival and departure gates in addition to normal transit data.

Though these might be rolled out slowly and progressively, it factors to how a lot the airline is pursuing customization as key to the passenger expertise.

Bottom line

Cathay Pacific’s modern new premium economy seats look like one other step ahead for the airline’s already well-liked product. Hopefully, the method of placing them into service will go easily. Beyond that, hopefully, the airline will make them available for award redemptions, so passengers can take pleasure in extra legroom and privateness than in economy.

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