Cathay Pacific Airways next year will begin creating a long-haul product featuring new seating, a new cabin design and upgraded inflight entertainment in first, business and economy classes on all new aircraft and long-haul planes already in operation.
Work on the project, which the airline previewed at its 60th anniversary gala in Hong Kong last month, will begin in January 2007 and be completed by the "tentative timeline" of mid-2009, said Alan Wong, Cathay Pacific's senior vice president of the Americas.
"This is the first time that Cathay Pacific has simultaneously reconfigured all three classes," according to director of marketing communications for the Americas Hugo Lai.
Lai said the redesign will improve the privacy, comfort and control of each passenger's seat environment. For example, in first class, the carrier plans a "luxurious private relaxation suite with appropriately subtle lighting," with more space and more privacy. The goal is to "create an unpretentious but luxurious personalized 5-star hotel living environment," Lai said, "where before there was just a seat."
The new, wider seat could be used as either an armchair, chaise lounge or bed. "Rigorous ergonomic testing has ensured the seat can provide maximum comfort in all positions," Lai said. The bed will be the largest to be provided by any commercial airline, he said, with a plush mattress, duvet and lumbar massage function. A personal wardrobe also will be part of the suite.
Cathay will provide three contiguous work surfaces and in-seat power, allowing the suite to be quickly converted into a workstation. For entertainment, a 17-inch, adjustable personal TV will be installed at every seat.
The business class cabin will feature a wider seat that transforms to a totally flat bed, with ergonomically tested foams and a two-way massage function to improve sitting and lounging comfort. Other features include a 15-inch TV screen, a noise-reducing headset and a full partition between seats when needed.
Economy class changes include a new seat with a fixed-back design, as in the style of the business class seat. This allows the passenger to recline without intruding on people seated behind. It will be the first economy class seat in the airline industry to provide a fixed living space and passenger recline in this manner, officials said. Other new features include a nine-inch TV screen and the introduction of audio and video entertainment on demand.
"It's not just a partial refurbishment, and this is a major point of difference between Cathay Pacific's plan and what other carriers have done," Lai said. "While our passenger comfort levels have been consistently high in all classes, we understand that it's a combination of the very best product and the very highest service quality that counts the most. It's taken time to evaluate the available technology and select the most suitable products."
Cathay Pacific will refurbish its current long-haul fleet of 44 planes and include the new inflight options on new orders, Lai said. "The first batch of 67 passenger long-haul aircraft, to be completed by mid-2009, will feature five new Airbus 330-300s and 18 new Boeing 777-300ERs already ordered and pending delivery," Lai said.
The carrier has yet to identify which routes the upgraded planes will serve, Lai said, but added aircraft serving the United States will be refurbished sooner than those that serve other routes.
Cathay Pacific has no immediate plans to install the new products on its short-haul fleet, including the aircraft included in its acquisition of Chinese carrier Dragonair earlier this year
(BTN, July 17).Lai wouldn't divulge the program's cost. "This new product initiative is not about cost, which is proprietary," he said. "The product upgrade represents a significant investment for Cathay Pacific's efforts to further enhance its products and services to its passengers. This is essential to bolster the competitiveness of the airline."