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Air New Zealand will transform international air travel later this year when it introduces revolutionary, Kiwi designed lie-flat economy and ground breaking premium economy seats, together with enhanced comforts for those wanting the ultimate in luxurious Business Premier travel.

The airline today revealed its prototype designs in a full-scale Boeing 777-300 cabin inside its design innovation centre in Auckland’s CBD, just a few hundred metres from its head office.

Chief Executive Officer Rob Fyfe says when the airline takes delivery of its first new Boeing 777-300ER in November this year it will redefine the long haul travel experience and set a benchmark for competitors to follow. “Air New Zealand is putting the magic and romance back into flying. For the past three years we have been designing a new long haul experience that will reignite the passion of today’s travellers,” Mr Fyfe says.

“For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone. The dream is now a reality, one that you can even share with a travelling companion – just keep your clothes on thanks!”

Mr Fyfe says each of the three zones (Economy, Premium Economy and Business Premier) in Air New Zealand’s long haul aircraft of the future will be a step ahead of competitors from a comfort perspective and the experience will be further underpinned by the world’s most innovative food and beverage service and state-of-the-art entertainment system.

“Being able to order a steak, medium rare in Business Premier, a pizza for two in Premium Economy or a late night snack in Economy, whenever you want, will be a very cool experience. New oven technology that will cook food from scratch rather than simply reheating and a new digital in-seat ordering service will make this truly the first time real food has been served at 35,000 feet.

“Coupled with some of the world’s best wines like gold-medal winning sauvignon blancs from Marlborough, pinot noirs from Central Otago and cabernet merlots and syrahs from Hawke’s Bay, we will be serving an incredible dining experience!”

The 340 seat 777-300ER aircraft will be configured with 246 in Economy (including 66 seats creating 22 Skycouch combinations), 50 in Premium Economy and 44 in Business Premier. The first routes to offer travellers the next generation of long haul travel will be on selected NZ5 and NZ6 services between Auckland and Los Angeles from December followed by dedicated return services on NZ1 and NZ2 between Auckland and Los Angeles and through to London from April 2011.

Air New Zealand expects to also refit its fleet of eight Boeing 777-200 aircraft from mid next year, with all Asian, North American and UK services to have the new product by around 2012.

Economy – ‘Skycouch’

The ‘Skycouch’, a specially designed row of three seats, has been engineered to create a lie-flat, flexible space all the way to the seat-back in front, providing a place for the kids to play, or the holy grail of economy travel – a flat surface for adults to relax and sleep. Twenty-two sets of Skycouch seats will be available, being the first 11 window rows in the Economy Class cabin.

For two adults travelling, purchasing the Skycouch will be based on buying two seats at standard prices with the third seat at approximately half price. Full airfare details will be announced when it goes on sale from late April.

Design ideas also extend to small but significant comfort innovations such as a slip on pillow will go over the winged headrest in Economy to eliminate the nuisance of pillows always falling down and removing the need for neck cushions, fully retractable armrests and space for small personal items.

Premium Economy ‘Spaceseat’

The Premium Economy cabin has also had a dramatic makeover. “Most airlines’ Premium Economy offering leaves travellers with economy-style food and service. By complete contrast, our new Premium Economy cabin with uniquely Kiwi designed Spaceseats will offer unparalleled comfort and legroom with new shared-meal experiences more familiar in tapas restaurants or bistros than at 35,000 feet,” says Mr Fyfe.

The seats feature hard back shells so a passenger in front cannot recline into the personal space of the person behind, with seat recline created by a base that slides forward and angles up. The centre seats (called ‘Inner Space’ seats) angle outwards from each other, providing ultimate privacy or the space can be combined so couples can snuggle together or even dine at a common table. The sets of two window seats (called ‘Outer Space’ seats) are angled so as to offer the ultimate privacy for individual passengers. Air New Zealand’s new ‘Spaceseat’ will be configured in a 2-2-2 layout, compared to the industry standard 3-3-3 in 777-200s.

A new foot bean bag style cushion, affectionately called Otto, has also been developed. It enables Premium Economy passengers to create their own position for sleeping rather than being restrained by an uncomfortable, stiff leg rest.

Business Premier

Air New Zealand’s award winning Business Premier cabin has also been enhanced with complete on-demand food and beverage service more akin to premium dining and an enhanced sleep experience to ensure travellers really do feel they’ve snuggled into their own bed – achieved with the introduction of a new, thicker mattress, a fluffy duvet and full sized pillows.

The new interior colour scheme includes chalk covered leather seats in the premium cabins, a colour normally reserved for private jets. The colour scheme is very luxurious and together with our new-look uniforms will add the finishing touch to a sensational in-flight experience

Entertainment

Critical to the service improvements is the Panasonic eX2 in-flight entertainment touch screen system - the same as that used in our Boeing 767 and Airbus A320 fleets. However, we’ve broken the mould here too; with an industry first we’ve created our own suite of interactive products to help deliver a superior customer experience.

The size of the TV screen will also increase in each cabin – in Business Premier we will have a 12.1” touch screen (currently 10.4”) and in Economy and Premium Economy we will have a 10.6” touch screen (currently 8.4”).

Passengers can order food and beverage items when they want outside of main meal times. We will be able to offer previously unheard of meal options in-flight – real crispy bacon and eggs or a steak cooked anyway you like it in Business Premier, a pizza or tapas to share with your companion in Premium Economy or even a classic Kiwi toasted sandwich!

Other technical developments include the ability to synchronise your viewing and listening IFE content to those you’re travelling with, and Flight Planner – a visual guide on the IFE that lets you know when meals will be served, when snacks and drinks will be available for order and timings for when the lights will be dimmed and other activity is timed to take place. In addition PC power, an iPOD outlet and a USB outlet will be available in every seat in all classes.

Click here to view the full Air NZ pdf brochure on their new services.

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