Cathay Pacific: all Aussie flights get new business class by January
By David Flynn, October 16 2012
All Cathay Pacific flights to and from Australia will boast the airline’s new business class by January next year.
Brisbane saw the debut of the new business class seats at the start of this month, joining Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth in the rollout of the highly-regarded seats, which replace the tight confines of the high-walled ‘cubicle class’ sometimes colourfully if uncharitably referred to as ‘coffin class’.
“The roll out will continue until January next year when 100% of our international fleet will have that product” says Toby Smith, Cathay Pacific’s General Manager, Product.
What goes into making a great business class seat? Here are seven things you didn't know about Cathay Pacific's new business class.
Of course it’s not just the pointy end of the plane which gets an revamp.
Cathay's premium economy seats will soon be seen on many major routes
Each of the aircraft will also sport Cathay’s all-new premium economy cabin (show above) plus the revamped and now actually reclining international economy seats (seen below).
New CX economy seats: a marked improvement from their fixed-back predecessors
Although Smith’s March 2013 target encompasses Cathay’s entire international-grade fleet of 31 Boeing 777s and 23 Airbus A330s, he once again confirmed that the airline’s fleet of aging Boeing 747s wouldn’t be getting an upgrade to the new business class seats.
However, the existing seats will receive a refresh, Smith told Australian Business Traveller.
“It’s a mid-life upgrade of colour and trim. We’re changing the fabric, changing the seat cushions, basically enhancing that product for the rest of its life.” That lifespan will stretch to 2016, when Cathay expects to retire its last Boeing 747.
Cathay’s Airbus A340s “are also getting the refresh, and they’ll be around the fleet for a little bit longer, probably 2018 to early 2019” Smith forecasts.
If you're heading to Hong Kong in February, you'll be able to check out Cathay's newly-renovated The Wing First Class lounge – click here for the details!
For the latest news and updates, follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2012
Total posts 233
This is going to be great. Especially in economy, such a big improvement from those horrible shell seats. This business class product is fantastic, with at least 3 daily flights from Bris, Mel and Syd, I'm sure it will be very succesful.
04 Nov 2010
Total posts 670
CX has great business class, premium economy too, that's the one I fly most. Even their economy is quite bearable for SYD-HKG! It's hard to fault CX, with the great seats and good meals and superb crew on my flights. Plus the very good lounges in Hong Kong, The Wing Business is my favourite, love the Noodle Bar!
20 Jul 2011
Total posts 72
Coffin class upstairs on a 747 is one of the most spacious beds I've known in the sky. You lose the side locker that you normally get up there, but the amount of space against the side wall when you stretch the bed out is brilliant.
20 Jul 2011
Total posts 72
(and having tried both, I'd honestly say I prefer upstairs 747 for the space alone, compared to the new J on Cathay.)
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
Well, I'd slightly disagree, but well I've heard of the 747 herringbone bunks to be better padded than the new business class - but can be a nightmare, if you're not travelling alone.
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
25 Aug 2012
Total posts 21
The 'new' Cathay is hard to fault. However the IFE is still nowhere close to Emirates, which although basically unchanged for the last several years, is still the market leader by a huge margin. The cabin temperature too was unbearably hot.
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