Hawaiian Airlines lie-flat business class for Brisbane, Sydney
By David Flynn, October 12 2016
Hawaiian Airlines will begin flying its lie-flat business class seats – which the airline dubs as its 'Premium Cabin' offering – between Australia and Honolulu in December.
The Honolulu-Brisbane route will see the upgraded Airbus A330s from December 5 (as will Honolulu-Auckland), with Honolulu-Sydney joining the flatbed club from December 13.
Hawaiian's Premium Cabin features 18 Poltrona Frau leather-clad seats which convert into 1.9 metre (76 inch) flat beds.
The 2-2-2 layout is aimed more at holidaying couples than solo business travellers, although Hawaiian Airlines also spruiks its appeal as a one-stop pathway (with domestic arrival) to major US cities including Las Vegas, San Francisco, San Jose, Seattle, Portland and New York.
Of course, between each pair of seats there's a slide-out privacy screen.
Each seat has its own AC power socket and two USB ports for recharging your laptop, tablet, smartphone or ebook reader...
... with 13-inch tablets (mounted on a telescoping adjustable arm, allowing passengers to position the tablet for optimum viewing) serving up inflight video entertainment.
Rather than choose an existing seat design which could appear on any other airline, Hawaiian Airlines chose to develop its own seat in partnership with Italian manufacturer Optimares and US design and branding agency PaulWylde.
Hawaiian Airlines' CEO Mark Dunkerley praises the seat as "a truly bespoke design that delivers world-class comfort and style, while staying true to our island roots."
The business class cabin also reflects its Hawaiian heritage with "flowing curves evocative of the winds and ocean, while marrying organic textures, pops of bright saturated colour, and luxury materials like leather from Poltrona Frau".
Travellers will also enjoy upgraded meals with strong regional influences, served on custom-made dinnerware...
... with a drinks service offering cocktails and Hawaiian craft beer and spirits.
There's also a cheeky islander touch in the amenity kit, which has socks patterned like a pair of thongs (or 'flip flops', in American parlance).
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.
19 Aug 2011
Total posts 8
After experiencing several very ordinary business class flights on QF to/from HNL in the last couple of years this offering from HA looks very enticing.
05 Oct 2016
Total posts 14
I couldn't agree more - QF are very pedestrian on this route, and it's good to see another airline doing something different.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jan 2015
Total posts 70
Well done Hawaiian Airlines. Such a shame Qantas didn't refit the whole A330 fleet and left 2 with Skybed Mk1 for Honolulu and some other routes in Asia.
18 Nov 2013
Total posts 46
29 Apr 2014
Total posts 22
I have read somewhere that Velocity points are only redeemable for Hawaiian economy - not business, Is anyone able to confirm this?
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
07 Dec 2014
Total posts 170
That was certainly the case a couple of years ago.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Feb 2014
Total posts 143
I really eager to see the first photos of the seat when the first aircraft is refurbished. They look good but look so extremely narrow!
Turkish Airlines - Miles & Smiles
08 Jun 2014
Total posts 262
Will it be BYO iPads?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 467
No, the tablets are provided by HA, but I imagine you could use your own instead, if you prefer?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jan 2015
Total posts 70
Well what a difference a day or do makes. Looks like the A330-300's are moving onto Honolulu with the re boot of the Peking Flights from 25th January.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
10 Jan 2012
Total posts 258
Tablets in Business on a retractable arm, why? Unless it's row 1, the IFE should be fixed.
18 Sep 2015
Total posts 140
David
04 May 2011
Total posts 10
I don't see or mention pjs?
British Airways - Executive Club
28 Mar 2014
Total posts 70
PJs are generally only given in F. They are the exception in J
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