Eight contenders for Qantas’ flatbed A321XLR business class
These single-aisle suites are on the radar for Qantas’ international A321XLR fleet.
By David Flynn, December 2 2024
Qantas will begin flying the new Airbus A321XLR from April 2025, and while the first jets will be fitted with business class recliners in keeping with their focus on domestic routes, lie-flat beds could feature on a second tranche of jets destined for international flights.
“Internationally the XLRs will be able to enter markets we haven’t been able to commercially operate,” Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson told Executive Traveller earlier this year, citing potential overseas XLR routes such as Adelaide-Singapore, Canberra-Singapore” as well as flights from Darwin and Perth, and “up into India (and) Malaysia.”
With an additional high-capacity fuel tank to boost its non-stop capability,, the long-legged A321XLRs can connect Australia non-stop to most of south-east Asia – opening up new routes where the economics of limited passenger numbers can’t justify larger twin-aisle jets such as the Airbus A330 or Boeing 787.
For that reason, business class flatbeds are being considered for a special fleet of ‘international’ A321XLRs.
Qantas will be among the first airlines to fly the Airbus A321XLR.
“That’s something that we’re in the middle of analysing at the moment,” Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace told Executive Traveller during a briefing at Airbus headquarters in Toulouse, France, in July this year.
“One of the options is a sub-fleet with a lie-flat product” which would tackle international routes, and “we’re looking at the layout right now.”
Qantas sees plenty of international flights in the A321XLR's future.
“Obviously if you go for a lie-flat option you lose some seat density, and primarily they will be on the medium- to short-haul market… with the likes of the Perth Western hub, we think there’s a lot of city pairs that we can connect.”
“There are many, many A321XLR markets from India right through to Asia. Some of them could be overnight flights, some of them could be day flights, so we’re just working through that.”
The first Qantas A321XLRs will sport business class recliners for domestic routes.
However, introducing two variations of the A321XLR adds cost and complications, while also reducing the ability to easily move aircraft across routes and around the network.
“We are in deep analysis at the moment on how many aircraft we could have in different configurations,” Wallace confirmed.
“We think that there’ll be enough medium-haul routes that we’ll be able to expand the network and (directly) connect cities, where people have to either go on a low-cost carrier or go through a midpoint hub… there's quite a significant range of network options for that aircraft.”
So does Wallace expect passengers will be happy to spend as many as nine hours on the single-aisle Qantas A32XLR? “Yeah, if we get the right product.”
And solving that product puzzle is no easy task.
US carrier JetBlue pioneered single-aisle business class suites.
On single-aisle jets, business class beds are typically arranged with one seat either side of the aisle compared to recliners paired at two-abreast – and for an airline, half the number of business class seats translates into half the revenue.
Assessing the field also involves factors such as the actual price tag of the seat (which easily tops $100,000 per unit), weight (which contributes to fuel burn) and scope for customisation in features and design.
Singapore Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX business class includes these solo 'throne' seats.
So what business class beds are on Qantas’ radar for the international A321XLR fleet?
Wallace and his team have plenty to choose from. The long-legged A321LR and XLR models sparked a boom in single-aisle business class seats created with long-range and often overnight travel in mind, and on par with the comfort and amenity of twin-aisle jets.
We’ve rounded up the single-aisle contenders from five leading seat manufacturers. Of course, these are just the seats known to the public.
Manufacturers always have other designs under development and under wraps, and are always eager to sign up a high-profile airline as the prestigious launch customer to be announced when the seat itself is revealed.
Thompson Vantage
Considered the original lie-flat business class seat for single-aisle jets, Thompson Aero Seating’s Vantage debuted in 2014 as the Mint business class of US challenger JetBlue and is also flown by Aer Lingus, Flydubai, SAS and TAP Air Portugal.
But the Vantage would be best known to Executive Traveller readers as Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737 MAX business class.
Singapore Airlines' Boeing 737 MAX business class uses the Thompson Vantage.
Despite being ten years old, the Vantage platform still has plenty going for it – especially on medium-range flights around 6-8 hours.
Thompson's popular Vantage single-aisle business class.
Vantage’s unique layout alternates between rows of two seats and a single or ‘throne’ seat.
Thompson's popular Vantage single-aisle business class.
While that means not every passenger enjoys direct aisle access, the combination of fully lie-flat beds and a higher seat count compared to a 1-1 layout makes this an appealing choice for airlines.
And Qantas could always charge extra for passengers to select one of the throne seats…
Thompson Vantage Solo
This evolution of the Vantage concept, co-developed with London studio Factorydesign, set the benchmark for single-aisle business class.
Thompson's impressive Vantage Solo suite.
The Vantage Solo offers everything from direct aisle access to large video screens, sliding doors and the option of ‘business plus’ suites in row 1 where extra legroom, additional personal and working space plus comforts like a chilled mini-bar can all attract a higher fare.
Thompson's impressive Vantage Solo suite.
JetBlue tapped Thompson Aero to launch the Vantage Solo on its trans-Atlantic A321LR fleet, where the Mint Suites business class are crowned by a pair of row 1 Mint Studio suites with upsized video screens, an extended sofa and additional storage and working space.
JetBlue's Vantage Solo-based A321LR Mint Studio.
More recently Iberia chose the Vantage Solo for its A321XLR jets – the same aircraft Qantas has on order – for 7-9 hour treks between Madrid and North America.
Thompson's impressive Vantage Solo suite.
Also noteworthy: Thompson states it is “already working on our next-generation Vantage Solo with a number of customers across multiple single-aisle platforms.” Hmmm…
Safran Vue
Qantas selected Safran’s Unity platform for its new A350 business class suites, so the single-aisle Vue variant would be a likely front-runner for the red-tailed A321XLR.
The Safran Vue seat angles passengers towards the window.
Having been chosen by Airbus as the hero product for the A321XLR’s launch in 2019, Vue now features on the Boeing 737 MAX jets of Flydubai.
Flydubai's Safran Vue business class.
Vue is named for the fact that passengers face the window, so they can enjoy the view throughout the flight, compared to many other single-aisle business class seats where passengers face towards the aisle.
The Safran Vue seat angles passengers towards the window.
“It ensures the same experience for each passenger, facing the window and back to the aisle”, Safran says, for “the ideal combination of space and privacy.”
The Safran Vue seat angles passengers towards the window.
Collins Aurora
Collins Aerospace isn’t afraid to think differently – the US colossus co-developed Qatar Airways’ impressive Qsuite and Finnair’s boldly innovative AirLounge – and its Aurora ‘mini-suite’ brings that same approach to single-aisle business class.
The Collins Aurora 'mini-suite'.
Aurora cocoons passengers with high walls (which airlines can of course set lower if desired) while the aisle-facing seat is pushed deeper in the suite, delivering maximum privacy and an impressive 78” (1.98m) bed length.
The Collins Aurora 'mini-suite'.
American Airlines will be first to fly the Aurora as its highly-customised A321XLR Flagship Suite.
American Airlines' Aurora-based A321XLR Flagship Suite.
Adient Ascent
Adient’s twin-aisle Ascent suite has found favour on the Boeing 787s of American Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Qatar Airways, and the single-aisle version goes strong on a spacious row 1 ‘business plus’ treatment.
Adient’s single-aisle Ascent business class.
The oversized suite has a small desk and pop-up mini bar, plus there’s plenty of room for two to share a meal or a movie…. airlines can even add a ‘Press for Champagne’ button.
Adient’s single-aisle Ascent business class.
Standard features across all Ascent suites include a wide bed, large table for dining and working and wireless device charging.
Adient’s single-aisle Ascent business class.
Another single-aisle business class bed from Adient is Altitude, designed as a ‘high density business class suite’ for airlines wanting to monetise every square meter of cabin space and said to be the foundation of United’s forthcoming A321XLR and 737 MAX Polaris suites.
Stelia Opera
Stelia is the official seating arm of Airbus, which should already give its Opera single-aisle suite a wee headstart for airlines buying the A321XLR.
Stelia's single-aisle Opera business class.
This confident premium travel play promises a “Full Flat, Full Access, Full Privacy” experience with a wide bed, 20” monitor, a window-facing seat and of course a suite door.
Stelia's single-aisle Opera business class.
Stelia has also developed a pared-back Opera Essential variation which foregoes the door, video screen and even the complicated seat recline mechanism to increase reliability and save weight (Essentials is 30% lighter than its parent).
Passengers pull a lever to recline the seat as far as they want – yes, including fully flat – with an study tablet stand to replace those large heavy monitors.
ET readers: All else being equal, which of these single-aisle business class suites would you prefer to see and fly on the Qantas A321XLR?
20 Nov 2015
Total posts 483
I'd honestly be happy with any of these, even the 'basic' Vantage, although the 2-abreast business class rows are very dated and the 'throne' seats are nice for sitting in and working or relaxing but I find them very confining for sleeping. My vote would go to any of the others, but especially Opera and Ascent because you're facing the window.
20 Oct 2015
Total posts 254
Any good window-facing bed gets my vote and I wouldn't be surprised if Qantas went for Safran's Vue given the Airbus connection and Safran also being the A350 business class supplier.
I really like the idea of a 'business plus' product in Row 1 but this depends on how much extra space is available on the LOPA because you need to allow more space than the usual bit of extra legroom to really make a 'business plus' product with the extras worth paying for, like JetBlue for example.
QFF
19 Sep 2013
Total posts 209
The Saffron Vue and Vantage Solo seem to be good arrangements. However, I would be more concerned with Qantas having two quite different seating layouts on these aircraft, which could mean that you might pay for a lie-flat and end up with a recliner.
05 Mar 2015
Total posts 422
That's always going to be a risk with any 'sub-fleet' but I would hope this is a manageable risk and would rather have that slim risk than be forced to sit in domestic recliners on the sorts of medium-haul Australia-Asia routes Qantas is looking at, especially when they are overnight flights which they will inevitably be on the return leg to Australia.
Air Canada - Aeroplan
28 Feb 2015
Total posts 122
Vue is the one I like least. When your head is approximately where a C or D seat is in Economy, there isn't really much "Vue" at all.
03 May 2013
Total posts 684
Qantas would need to ensure with the Safran Vue or Stella Opera that the dividing panels between seats and doors were like Fly Dubai's; higher than the seat itself. With your head only inches away from the isle, the potential for disturbance from passing pax/crew is very high let alone the decreased privacy with lower panels/doors.
United Airlines - Mileage Plus
12 Sep 2011
Total posts 335
Looks good Precovid used to use AA 321T in First 1 A all the way - 6 or 7 1-1 seats from JFK - SFO-LAX vv And AA First Dining Room access as wel las AA First Flaghsip Loune Access We like full flatbeds and avoiding/seeing other PAX
25 Feb 2015
Total posts 68
Safran Vue for sure in my opinion. It would be good to see some consistency in the design language of the wide body and narrow body products so this might achieve that. It looks like a more generous spacious product than some of the others too.
Hell no to the Collin’s product which to me should be called “The Collin’s Coffin”. Looks so narrow and reminds me of coffin class on CX back in the day. (Totally rate their Finnair product though).
14 Sep 2015
Total posts 8
Whilst the XLR is notable for it's range, a huge factor for Qantas is the increased payload it offers, helpful on the "golden triangle" in particualr but also PER, so whether a limited subfleet ends up with lieflat or not they will be deciding, and it may end up a little like the A332/333s where initially, where there was a mixed fleet of dense / non-dense J seating.
02 Nov 2017
Total posts 22
Thanks for sharing such a comprehensive review. I’ve flown on Singapore Airlines throne seat which I loved. However that was a 2.5 hour flight. I’d prefer to fly on a twin isle plane for longer flights. Qantas led the way with suites on the A330s and should dig deep to provide suites on it’s single aisle jets to justify it’s premium aspirations
18 Sep 2015
Total posts 140
Qantas is crazy to mix seat types on a fairly small fleet of that type. Should all be lie-flats like SQ and so many more airlines. I would never take the risk of a plane being swapped out for one with the lesser seating config on an overnight flight.
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