Qantas unveils revamped Boeing 747 with A380-style seats

Qantas is overhauling its nine remaining Boeing 747-400 aircraft with new seats, interiors and fittings based on those of the Red Roo's flagship Airbus A380.

Each of the rejigged jumbos will be fitted with 58 fully-flat Skybeds in business class, compared to the angled beds in the current 747s; 36 premium economy Recaro seats, and 270 economy seats.

Designed by Marc Newson, the seats in all three cabins have won awards for their design and comfort, including a 2009 Australian International Design Award for the Economy seat.

The A380's touchscreen Panasonic inflight entertainment system will also be installed from tip to tail, with an in-arm panel for business and premium economy and a seatback screen for economy class.

Qantas says there’ll even be a self-service snack bar in the economy cabin. We expect that’s going to get a lot of foot traffic, and it better be a ‘magic snack bar’ with endless stock to cater for all those grabby hands.

The first of the revamped Boeing 747s will take to the skies in October, running three times per week between Brisbane and Los Angeles.

Its eight siblings will join the international network throughout 2012, with each refit in the $250m project taking around six weeks. The work is being carried out at Qantas’ heavy maintenance facility at Avalon Airfield.

David Flynn

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.