TAM's slick new Boeing 777 first class is a living room in the sky
By David Flynn, November 13 2012
With business class continually improving, how do airlines make first class even better and even more desirable?
Brazilian carrier TAM and UK design firm Priestmangoode reckon one avenue is to transform first class from a seat to a "living room in the sky", with everything from a couch to a Nespresso machine!
That's the idea behind the slick first class cabin in TAM's new Boeing 777-300ERs, which will debut early next year on the Sao Paulo – Frankfurt route, with Sao Paulo - London likely to follow.
Priestmangoode modelled the first class environment on the concept of the airline taking you "from home to home", says TAM, with the new first class space “presenting the idea of a living room” rather than just a seat.
That's certainly helped by the cosy confines of the B777's first class cabin, which we believe contains just four of these luxe berths in a 1-2-1 layout.
The clean lines and wooden veneers, with splashes of lime green to accent the cool greys, gives this cabin a distinctly European feel.
Each seat gets its own spacious closet.
Even the reading lamps are eye-catching!
Passengers can peruse a library which boasts Wallpaper guidebooks to different cities and order a coffee pulled from the Nespresso machine.
TAM, which earlier this year merged with Chile-based LAN to create the South America's new mega-airline group LATAM, is also introducing a new inflight entertainment system from the Boeing's tip to tail.
“We want to offer our international customers, who often fly long haul, a warm and more human travel experience, that makes the quality of service a priority,” explains Ricardo Cruz, brand manager for TAM Airlines.
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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
10 Sep 2012
Total posts 39
I definitely appreciate the roominess and luxury of this style of layout/seat but personally I think they're not private enough. I still think that SQ (A380 Suites) is the front runner in this area by combining both space AND privacy.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
10 May 2011
Total posts 732
Very nice design, looks like a cross between LH F and LX F. I personally like to open feel of the cabin and the colour scheme and assume that when in sleep mode there will be panels rising from the sides enclosing the seat (as with the new LH F seat).
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
KG: that's probably no accident, considering that Priestmangoode also did Lufthansa's A380 first cabin (and also the very swish Swiss) – check out some of their portfolio at https://www.priestmangoode.com/aviation.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
12 Nov 2012
Total posts 12
The design in regards to the layout is very spacious, most colours look great, although I would personal reconsider that off greyish/blue!
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 61
Despite the lack of privacy it's the best looking cabin I've seen in a long time.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
01 Mar 2012
Total posts 177
I've always liked the TAM long haul business class product. So much room. Whilst I love the design it reminds me of a business class seat with a first class finish.
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
2-3-2 isn't spacious and this is First.
14 Nov 2012
Total posts 1
Actually, this first class, together with new economy class seats are already in use in the GRU-MIA route and GRU-LHR one.
TAM wil receive two more boeings 777 with these new seats until the end of the year, one being used in the GRU-FRA route :)
Cheers
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