PREMIUM AIR
reported that it has 171 firm orders for this version of the aircraft. The two aircraft types are seen as being
direct competitors in the long-haul market with similar passenger capacities and flying ranges. These aircraft will be of particular interest to UK business travellers with British Airways and Virgin Atlantic due to start flying them from 2019 onwards.
UK AIRLINES BA currently has 18 Airbus A350-1000s on order as well as 12 Boeing 787-10s, while Virgin Atlantic has ordered 12 A350-1000s, which will have three cabins: economy, premium economy and Upper Class.
has long been criticised for failing to offer this facility from many seats in the cabin. Cruz has insisted that BA is still a “premium airline” and that the “glory days” are coming back as the airline prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2019. “We are always going to be a premium
airline and we must live up to that promise,” he says. “We will have the new Club World seat from 2019 but we want to provide a quality experience whether you are travelling first class to New York or economy to Barcelona. “Beyond the new Club World seat, we
are determined to continue investing in the rest of the classes. First class is here to
“Airbus has so far received orders for more than 850 A350s from airlines, with fewer than 150 of them being delivered so far”
Receiving these new aircraft in 2019
will coincide with the launch of BA’s long- awaited new Club World business class seat, which is currently “in development” and will be rolled out from next year. BA is investing £600 million in Club World “with an emphasis on improved catering and sleep” over the next few years, including the new seat. BA’s chief executive officer Alex Cruz has
already confirmed that the new Club World seat will be installed on both the A350s and B787-10s. He has also said that all seats in the cabin will offer “direct aisle access” – BA’s current Club World configuration
stay but we have to right-size it. There are a lot of markets that don’t need 14 seats in first class. We have to make first class very special – it will come a bit later, after Club World. The demand is there and we’re committed to it.” Cruz has also promised to improve the
Club Europe business class service on short-haul routes with BA set to enhance the catering offered in this cabin this year, following on from last year’s upgrade to Club World’s catering on long-haul flights. Virgin, meanwhile, has yet to reveal its
plans for the premium cabins to be fitted on its A350s from next year.
PRODUCT ENHANCEMENTS So while we wait to see exactly what BA and Virgin will do with their premium cabins on these new aircraft, what about carriers that are already operating A350s? Cathay Pacific has had A350-900s in
service for almost two years and the Hong Kong-based airline has used their introduction to launch a new business class seat. “The new seat builds on its predecessor
with numerous enhancements, including a larger flat bed, a superior in-flight entertainment system with high-definition personal TVs and a touchscreen video remote control,” says James Ginns, Cathay Pacific’s general manager Europe. “The launch of the A350 also sees the introduction of Cathay Pacific’s second generation premium economy class seat.” Meanwhile, Delta has become the first
US carrier to start operating the A350, with flights to Tokyo, and is due to launch the aircraft’s first transatlantic route between Detroit and Amsterdam from 31 March. Delta’s A350 sees the long-awaited introduction of the Delta One business class suite, complete with its own sliding door. The airline also plans to retrofit the Delta One suite on to its entire fleet of Boeing 777s. Looking more widely, new enhanced premium cabins are already catching the eye of those in the corporate travel industry, with several name-checking Qatar Airways’ new Q Suite, initially launched last year on its Boeing 777s, as raising the benchmark for business
Left: The new Delta One Suite features on Airbus A350 aircraft Above: British Airways will introduce a new Club World seat in 2019
66 BBT March/April 2018
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