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Air NZ to offer luxury seats
Air NZ to offer luxury seats
4 By ROELAND VAN DEN BERGH Air New Zealand is expected to unveil its new flat-bed business class seat today, as part of a $160 million refurbishment of its Boeing 747-400 fleet. Details of the seats, which cost as much as a 3-series BMW each, are a tightly-held secret. However, group general manager of airlines Rob Fyfe has said the seats would be unlike anything rival airlines were using on services to New Zealand. Air New Zealand is also likely to drop first class, which carries few full-fare paying passengers. The airline's only competitor on the Auckland-to-Los Angeles route, Qantas, has already removed first class on the service. Air New Zealand's premium cabins have fallen behind the competition in recent years. The current seats were designed in the 1990s and Air New Zealand is considered by some in the industry to have missed a generation. Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific introduced flat-bed seats in 2002, and together with new competitor, Dubai-based Emirate Airlines are regarded as offering the highest quality business class in the market. Mr Fyfe said the new seats would feature a roomier cocoon than competitors. Other improvements would include a new in-flight entertainment system with bigger video screens and more options. The fleet of eight 747s fly mainly to the west coast of the United States and Japan. It would take about a month to refit each plane at a cost of $20 million per aircraft, starting later this year. Travel Agents Association president James Langton said Air New Zealand's business travellers were looking for seats that matched those being offered by other top airlines. Special business class fares offered by rivals such as Emirates Airlines were giving previously loyal Air New Zealand customers a taste of the superior seats now available. "They are fast becoming more aware of the comfort of these sleeper beds," Mr Langton said. Air New Zealand air points members were loyal on the Auckland-to-Los Angeles service because Qantas did not yet offer a flat-bed seat on the route. "If Qantas did have it, they would say we are going to go Qantas this time." However, Air New Zealand was losing customers to Singapore Airlines and Cathay Pacific for flights through Singapore and Hong Kong to Europe as a result of its older business class, Mr Langton said. The unveiling marks the latest step in repositioning the 80.5 per cent state-owned airline to foot it with competitors on long-haul routes. Air New Zealand said earlier this month that it would buy a fleet of eight 300-seat Boeing 777-200ERs and two 7E7-8s in a deal worth $1.3 billion to replace its aging 767-300ER fleet from September next year. It also launched a new service between Christchurch and Los Angeles and on Wednesday will start its new service between Auckland and San Francisco. The 747 upgrade will see the fleet, with an average age of 10 years, through to the early part of the next decade, at which time they are likely to be replaced with long-range Boeing 777-300ERs. While the well-heeled will sleep better on board, economy class would also be revamped. Mr Fyfe said the economy cabin would be refitted with slimline seats, giving about 3.8 centimetres more leg room and seat-back videos. --multiplaza.nl.nu-- |
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