LONDON, UK — Air New Zealand and Safran Seats UK showcase innovative "Business" Class seats.
The carrier plans to install the innovative seat in four new aircraft anticipated to join the fleet within the next two years. Additionally, the airline will retrofit 14 other aircraft with this advanced seating solution, announced Kerry Reeves, Air New Zealand's head of aircraft programmes, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany on June 6.
The new seat product is initially slated for long-haul routes between Auckland and New York, a journey of approximately 16 hours. Later, it will be introduced on the Auckland-Chicago route.
Safran initially launched these seats last year. Speaking about their features, Reeves praised the seats for their unmatched amenities and efficient utilization of space.
The Visa business class seat will cater to two market segments of the airline: Business Premier and Business Premier Luxe—the first row of the Business Class cabin offering enhanced space and privacy for partner dining.
Air New Zealand, which has aimed to "lead on the ultra-long-haul travel experience" and provide "the best sleep in the sky," incorporates an 81-inch bed in the seat design—one of the longest available in air travel.
"This is motivated and strongly validated through continuous evolution in our customer testing process," Reeves added. The airline encourages its customers to experience other carriers' services for a comparative understanding of their product offerings.
Reeves expressed confidence that their competitors would regard Air New Zealand's new offering with a touch of envy.
