COMPETITIONfor premium traffic has led to multi-million pound investments by all the major airlines in their first-class cabins.
United Airlines will have its first 20 aircraft fitted with first-class beds by the end of the year and eventually plans to install them in all of its international Boeing 777 and B747-400 aircraft. Called the United First Suite, the new seats will be arranged in a herringbone pattern for greater privacy and to allow direct-aisle access from every seat. There will be 12 suites on B777s and 14 on B747-400s.
Cathay Pacific is expected to begin installing beds in the autumn while Emirates said it will be introducing in 180-degree recline seats as new generation aircraft come on line in 2002.
An Emirates spokeswoman said its current sectors do not warrant a fully reclinable seat.
Singapore Airlines is half way through the roll-out of its first-class mini-suites, which have 180-degree recline and a 14ins video screen, compared to the average of 5ins-6ins.
American Airlines has put sleeper seats in six of its B777 aircraft and will offer the seats in the other five B777s which are due to join its fleet by the end of this year. It will have a total of 34 B-777 aircraft by the end of 2001. The carrier has not yet revealed whether it will install sleeper seats in the rest of its fleet.
Lufthansa has completed the roll-out of its new first-class product which was unveiled 18 months ago.
The airline has installed beds across its long-haul fleet, with a pitch extended from 157 to 234cms. Each seat adjusts into a workplace with a power outlet for laptops.
Lufthansa vice-president product and services management, Holger Haetty, said the new product was developed after nine months of international research.
He said the airline found one of the main priorities for first-class passengers was status and recognition and therefore the new seats were accompanied by enhancements to the first-class service. Premium passengers said they wanted a flexible service and to be in control of the process, instead of the airline.
“We have to give these passengers the feeling not just that they are an important person, but that they are the most important person,”he said.
Lufthansa implemented a major training scheme for flight attendants and ground staff in order to carry through the changes.
“In our first-class, you decide when you get the food and what you get,” said Haetty. “It’s a massive change for the flight attendant because for 30 years they have followed the same pattern.”
The airline is also currently developing its database so that its check-in staff will know a passenger’s travelling history.
British Airways has already finished rolling out its sleeper seats and has started to introduce a new entertainment system in its first-class cabin.
Screens have been widened by 2ins to 8.4ins and the number of entertainment channels increased from eight to 18. Passengers will be offered a choice of 45 films to watch which will be continually updated to show the latest releases. In addition, the system will have better sound quality.
It will be installed across the airline’s B777 and B747 aircraft over the next two years.