Yahoo Finance Qantas eclipses Virgin announcement with latest redesigns
The battle of sky-high extravagance has reached new heights with Qantas today unveiling its latest business class suites.
From December this year, the airline will start introducing seats that will be fitted with a mattress and will allow passengers to recline from take-off to landing.
Related: Virgin declares size does matter
The announcement comes less than a month after Virgin revealed it would overhaul its business class and premium economy cabins in an effort to capture the lucrative corporate market.
Virgin’s chief executive John Borghetti said he believed plans for more spacious cabins in his aircraft would be of great appeal to passengers.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce today however focused on a gate-to-gate experience of being able to recline, announcing the new world-first suites will be fitted out on all 28 of Qantas’ A330 aircraft and will feature on international flights to Asia and Hawaii as well as key domestic routes.
“We believe this product will deliver the best travel experience between Australia and Asia, and probably the best domestic travel experience anywhere in the world, Joyce said.
“We’ve listened to what matters most to our customers and done extensive ergonomic trials to deliver the highest levels of comfort, privacy and intuitive design.”
The slick new suite has been designed in collaboration with high profile Australian designer Marc Newson, who has also recently been working for Apple.
Related: Qantas announced $2.84 billion loss
Newson says the design underpins what customers want on long haul flights, and the new seats focus on comfort and privacy for those wanting to rest, but are also practical for working and dining.
According to Joyce, the key point of difference from other aircraft is the ability to recline the seat for the entire journey.
“With many Business passengers enjoying a meal in the lounge prior to travelling, this means more time to rest and sleep,” Joyce said.
Related: Virgin pays $1 for TigerAir
The first refurbished A330 aircraft is expected to take off in December while the first international A330 flights will begin in the new year.
Qantas and Virgin compete aggressively against one another for the business of corporate flyers, so it might just be a matter of time before the next in ultimate decadence is revealed.
