Qantas has unveiled the cabins which will feature on its B787-9 aircraft due for delivery late next year.
Business class will feature the next-generation of Qantas’ fully-flat Business Suite which was recently fitted to the carrier’s A330 aircraft, and will include an adjustable divider between each seat. The cabin will be configured 1-2-1 with a total of 42 seats.
Meanwhile the all-new economy seat will offer an extra inch of seat pitch (compared to that on Qantas’ A380 aircraft), as well as features including a new personal device holder and USB ports, more storage areas, a seat-back mood light, an updated version of the footnet which features on the A380s, and an HD screen which is 5 per cent larger than previously.
Premium economy passengers will also benefit from a “revolutionary” new seat, details of which will be unveiled early next year.
The Dreamliner cabin interiors and economy seat have been designed by Australian industrial designer David Caon, and are described as “a progression of the Qantas aesthetic established by Marc Newson”.
Commenting on the new interiors Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said:
“We’re planning to make the most of the 787’s amazing range, so we’ve designed the cabin to give Qantas passengers a better experience on long haul flights.
“Many of the cabin design elements reflect what our customers have told us. Personal storage rates really highly, so we’ve created extra space in Economy for customers to store their personal devices and water bottles.
“We’re proud that our new Economy seat includes features other carriers reserve for Premium Economy.
“We’re also redesigning the in-flight experience for the Dreamliner, from rethinking our menus to making better use of the self-service bars during different phases of flight.”
Qantas is due to reveal the first Dreamliner destinations in the coming months, with the first international flights going on sale before Christmas.
As part of the preparations for the new aircraft Qantas has also unveiled an update to its iconic Kangaroo logo – the first changes to the image since 2007, and only the fifth time the logo has been changed since it was introduced in 1944.
The updated design was overseen by Qantas consultant designer Mar Newson, and features a streamlined Kangaroo on the tailfin, “with shading to give it a sense of depth and movement”, as well as a silver band added to the rear of the aircraft, “flowing from the tail through to the rear of the fuselage for a more premium feel and more contrast between the red tail and the rest of the aircraft”.
The “Qantas” wording on the side of the aircraft has been slimmed down, and the word has also been added to the belly of the aircraft “for increased visibility when aircraft are flying overhead”.
The Kangaroo has also been added to the inside curved edge of the wingtips, so that it appears in pictures when passengers take photos out of the aircraft windows, and a “winged Kangaroo” (which featured on Qantas tails in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s) has been reintroduced under the cockpit window.
Commenting on the changes Joyce said:
“When we looked at the history, we found that the logo has been updated around the time of a game-changing new aircraft joining the fleet. It’s a tradition that goes back to the Lockheed Constellation in 1947, the B747-300 in 1984 and the A380 in 2007.
“A fresh brand helps symbolise the new era Qantas is entering as we head towards our centenary. It’s an era of new destinations, new technology and a new standard of service.”
The new design will gradually appear across the Qantas network, starting with digital assets, signage and advertising, with all aircraft to be repainted in time for the carrier’s centenary in 2020.
