Qantas and Qantas Link have previewed the new interiors that will feature on their Airbus A330 fleet and select Boeing 717 aircraft.
Qantas Airbus A330
All 30 of the airline's A330s will be retrofitted with Marc Newson-designed business suites for international and domestic routes.
Currently planned for a late-2014 release, the suites will be configured in a 1-2-1 layout, and will offer fully-flat beds and direct aisle access from every seat.
A key point of difference between Qantas and other carriers flying to Asia is that the new business class seats can be left in a recline position for take-off and landing, thereby maximising the opportunity of rest.
Furthermore, the combination of a sizeable console next to the seat and the design of the meal tray allows passengers to dine and work at the same time.
In addition, ten A330-300s for Qantas international will offer new economy class seats, while 20 A330-200s for Qantas' domestic services will also see the economy seats refurbished with new cushions and fabrics.
International economy seats will feature a streamlined under-seat design, which helps increase overall comfort and legroom.
There will also be footnets and multidirectional headrests, similar to those on Qantas’ A380 economy class.
All A330s will be fitted with Panasonic in-flight entertainment systems, along with Qantas’ Q-streaming technology, which allows customers to stream content from an extensive entertainment library directly to tablet devices such as the iPad.
Qantas Link Boeing B717
Qantas Link, the regional carrier of Qantas will begin introducing five B717 aircraft over the next 12 months and fly between Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Canberra.
Seating 110 passengers, the B717 aircraft will introduce a business class cabin that seats 12 and feature iPad entertainment systems in every seat. There will be 98 economy class seats.
Qantas’ own fleet also features 13 other B717s, which it uses to service domestic routes alongside Qantas Link. These all-economy B717s will also be upgraded with new interiors.
For more information, visit www.qantas.com.au
Clement Huang
