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All Nippon Airways unveils new first and business class cabins

11 Jul 2019 by Seher Asaf
ANA business class

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has rolled out new first class and business class cabins for its B777-300ER aircraft.

The new cabin products, dubbed “THE Suite” and “THE Room”, will be featured on the first redesigned B777-300ER aircraft on the Tokyo/Haneda-London route starting August 2.

The Japanese carrier will fit the new seats to 12 B777-300ER aircraft. The seat configuration of the aircraft is as follows: eight first class seats, 64 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats and 116 economy class seats (in 10-across).

Media statements from ANA (from Tokyo and London) barely noted the main difference to economy class.

That’s because ANA will be changing to a ten-across (rather than its current nine-across) layout on its B777-300ERs which currently operate the London Heathrow route.

Readers might be somewhat confused and understandably so. Why? Because ANA already provides ten-across economy (for its B777-300ERs) on transpacific routes.

The new configuration for London means business class will be reduced by four seats while economy class gains four seats. The number of seats in both first and premium economy stay the same.

But with a denser economy layout which cabin will gain more space?

That’s a question we have asked ANA and we await its response.

Rival JAL (Japan Airlines) continues with 9-abreast economy for its B777-300ERs.

ANA seatmap

ANA’s new business and first class cabins include what it says is the world’s largest 4k resolution monitor on a commercial aircraft.

Passengers sitting in these seats can also adjust the lighting and reclining angle by choosing options presented on the screen. These personal seat monitors utilise ANA’s “MY SKY CHANNEL” application. The Android and iOS app allows customers to browse the in-flight entertainment programme before their flight.

Passengers will also be able to use their own mobile phones to control the programmes playing on the seat monitors and use their device as a second screen for entertainment content.

Both first and business class seats will also feature new lights made by Panasonic which were custom-designed for the airline. They were inspired by natural sunrise in an effort to “improve comfort and convenience during sleeping, reading and dining”, according to the press release from ANA.

Passengers travelling in business class and first class will have new bespoke seat mattresses and bedding, tailor-made in partnership Nishikawa.

First Class ANA

First class seat (THE Suite)

The new first class seat in the cabin, dubbed the “THE Suite”, was inspired by “luxury Japanese hotels”. A press release from the airline says it is “the most spacious fully enclosed seating ever seen on an ANA aircraft”. Passengers travelling in first class will enjoy new features such as: privacy enhancing doors, a 43-inch monitor which, according to the airline is the world’s first 4k personal monitor on a commercial airliner, a “moveable partition” which could be adjusted to pair seats, a universal PC and a USB port.

business class ANA

Business class seat (THE Room)

ANA’s new business class product at first glance almost looks like first class, with the wide sofa-seat which is double the width of the previous business class seat, according to the airline. The seat has been designed by British design agency Acumen, who previously were responsible for United’ Polaris business class. You can read a review of that here.

Flight review: United Airlines Boeing 777-300ER Polaris business class

ANA has used designer Kengo Kuma to finish the seats with three different wood finishes inspired by modern Japanese homes – Rosewood, Light Japanese Ash and Dark Japanese Ash.

Business class seat guide

As is the current fashion, doors have been added, with each seat arranged in a forward and rearward seat layout (see picture below).

ANA-business-class-new

All business class passengers will have the option to pre-order their meals on the ANA website up to 24 hours before departure and can choose from menus from other routes, and the new design of the seats mean dining together is a possibility.

ANA Economy class

Premium economy and economy upgrades 

The new premium economy and economy class seats feature “improved” touch-screen monitors and headrests that are adjustable along six distinct axes. The upholstery has been redesigned with Japanese patterns which tell a story known as ‘The Journey,’ reflecting guests’ inflight experience from departure to landing. Traditional prints include tatami mat pattern which represents a Japanese welcome, and an arrow design taken from the Yagasuri pattern to suggest movement and direction. These non-repeating patterns mean each seat cover, across the Premium Economy and Economy seats will be completely unique.

Starting from July, on North American and Europe routes, ANA will provide six different menu choices, including a collaboration cuisine with Japanese restaurant Yonemura, which is currently available for passengers on the Asian routes.

The new cabins were inspired by Japanese heritage and western design, according to a press release from the airline. The airline says it took five years of “design development” and collaboration between Japanese architect Kengo Kuma and British design agency Acumen.

ana.co.jp

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