[rferguson]

MarcusGB. If you look at the likes of Qatar though the story is different. They have reduced the number of aircraft with First significantly and all their new 787’s are not having a First cabin. Likewise in Asia – Malaysia, Cathay and Thai have all reduced the number of aircraft offering a First cabin over the last few years.

Totally OT but I was lining up behind an Air NZ crew in SFO last week.
Oh dear…that new uniform!! It is HIDEOUS. It’s been a while since i’ve seen passengers walk past an airline crew, chuckle and point. It is a total mismatch. A bright pink blouse on the girls with a Qatar Airways style hat. It looks kind of cheap and i’m now sure how it relates to NZ but it ain’t pretty!

[rferguson]

There is actually a seat review and some info on the 787-900 Premium Economy seat on another website. Interesting to read was the ‘spaceseat’ was originally designed with the 787-900 in mind. However as the aircraft will be operating ‘short haul’ routes to OZ and regional routes to Asia (where it says the premium economy is a ‘very emerging product’) it decided to go for a more conventional design. It is basically the same seat as the Cathay Pacific premium economy seat but has been customised by Air NZ.

http://www.ausbt.com.au/air-new-zealand-boeing-787-9-premium-economy-seat-review?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=flipper&utm_campaign=home-flipper

[oldchinahand]

It does appear that as mentioned several times in this thread that PE on short/mid haul is far from successful on many routes

Cathay has a large fleet of 330s that fly mostly around Asia and over 70 flights a week to 6 destinations in Australia.Most if not all are fitted or retro fitted with PE and all aircraft flying to Aust are with PE.

PE has not proved to be a success to many destinations while Economy is often well over booked.

Cathay are now starting to remove one row of PE and replace it with 16 Economy seats on many 330 aircraft and will remove it totally the PE from other 330s.

Costly error !

[AMcWhirter]

Hello oldchinahand

You make a good point. It has taken very long for PE to become established and there are some areas of the world where it hasn’t succeeded as well as it might.

I feel that, as rferguson notes above, PE will take off eventually in Asia. More and more carriers are adopting the product so it’s receiving more exposure amongst the travelling public.

Now if only SIA were to adopt PE ….

[cityprofessional]

SQ announced PE a few months ago:
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/05/09/singapore-air-premium-idUSL3N0NV0W720140509

But there’s no still no point NZ offering a newfangled SpaceSeat intra Asia and on primarily leisure North American routes like YVR and SFO, if all your competitors have a “slightly wider than Y” offering instead

[AMcWhirter]

Hello cityprofessional

Thanks for reminding me about SIA. In that case rivals like TG and MH will surely follow with their own PE versions in due course.

It seems now from other postings above that the SpaceSeat is really a product of CEO Bob Fyfe’s time at NZ and we won’t be seeing this sort of product in future once the current seats are life-expired.

[Simon01]

Whilst on the subject of NZ see that the reconfigured 772 aircraft
has 10 abreast in economy.Not a good move for the kiwi carrier

[rferguson]

I guess ten abreast is becoming the new norm on the 777.

Reading some of the AIr NZ comments on Skytrax ten abreast seems to be really really unpopular. A LOT of negative reviews. I know you have to take these comments with a pinch of salt but its a shame an otherwise fantastic carrier is dragged down by such comments.

[AMcWhirter]

I suspected that NZ’s B777-200s would adopt 10-across seating when it was reconfigured. But NZ has been secretive on this subject and its website seat plan still displays a 3-3-3 layout.

The B777-200 will adopt the same premium economy seats as found on the B787. It will operate both to Asia and to N America.

http://www.airnewzealand.co.uk/seat-map-boeing-777-200

[AMcWhirter]

Today’s report on Flight Global contains the first pictures of NZ’s refurbished B777-200 cabin.

But no mention of the fact that economy seating is now 10-across.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/pictures-air-nz-unveils-refurbished-boeing-777-200er-402968/

[canucklad]

You know what Alex, you should consider starting a rogues gallery of operators that treat their customers in such a contemptible way.
And I’ll start with the biggest rogue of all…….Air Canada !!
Maybe their CEO , Calin Rovinescu should read the document I’ve linked below……

http://adlib.everysite.co.uk/resources/000/263/132/PB12544a.pdf

[LuganoPirate]

It’s not called “cattle class” for nothing!

[MarcusGB]

I think the original link i Provided has gone.

Here is their own info of the 787:

http://www.airnewzealand.com/dreamlinerflyhappy/#!experience/boeingdreamliner

BT also revealed a v interesting article and photos, recently, thanks.

[MrMichael]

Actually Alex I think Canucklad has a good idea there. List all the Airlines with ten abreast in Econ (9 for the nightmareliner), along with any comment they want to make, and perhaps follow that up with airlines with seven abreast Biz. I guess it would have to be based on seat width. Go on, you know you want to!

[Author]

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