CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES FIRST CLASS
AVAILABILITY B777-300ER
SEAT PITCH 82-inch
SEAT WIDTH 33-inch
RECLINE 180 degrees
WHY WE LOVE IT It’s humongous! When did you ever see a 33-inch wide bed in the skies? That’s right, you haven’t. China Southern’s new first-class seat is not only the widest in its class, it also embraces the latest technologies. Each suite is equipped with Thales’ TopSeries AVANT in-flight entertainment and connectivity IFEC system in five languages: English, Simplified Chinese, French, Japanese and Korean. Entertainment content will be screened on a 23-inch HD screen controlled via Touch PMU.
CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES BUSINESS CLASS
AVAILABILITY B777-300ER
SEAT PITCH 81-inch
SEAT WIDTH 21-inch
RECLINE 180 degrees
WHY WE LOVE IT Why fix something that isn’t broken? China Eastern’s new business class is the Zodiac Cirrus kind we have come to appreciate on other B777-300ER operators like Cathay Pacific, American Airlines and EVA Air. Undoubtedly one of its biggest selling points is the direct aisle access it provides for every passenger – a big plus in terms of personal space and privacy.
AVAILABILITY B787-8
SEAT PITCH 74-inch
SEAT WIDTH 22.5-inch
RECLINE 180 degrees
WHY WE LOVE IT The flat-bed feature wins us over, along with the crystal clear 15-inch video screen. The red seat cushions look distinctly oriental, and help create a very Chinese atmosphere in the premium cabin. Our only gripe is the 2-2-2 layout – somehow, we don’t think travellers are going to appreciate having to climb over their neighbour in order to answer the call of nature!
AIR CHINA FIRST CLASS
AVAILABILITY B747-8I
SEAT PITCH 80-inch
SEAT WIDTH 21-inch
RECLINE 180 degrees
WHY WE LOVE IT We appreciate the 1-2-1 seat layout that offers direct aisle access to all first class passengers. In addition, the curving cabin walls, high ceilings and new mood lighting system create a sense of space further accentuated by the generous seat width. As the picture here shows, dining in first class has never looked so good before!
XIAMEN AIR FIRST CLASS
AVAILABILITY B787-8
SEAT PITCH 76-inches
SEAT WIDTH 28-inches
RECLINE 180 degrees
WHY WE LOVE IT Xiamen Air’s first class product is a standout, with its unique shell-like design. Arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, it offers direct aisle access to passengers. The 15.4-inch IFE screen may not be the largest available in the market out there, but it gets the job done.
Dominic Sebastian Lalk and Clement Huang
