Japan Airlines has found a way to make their new Airbus A350-1000 cabin even better than their own first class. They recently showed off the design for their new flagship long-haul travel plane.
The changes to the first-class section are quite impressive. There are six suites that offer privacy, flexible seating arrangements, and more room. These suites are 1.5 times bigger than the old ones.
To achieve this, they made the design more open by getting rid of the overhead storage. Now, passengers will store their carry-on bags under their seats. The suites also have doors for extra privacy, and the seats can be set up in three ways: as a sofa, a chair that turns into a bed, or a double bed.
One of the coolest features, especially in terms of technology, is what Japan Airlines calls the “world’s first headphone-free stereo.” Basically, it’s speakers in the headrest that let passengers enjoy music, podcasts, or watch a 43-inch 4K Panasonic TV without headphones, like a good home system.
The suites also come with closets to hang clothes and jackets, and they provide complimentary sleepwear to make long flights more comfortable. There’s even a personal minibar and a digital monitor to communicate with flight attendants.
The business-class seats are getting an upgrade too. Each seat now has privacy doors, and to create more space, they moved the overhead storage to the sides near the windows.
These seats can transform into flat beds that are a generous 78 inches long and have the same stereo technology in the headrests. There’s also a small wardrobe for hanging jackets, and while the sleepwear isn’t free in business class, it’s available for long-haul flights.
Even the premium economy class seats have been improved to match the upgraded interior design. These seats have individual privacy screens and electric adjustments. Japan Airlines also made their 16-inch monitors 1.3 times bigger than the old ones.
The airline plans to start flying its 13 new A350-1000 planes from Tokyo Haneda Airport to New York JFK by the end of the year.
