Today saw Cathay add its new Aria suite product to its website, promoting the new product that will take to the skies later in the year. This is one of the most anticipated seat launches of the year, as Cathay vies for the most lucrative of passengers through the Asia region.
While the airline revealed some very cryptic and hard to decipher images last year, the airline has clearly revealed the passenger experience ahead of the actual launch of the product with this delightful video render which also shows a new premium economy product, refreshed economy product and new gallery in the skies, taking the airline’s existing artwork that used to appear on the airline’s bulkheads and supercharging it, with clear defined purpose.
Each 777 featuring the new cabins will feature a unique piece of art, each offering a different perspective on nature to help impart a calming atmosphere.
In the business class cabin, it seems that our original thought that the airline had opted for the JPA Airtek seat might have been a bit presumptuous, as looking at this new render shows a lot of similarities to the Collins Aerospace Elements seat, including tray mechanism and positioning of the additional seat controls for bed mode. That said, if this is the Elements seat, this is a beautifully and highly-customised version of the seat.
The curved seat shell and door mechanism, along with wooden veneer personal storage units make for a truly unique and calming space, feeling a lot more organic and less mechanical than other deliveries of the same seat.
The airline states the new cabin offers a mindful design that delivers contemporary details. It’s also dubbed a ‘private hideaway in the sky’ featuring a 24-inch 4K widescreen TV with bluetooth audio connectivity. The seat offers a wide range of smart stowage units designed to be as intuitive as possible, including high-speed charging ports and wireless charging stations. Another nice element we’d love to see other airlines adopt, is Cathay’s lavatory occupancy function on the IFE screen, making it easy to see if there is a wait to use the restrooms.
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