All Nippon Airways (ANA) has announced it will make “a series of comprehensive changes” to the seats on its domestic network, including an expansion of its Premium Class product.
Eight of the airline’s Boeing 777-200s and 11 Boeing 787-8s will be included in the renovations, which are due to begin in the autumn of 2019 with a completion date in the first half of the 2022 financial year.
The updated aircraft will feature 28 Premium Class seats (up from 21 on the 777-200 and 12 on the 787-8) with 15-inch personal seat monitors, the largest for the class in ANA’s domestic fleet, as well as a PC adapter and USB power outlet. Passengers will have access to an enhanced entertainment library, as well as expanded wifi services that will make it possible to access in-flight wifi entertainment using the ANA app.
Premium seats will be upholstered in “advanced fabric” and will offer an ergonomic storage space below the monitor. They will also feature a rotating table and a retractable side table, as well as a privacy partition between seats.
Meanwhile, the new Economy Class seats have been designed by automotive seat designer Toyota Boshoku. ANA says it worked closely with the company to make the new seats ergonomic. The airline claims the backrest frame shape fits a range of body types. The same seats have already been installed on six Boeing 767-300 aircraft.
Other features of the Economy seats include an 11.6-inch touch panel seat monitor and an ergonomic beverage holder.
Hideki Kunugi, executive vice president, said: “ANA strives to set the standard for comfort on all our flights, and few things play as big a part in passenger comfort as the seat. These changes will allow ANA to meet shifts in demand while ensuring unrivalled comfort and convenience for our passengers. We believe in constantly working to improve the travel experience, and these new seats will place ANA head and shoulders above the competition.”
The B777-200 will feature 28 Premium Class seats and 364 in Economy, while the B787-8 will offer 28 in Premium and 284 in Economy.
From 1 April 2020, ANA will extend its Mileage Club loyalty programme to its Premium cabin, which will allow members to upgrade from an Economy seat using award tickets.
ana.co.jp