Often, when an airline that makes long-haul flights hints that renovations are coming, it means that business class is getting an upgrade. That’s understandable: travelers already willing to pay a premium for more amenities may well be willing to pay an even larger premium for even nicer amenities. Occasionally, though, the upgrades are a little more wide-ranging in who they affect — something that could make for a more comfortable flight for everyone on board.
This week, David Flynn at Executive Traveller reported this week that Emirates’ president, Sir Tim Clark, recently spoke of a big change to the airline’s Economy class seating — but was less clear about whether this concept would actually become a reality.
Clark told Executive Traveller that he was aware of the challenges of keeping people comfortable for the full length of a flight in excess of 16 hours. He also said that he had an idea in mind that could make that experience far more comfortable. “[I]t requires a lot of seat geometry to come into play, and at the moment I’m confident I can get it out through the hangar doors,” Clark said.
The good news is that the airline has developed a seat prototype; the bad news is that Clark isn’t sure if the concept will be compliant with aviation regulations.
We Tried Out Air New Zealand’s New Business Premier Luxe Seats
A very comfortable seat for a very long flightIn an article on the possible changes coming to Emirates’ economy class for One Mile at a Time, Ben Schlappig focused on one aspect of Clark’s concept: the idea that this could involve a change in the way the seats use vertical space.
“[H]ow can seat height be used to radically improve comfort?” Schlappig asked — and that’s the big question. If there is a way to easily upgrade long-haul economy class, however, it could give Emirates a boost — and potentially get other airlines thinking in a similar direction.
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