Watch out Qantas, rivals Qatar Airways and Air New Zealand revamp interiors to attract customers

A string of airlines are rolling out new cabin features like the first ever business class ‘quad suites’ on Qatar that allow a family of four to sit together for meals, in a move designed to challenge Qantas’ comeback.

Qantas competitors’ Qatar Airways and Air New Zealand are among a string of airlines rolling out new cabin features that threaten to leave the flying kangaroo in their wake on long haul flights.

In an industry first, Qatar is introducing “quad suites” for its business class passengers, allowing two couples or a family of four to sit face-to-face for meals should they wish.

A new iteration of the airline’s QSuites will also permit “companion dining” on window seats thanks to manoeuvrable in-flight entertainment screens that can be moved to connect suites.

The new products will be unveiled at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai next week and start to appear on Qatar’s 777-9 aircraft next year.

Air New Zealand has also welcomed its first retrofitted Boeing 787-9 aircraft, with new business luxe seats and redesigned business premier, premium economy and economy cabins.

The aircraft spent 184 days in the shop, undergoing the transformation, described as “an exciting moment in Air New Zealand’s history”.

Air New Zealand’s chief commercial officer Jeremy O’Brien says work had already begun on the second 787-9 with seven to be retrofitted by the end of the year, and all 14 to be completed by Christmas next year.

Air New Zealand has unveiled its first retrofitted Boeing 787-9 with all new cabin seats, flooring and other fittings.

Also arriving in 2026, were two brand new 787-9s featuring the much-anticipated “Skynest” product.

In perhaps the biggest innovation in economy cabins worldwide, Air New Zealand planned to offer six passengers at a time the chance to lie-down for up to four hours in a triple-decker, two-sided sleeping pod.

To be made available on the airline’s longest route from Auckland to New York, passengers hoping to book a nap in the Skynest should expect to pay between $400 and $600 on top of their fare.

Air New Zealand’s much anticipated Skynest will be installed on new 787-9s due to arrive next year.

Other airlines undertaking cabin upgrades and retrofits, include Singapore Airlines, which is spending $1.1bn to add new products to 41 of its long haul and ultra long range A350-900 aircraft.

Despite the average age of the A350s being just six years, Singapore Airlines plans to have the first retrofitted aircraft back in service by mid-2026.

Air India, Emirates and Cathay Pacific also have major retrofit projects underway giving older 777s a new lease of life, while Qantas plans to start refreshing the economy cabins of ten A330-200 aircraft from mid-year, and Boeing 737s from late 2026.

The queue for cabin retrofits was being driven not only by delays in new aircraft deliveries, but the need to remain commercially viable in a very competitive international airline market.

Emirates’ newly retrofitted 777 aircraft are now operating to Melbourne from Dubai.

Point Hacks public relations manager Daniel Sciberras said the bar continued to be raised higher, particularly in business class, where product design had changed the most in the past 30 years.

“That’s come about largely because of passenger comfort on long and ultra-long flights which are much more common now than they used to be, because of the capabilities of modern aircraft and engines,” Mr Sciberras said.

“It wasn’t that long ago that a business class seat was a recliner with extra legroom, but now passengers do expect to lie-flat especially on a 12-hour plus flight, and increasingly they want privacy doors as well, which used to be the domain of first class.”

Asked if Qantas risked being left behind by waiting for the arrival of new A350-1000s in late 2026, Mr Sciberras said the current product on Qantas A380s and 787s was still up to scratch.

“It’s a more subtle, refined sophistication compared to Emirates and perhaps Qatar which are more flashy,” he said.

“Even Qantas on their soft product, it’s more of a laid-back professionalism that you find in the Australian service compared to some other airlines, and I think there’s a bit of that in their hard product. It might look like they’re a bit more plain, but I think it works for them.”

Originally published as Watch out Qantas, rivals Qatar Airways and Air New Zealand revamp interiors to attract customers