Airline unveils luxe cabin on major Sydney route

Passengers flying on this major airline’s popular route will be treated to luxe new cabins following a major revamp.

Passengers flying on Cathay Pacific’s popular Sydney to Hong Kong route will be treated to luxe new cabins.

The Hong-Kong-based airline unveiled its long-awaited premium and customer-centric Aria

Suite, brand-new Premium Economy and refreshed Economy cabins for customers travelling to and from Australia.

The retrofitted Boeing 777-300ER aircraft has a total of 361 seats with 45 flat-bed Business, 48 Premium Economy and 268 Economy seats.

Cathay Pacific is launching its ‘next-generation’ Aria Suite Business class on selected Sydney-Hong Kong flights.

“We understand that customers are not just looking for a comfortable seat, but rather a space where they can enjoy, relax and immerse themselves in the experience,” Cathay regional general manager, Southwest Pacific, Frosti Lau said.

Sydney-Hong Kong is the first long-haul route outside Europe to debut the airline’s Aria Suite on-board its retrofitted aircraft.

Business class

There are 45 flat-beds in business class.

It’s all very luxe.

While retaining key features of Cathay Pacificʼs existing Business class seats ‒ such as the reverse herringbone arrangement (with passengers angled away from the aisle), the new Aria Suite includes arrange of new enhancements, such as soft LED lighting, privacy doors and wireless charging consoles for seamless connectivity.

“Our intuitive design paired with our unparalleled service, brings an incredibly elevated Business class experience to our customers ‒ this is what we set out to achieve with our new Aria Suite,” Mr Lau added.

There’s a suite door and centre seat customers also have the option to deploy a movable partition – or have it opened to share the business class experience.

It includes a 24-inch 4K screen ‒ the largest ever offered by the airline, with customers also able pair their Bluetooth-enabled headphones.

It’s a 1-2-1 layout and the cabin now has a suite door allowing, particularly centre-seat passengers, the option to deploy the movable partition for extra privacy – or, have it open for a shared experience with a travel partner.

The airline said its soft-touch suede walls, natural wool seat fabric, and gold-accented touchpoints all come together to create a calming sensory experience.

There’s also personalised seat controls.

“The main body of the seat is made of wool designed for comfort and breathability, with an all-in-one design to ensure a seamless bed surface,” it said in a statement.

“The headrest is soft and made from premium leather, as is the ottoman that extends the length of the bed.”

There’s also personalised seat controls with different options including taxi, takeoff and landing, lounge, and bed.

Premium economy

The airline has also revamped its premium economy which boasts a leather headrest, customised seat cushions, 15.6-inch 4K ultra-high-definition screen and plenty of storage space including a bottle holder.

“Every aspect has been carefully considered to give our customers the best premium long-haul experience in the sky, because we know it’s this attention to detail that makes the biggest difference and sets Cathay Pacific apart.”

There’s also a personal reading light and dedicated lavatories.

Economy

Economy has also been given a fresh new look with updated green dress covers and additional overhead storage space.

It also has new headrest allowing plenty of flex to cradle and support your head. The in-flight entertainment system has been enhanced with the latest graphical user interface allowing passengers to use their own Bluetooth headsets.

The upgrade is part of the airline’s $HK100 billion ($A20 billion) investment into its fleet, cabin products and airport lounges.