In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
In Pictures: Finnair Unveils Brand New Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins
After a pandemic induced delay, Helsinki-based Finnair has finally unveiled its eagerly anticipated new long-haul cabin including a brand new lounge-style Business Class seat and the airline’s first foray into the lucrative world of Premium Economy.
The star of Thursday’s show was the new Business Class seat known as the AirLounge. Unlike normal Business Class seats, the AirLounge doesn’t offer any recline but instead, it’s designed to be used like a residential ‘flexible living space’ with special infills that create a large flat surface for passengers to sleep.
The seating concept may take passengers some getting used to but Finnair is confident that passengers on the airline’s ultra-long-haul flights will quickly warm to making themselves at home.
Although the seat doesn’t feature any of the mechanical mechanisms you would normally expect in a Business Class seat, it still comes loaded with USB A and C power, PC power and a new wireless charging option.
The seat comes with a reasonably sized 18″ screen, along with a reading light and footwell mood lighting. All of the various storage areas have been approved by regulators for use during taxi, takeoff and landing so passengers can ‘nest’ as soon as they board.
Finnair has opted for a new Premium Economy seat called Vector by HAECO. The seat offers 8″ of recline and dedicated storage of laptops and other personal items. Finnair claims the seat offers as much as 50% more room than its standard Economy Class seats.
Premium Economy will be fitted across the airline’s long-haul fleet but Finnair is going for an intimate sized cabin with just 26 Premium Economy seats per aircraft.
Finnair is planning to launch the cabin alongside a new service concept for Premium Economy customers which will feature a three-course meal which will be served on new chinaware.
Economy Class, meanwhile, is getting a mini-refresh with a new entertainment experience, new device charging options and lighter seats which will be installed across Finnair’s A330 fleet and three yet-to-be delivered A350 aircraft. The remaining A350 aircraft will keep the old Economy Seats but they’ll be reupholstered.
Finnair plans to spend €200 million on the long-haul refresh with the first aircraft to feature the new look set to debut in just a few months time. The whole fleet will be refitted over the next few years.
Mateusz Maszczynski honed his skills as an international flight attendant at the most prominent airline in the Middle East and has been flying ever since... most recently for a well known European airline. Matt is passionate about the aviation industry and has become an expert in passenger experience and human-centric stories. Always keeping an ear close to the ground, Matt's industry insights, analysis and news coverage is frequently relied upon by some of the biggest names in journalism.