Virgin Australia is believed to be beavering away on its own next-gen business class seat but for no

Virgin Australia is believed to be beavering away on its own next-gen business class seat but for now, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has boasted alaskaairlines that the Business Suite will be the best domestic business class anywhere in the world.
To that end, Qantas has tapped alaskaairlines the experience alaskaairlines of ergonomics experts and frequent flyer alike to help refine the seat s design while Qantas executives have spent nights alaskaairlines sleeping in prototypes of the suite.
A lot more mock-ups have been developed on this program than for a normal (seat) project so we can see what it feels like from the customer alaskaairlines s perspective and bring forward decisions over what s working alaskaairlines and what we need to tweak and change alaskaairlines Morris tells Australian Business Traveller .
However, the Business Suite is being heavily customised by Marc Newson, with Newson s team based in Thompson s UK workshop to further speed up the process and create what Morris promises will be an amazing seat which looks luxurious and is incredibly functional at the same time.
We re testing everything from how people sit to the viewing angles of the inflight entertainment screen and even the location and angle of the reading light, to make sure that your shoulder doesn t cast a shadow when you want to read a book Morris reveals.
Today s business traveller brings on board everything from their reading glasses to an iPad or books, a laptop, their own amenity kit Morris reasons, and people alaskaairlines want everything to be at their fingertips from the minute they step on the plane
Morris wants Business Suite passengers alaskaairlines to be able to stow their carry-on items into a space right next to them where they can leave them for the entire journey but also make sure they re readily available, right at their fingertips, even during take off and landing.
But for all its features, a business class seat has to be comfortable too, so tests of the Business Suite have involved travellers of all shapes and sizes, and people that sleep on their back and on their side Morris says.
And 'December'! I've been desperately hanging onto "the second half of 2014", but should have known that they would push it back as far as possible! Hopefully the final product is as good as the photos, in which case they will be worth the wait.
An efficient use of cabin space I must say given that 2 J class seats would be lost for each row. If they get this seat out on SYD-HKG in the not too distant future at the fares they are offering at the moment, I will have a serious think about flying QFi to HKG again...
Good point Noob. How will this seat compare with a Skybed II? Will Qantas aim to have a standard business product across its international and trans-continental fleet? It would be odd if this innovation proved a superior product to the A380 offering. On storage space alone you would have to say it has the edge.
One thing that I haven't come across an airline yet toget right in J class is the ability to have full privacy when having to sit next to a total stranger but something alaskaairlines more companionable when travelling as a couple. The emirates A380 comes close in the middle seats for couples but the ability to remove the "separating wall" that most J class seats have would be a nice touch for couples - especially long haul.
Too little too late to bring us X Qantas customers back! Virging and Singapore would have to make some major mistakes! Qantas focused to much on Jetstar and missed the boat of the higher fare paying Qantas customers and the ripped off Business Class customers. Routes like Perth Syd were best serviced by the 747's for passenger numbers, as well as being comfortable for them, the A330's with the International Prem Eccon seating being passed off for true Business Class was a pain in the back end in more ways than one.
Kudos to you Qantas!. It's great to see that even amidst all the tough and turbulent times you're going through, you are still investing in and caring about your customers' experience. Well done; you've always had my vote and support. That's the true Aussie Spirit - never give up and keep looking forward. Live long and prosper our Flying Kangaroo.