Your future redemption? Airbus unveils new 'flagship' first-class concept on A350-1000
Airbus is offering up its take on how airlines might want to use the space on its large A350-1000 aircraft. This week, the European plane-maker unveiled a new concept for an ultraluxurious set of first-class suites for the front of the ultra-long-haul-capable jet.
The concept calls for three suites in total: one on each side of the aircraft and a "master suite" for two people in the center of the plane.
Looking at the designs, it's hard not to start imagining what it'd be like to fly in one of these private rooms ... or to ponder just how many points this would cost for a redemption.
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Suffice it to say, the design concept offers all the bells and whistles you'd expect in a top suite in the sky, from eye-catching designs to highly practical touches like personal device holders and an array of lighting options.
The middle master suite is certainly the highlight of this concept — one Airbus said would be perfect for a couple on a getaway.
Those passengers would be able to spend the flight relaxing on a sofa, which could then transform into a double bed at night.
Because the suite sits in the middle of the aircraft, there would be no window to the outside world ... but there are, in fact, "virtual" windows for ambience that the guest could tailor to the time of day. That includes a "night mode" for sleeping.
"We really pushed it to the limits," Ingo Wuggetzer, Airbus' vice president of cabin marketing, said at a news conference revealing the idea this week in Hamburg, Germany.
He's not kidding: To make way for the three suites — arranged in a one-one-one configuration across the jet — Airbus had to make some Tetris-like adjustments to the cabin layout.
Under the concept, the access to the crew rest area at the front of the plane would have to be relocated, as would lavatories and storage areas. Airbus also called for raising the ceiling and giving the aircraft an overall more open feel.
That said, these aren't small design changes. Ordering this concept, should it ever come to market, would be an aggressive bet by any airline that chose to go this route — and not just because of the myriad logistical hurdles that could come with such a move.
"First class is here to stay," Wuggetzer said April 8 while speaking at Aircraft Interiors Expo, an annual industry forum where bold ideas about seats, cabins and onboard electronics are often pitched.
To be fair, the A350 has already proven to be a platform for bold moves by airlines.
Qantas plans to use the A350-1000 for its future "Project Sunrise" flights from Sydney to New York and London, which will eventually be the world's longest routes.
Japan Airlines last year debuted a swanky new premium concept on its own version of the jet.
Lufthansa, on the smaller A350-900 variant, just recently launched the first service with its Allegris cabin featuring its new first-class concept. The first flights from the U.S. began late last month.
Other airlines see premium opportunities in the aircraft, too.
Delta Air Lines placed its initial order for the A350-1000 a little over a year ago — and debuted its new cabin design on its existing -900 version of the aircraft.
Taiwan-based EVA Airways told TPG last summer that it's planning to outfit the jets with its first-ever suite concept featuring privacy doors and retrofit some of its Boeing 777-300ERs with the product. (The airline has not formally announced the plans, though.)
For now, Airbus said it's mostly trying to inspire potential customers and demonstrate the capabilities of an aircraft it said is "the ideal choice for airlines to install their most premium product."
Check out our rundown of the most luxurious suites in the sky — and how to book them with points and miles — in the meantime.
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