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Take a First Look Inside China Eastern's Brand New A350

Darren Murph
Darren Murph
Senior Strategist/Writer
Darren holds the Guinness World Record as the planet's most prolific professional blogger, a feat he achieved in 2010. He's a seasoned storyteller, instructor and communicator, working across marketing, editorial and public relations for some of the world's most progressive brands. He's an explorer at heart, having traversed nearly 50 countries and all 50 US states. He's flown over one million miles on Delta alone, and takes pride in facilitating unforgettable excursions using points and miles.
Dec. 05, 2018
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2 min read
China Eastern Business Class Air Living Room
Take a First Look Inside China Eastern's Brand New A350
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Just days after China Eastern Airlines took delivery of its first of 20 Airbus A350-900 aircraft, photos of its interior have surfaced. What's behind the door? At first blush, it looks a heck of a lot like Delta's A350, albeit in a different hue.

China Eastern's new A350 interior (Photo courtesy of China Eastern Airlines)

Images show what appear to be Thompson Vantage XL seats as found on South African, Qantas and RwandAir, replete with sliding doors as seen on Delta One Suites. The bulkhead row is quite unique, as the "Air Living Room" has a couple of tray tables that pop out and enable four people to sit together for meeting purposes.

(Photo courtesy of Airbus)

It doesn't appear that China Eastern is prescribing that front row as its own cabin, but it may end up charging extra for it given the added capabilities. It's been dubbed a "super business" product, offering passengers access to storage lockers, AC power outlets and three point seatbelts. Per China Eastern: "The two premium business class seats in the middle row are also foldable, allowing flight crew to reshape the space into a community area that up to four people can comfortably use for a business meeting or family gathering."

The company will receive two more A350-900 aircraft this year, with the last of the 20 aircraft scheduled to be delivered in 2022. The first A350-900 will launch its maiden flight from Shanghai Hongqiao International Airport (SHA) to Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on Tuesday. The plane will gradually be used to fly routes to "other major destinations" including Guangzhou (CAN) and Chengdu (CTU). Its international long-haul routes from Shanghai to Europe, Australia and North America will begin in Jan. 2019.

H/T: One Mile at a Time