We always like it when airlines add new premium products and we applaud carriers which try to match their interior design to the culture of their home base. Some of the Asian airlines do a great job with this but not usually domestic ones. And so we are excited to see Hawaiian Airlines debut their new Premium Cabin; the design and functionality look quite innovative.
The 18 lie-flat seats, whose curved shell are supposed to evoke gentle ocean waves, fold into 180-degree beds that are 20.5 inches wide by 76 inches long, maximizing living space and providing options for both privacy and a shared flight experience. Aligned in a 2-2-2 configuration the seats have intuitive controls and access to multiple power ports, including two USB connections and one A/C outlet.
An advanced in-flight entertainment system is powered by the next generation of large-format tablets resting on an adjustable telescoping arm for optimal viewing angle and comfort.
Hawaiian Airlines Premium Cabin evokes Hawaii
Hawaiian collaborated with California-based consultancy PaulWylde to incorporate flowing curves evocative of the winds and ocean, while marrying organic textures and pops of bright saturated color in its Premium Cabin. Optimares, an innovative Italian seat manufacturer specializing in traveler-centric design, created an exclusive, highly-customized seat that will cradle guests in premium leather from renowned craftsmen Poltrona Frau. The airline’s island design is reflected in earth, sand and sea tones alongside natural materials: from the wave-inspired seatback shell to an adjustable privacy partition of natural reeds embedded in resin, and a ‘constellation panel’ between premium and main cabins.
The constellation, Makali’i, rendered in subtly twinkling fiber-optic lights, is the cluster of stars appearing in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months. Also known as Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters in Western astronomy, the stars were instrumental in guiding early Polynesian explorers on their Pacific journeys. They also hold special significance to Hawaiian Airlines: the constellation was high in the sky on the date of its first flight on Nov. 11, 1929, and Hawaiian’s first A330 aircraft was christened Makali’i.
Hawaiian unveiled plans for its Premium Cabin last year and as part of the upgrade, they’re also adding 28 additional Extra Comfort seats (Premium Economy) which feature 36 inches of seat pitch, priority boarding at the gate, complimentary on-demand in-seat entertainment, and a personal power outlet.
Today, Hawaiian’s A330-200 aircraft seat 294 passengers, with 18 in Business/First Class, 40 in Extra Comfort and 236 in the Main Cabin. In the new configuration, the aircraft will seat 278 passengers, with 18 in the Premium Cabin, 68 in Extra Comfort and 192 in the Main Cabin. Seat pitch in the Main Cabin will remain a decent 31 inches.
Hawaiian’s newly outfitted A330 aircraft’s Premium Cabin will enter the carrier’s U.S. West Coast network next month as a test. Sales for the Premium Cabin are expected to commence in the fall, when the first dedicated routes will be revealed. Hawaiian will phase installation of additional A330 Premium Cabins starting this fall through early 2018. It will have 23 A330s in total.
While we haven’t tried out their new product it looks quite interesting and we support any carrier which takes out seats to make a better in-flight experience.
