Northstar

www.travelweekly-asia.com 18 | ITB ASIA Official Dailies SITTING COMFORTABLY? THE BEST PREMIUM ECONOMY SEATS IN THE SKY Air New Zealand at No 1, but watch this space for Singapore Airlines Since founding thedesignair.net in 2012, Jonny Clark has become a recognised source of opinion in the airline industry. Clark now manages to juggle his time flying as a commercial pilot in Europe with running thedesignair.net, a design-led website based around airline product and design innovation. Designair's 10 best premium economy seats of 2014 With airlines investing more into their new mid-cabin classes, competition is stronger than ever, and with Lufthansa, Hawaiian and Cathay all pushing their new cabin classes this year, and introducing new elements, scores are no doubt going to change. Singapore Airlines announced they too would be entering this field next year. So hold on to your extra legroom folks, as we review this year's top 10 premium economy experiences. 10. hawaiian airlines: SCORE 64 Our only entrant this year that actually is a regular economy seat with added legroom. Hawaiian has developed an already premium product for Northern American carriers and with adding a little more legroom, they have cleverly created five rows of heaven on every A330 from August 2014. The new cabin offers 36 inches of legroom, comfy pillows and blankets. And being Hawaiian, the complimentary food and drink is now supported by complimentary IFE, priority boarding, and on International flights a premium food selection. Other Northern American carriers take note. This is how you do it. 09. lufthansa: SCORE 66 Another new entrant into the field, Lufthansa is offering extra space and a bigger seat on their 747-8 fleet (to start with) with 50% extra space per seat compared to Lufthansa's economy seats, this new cabin concept seemed the perfect addition to Lufthansa's long-haul fleet. We love the executive look, the clean lines, and the spacious (and now standard) 38-inch seat pitch. What we also like is the fact that the airline has thought about this product heavily. Passengers in the cabin can even buy lounge access for as little as €25. The front row of this mini cabin is great, offering a leg-rest, but be ready to sacrifice a couple of inches on your IFE screen. This is one cabin we would be happy to spend hours in. 08. Qantas: SCORE 70 Qantas may have had their premium economy since 2008, but the Marc Newson inspired cabin offers its passengers up to 40 inch of seat pitch, moveable TV screens found in the armrests, and a comfortable 19.5″ seat width. Premium Economy is perfectly suited for the long haul nature of Qantas, and the airline does it well. Footrests at every seat, premium economy dining options and noise cancelling headsets, the cabin features everything a passenger could want. 07. openskies: SCORE 73 Whilst everyone might not have heard about OpenSkies, it is certainly worth a look. Operating between New York and Paris (Orly) the carrier, a sister airline of British Airways, is all about a more 'intimate and luxurious travel experience'. Their self-titled 'Prem Plus' class, offered on their 757 fleet, is more a North American First Class offering, with 130-degree recline and up to 47- inch seat pitch, big comfy armchair recliners and an excellent in-flight offering. With just a 2 x 2 seating arrangement, these seats are not only spacious, but give a sense of privacy that other airlines struggle to provide. We love the earthy leather finishes, the fast track through security and naturally being Apple lovers, the iPads used for IFE entertainment. Also the use of Orly means for a quicker airport, we just wish they offered more routes. 06. Turkish airlines: SCORE 74 Turkish Airlines have gone leaps and bounds in terms of inflight product over the past few years. 'Comfort Class' Turkish Airline's premium economy product is another example of how airline's can create a successful product that fits perfectly between traditional business classes and economy classes. Available only on their brand new 777-300ER fleet, the new class offers 46-inch seat pitch, 19.5-inch seat width and configured in a 2 x 3 x 2 format, meaning less middle seats. Excellent dining options and priority boarding and disembarking options mean that the comfort class doesn't fail to deliver across the board – even though sadly, it's being phased out by the airline! 05. eva air: SCORE 75 Although not originally classed as premium economy, Eva Air offers one of the longest running 'premium' economy experiences, launching the product back in 1992 on their 747 fleet. If you are unable to afford their new business class, then head for their premium economy option. Dubbed 'Elite' or 'Evergreen Deluxe Class'. Expect standard 38-inch seat pitch, while cushion width is a comfortable 19.5 inches. Naturally, all entertainment is Air New Zealand Premium Economy space seat. Johnny Clark and DesignAir chooses ten of the best. Clockwise from top: Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy; OpenSkies Premium Economy Prem Plus; Hawaiian Premium Economy. Continued on page 19. aviation

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