Hanger 22

[Biztraveller]

NZ Herald is reporting today that Air New Zealand has launched a new project to revamp long-haul cabins, codenamed – “Hanger 22”

NZ Herald

[Kiwiwings]

You beat me to it! 🙂

This is SO cool!!

 

My wish list:

THE SEAT

To be honest I’m a massive fan of Etihad’s business class studio so I hope they do something like this. It has forward and rear facing seats so they can fit 2 – 4 – 2 ish (hey there’s no underline option), staggered layout. The NZ bed is better than the EY bed though. And that NZ mattress is key to the bed but wonder where they would store them. Thickness is a winner. Plus it already works on the 789 which has the smaller fuselage width than the 777. I think it would give NZ high density seating for numbers. I was thinking they can vacuum pack the mattress but it would be a problem for landing having to seal all of that up.

They need to go to the bed where you just slide into lie flat mode rather than get up and flip the seat down I reckon. The comforter and pillows I’m ok with. Not sure I’m into the ‘double bed’ that Qatar and Singapore are flaunting. Reality is there’s a big crack in the middle where the divider is and nobody likes sleeping over the crack! I’m sure couples will survive long haul flying without the double bed.

And I hope the controls for the seat are self explanatory and not too complicated. Obviously some quick set position short cuts.

I hope they choose awesome colours with a bit of a cultural design. I like the Koru and the silver fern but maybe a new Maori design imprinted onto the outside of the seat or go for something elegant but not complicated. Qatar and Etihad do this well. But it needs to be something that says ‘New Zealand’. I hate boring neutral colours but understand they sort of work to a degree but some cabins you take one look at and think BORING! I guess there’s a bit of individual preference there but some airlines get this right and NZ need to look to that.

I don’t really like sash belts which Qantas and China Airlines have but they seem to be coming in. I get it they provide more restraint. Suppose could put up with those for take off and landing.

I don’t want limiting foot wells either. Or whatever they’re called. Singapore airlines make you sleep on an angle which is a bit annoying. Haven’t tried their new seats out.

I hope they align the seats with the windows well. Hate not having a decent window view despite  long haul being predominantly over water.

I jumped on China Airlines business class and there were so many people commenting on how nice the cabin was and people going to PE saying “why aren’t we flying this” accompanied by the answer “it’s only a short flight” etc but I haven’t heard people saying that on other aircraft. NZ needs a seat that people walking to economy or PE look at think, ‘I need to try that’. Or ‘one day’. Some business cabins are hidden on say upper decks of the A380.

Lighting is important. CI have this cool little lamp and Etihad have a light that emits through this awesome design pattern. Along with another small light at the top. 2 lights aren’t necessary but lighting can add wow factor when done right.

I wonder what the go is with individual air vents. I guess if cabins are refreshed what once or twice? during the life of the aircraft with the carrier then they may not align with future designs.

 

It seems there’s a trend towards doors on business class products like Qatars Q suites, Delta has a Delta One Suite etc. Seems a bit OTT but some people prefer privacy and I personally really like seeing people, a bit of a social feel. In that regard I like the look of Qatars First class which I’ve never flown but it has the option of a wall / screen that can pop up. This would give people options of whether they want the open feel of the cabin or the blocked off private feel.

 

I have to admit I don’t like those mechanisms where you just push on it and storage compartments pop open. Some airlines put those things right where your elbows are so during the flight the things pop up or out!

Same thing with Etihad’s table, on landing the little jolt makes them come sliding out so all you can hear is everyone slamming their tray tables back into the compartment. It’s quite funny. But a bit annoying. So I hope they don’t use that style of mechanism. VAs ‘the business’ I’m sure has a similar mechanism for storage but China Airlines you need to push a button on the side to open the compartments and I much prefer this. I hope you can swivel the tray table out of the way so you can get up. I dislike feeling locked in once the meal service starts.

 

F&B:

I wonder if they will have some sort of mini bar? China Airlines has a cool little snacks and drinks bar. VA has a wee bar on the 777 although I guess that’s valuable seat to be sold space.  They’ll have to move to dine on demand although this is already available to a large degree. Strangely I find I end up with one meal on the flight rather than 2 as I’ve eaten in the lounge and don’t want to eat on board so skip and eat later or just have breakfast. Emirates mini bar I think is a waste of space. It’s convenient but it’s a waste of space and FAs bring you F&B so no need to store next to the seat.

NZ does good wine. I like the idea of the rotating J class wines but I dislike that they may be show casing chardonnays and have 2 chardonnays. Why can’t they have one red and one white being show cased? I don’t like chardonnay so stuck with the Sav blanc and champagne.

I think NZ have some really great food although they have served up some weird stuff in business before which the FA was embarrassed to even give to me and literally started putting words in my mouth about how it wasn’t a J class meal. NZ should listen to their FAs. I had to agree with the guy but sometimes I’m too polite or not massively fussed over meals.

 

IFE:

Slightly bigger screens would be great as well. I hope they switch to the controllers that look like little smart phones. I love having the flight map come up on the small screen while watching something else on the main screen. Ok I hardly watch IFE but when I have it’s a feature I love. I don’t care about the headphones I guess and many people bring their own. Would be cool to be able to watch your own content you’ve downloaded on the screen. Mind you I guess some people may bring inappropriate content on board.

I would personally like to see some additions here with say information on turbulence and tactics to deal with that for nervous flyers. When it gets rough at times I do worry and I think others do too. Information regarding disrupts would be cool. If we diverted I think passengers should have the option of sorting themselves out and being reimbursed a fixed amount by NZ. Basically the same cost they’re paying to put anyone else up in a room. Standing in a queue or being on the phone isn’t what I want to do. NZ could have a small video on this stuff which may help people out in the future. I would like to see the ‘flying with a baby’ video, the safety video to watch at any time. Knowing a bit about what is available for peoples medical conditions on board and that process would be informative. How many flights is there a call for some medical personnel on board or if the flight is waiting for someone with medical clearance and you think – bet they’ll need help during the flight and sure enough a call goes out mid flight.

 

Info about transport options at the destination out of the airport would be good. I never realised they had destination info. I never played with the IFE that much but you can zoom right in and get down to the ‘map’ level of cities. Only just discovered that this year. I think that’s cool but transport options like Uber, the train, Super shuttle etc would be cool. I guess that might be a pain to keep updated.

 

STORAGE:

Well placed USB ports, international sockets would be great. Hope they have a couple of spare cables on board as I find with QF I have issues charging devices sometimes.

Need water bottle storage. Place for laptop / tablet to be stored if you nod off to sleep for a bit without having to put it back into your bag.

I do like the armrests that have storage as well in some seats like VA and CI. Can’t remember the name of that style of seat. But the fact the arm rest is adjustable up and down is cool for space.

 

THE OTHER CABINS:

PE: I really hope they do something a bit more standout. It’s unlikely they’ll go back to something space seaty but they need a wow factor. I don’t know how many times I heard North Americans in the lounge say on the phone saying “I’m flying the space seat”. Like that’s total recognition and that’s what sells a brand, makes it memorable and word of mouth – people come!

Being cheeky but maybe seating angled towards the windows kind of like a mini business class but giving you that extra leg room stretch. Maybe a small shelf in the corner to put feet up on? I guess that’s been described as a bit coffin like for business class but in PE could be well received? I haven’t thought that request through very well. But some sort of good foot rest. Emirates mock up for PE looks like it has a divider for an added touch of privacy as well but isn’t locked in position. It’s a choice.

 

Economy: They need seating like the A350. Only flown CI but looking forward to trying Y in another but from reports I’ve read it beats the 789 seating by a long shot especially width and legroom but the A350 has a bit of a wider fuselage than the 789. I want them to keep the arm rests that go the WHOLE way up as well, in case you score the row to yourself or are next to the window and you don’t want the armrest jabbing you in the side when you’re trying to ‘lean’ on the window. I like the option of a drink holder as well which may extend out from the back of the tray without having the entire tray out. I’ll pass on the leather seats too, cloth fabric please. Keep the adjustable headrest. The A350 Y seats also seem like they have GOOD recline. I think it’s a fantastic seat for long haul economy. Yet to really put it to the test though but in comparison to my short haul flights with NZ on their aircraft, the A350 seat is good. Keep the sky couch.

 

NZ do well at having every last option of making money out of every unsold seat on board. Upgrades, one ups, twin seat, sky couch etc. It’s really awesome to see from a business perspective.

 

Anyway, that’s just my ‘for now’ wish list. I’m sure I’ll think of something more! What’s on everyone else’s wish list?

 

 

 

[Steve Biddle]

It’s interesting this took so long to make the mainstream media. I was reading about this months ago when somebody spilled the beans about it. Air NZ didn’t reply to my offer to on twitter to help come and test the seat. 🙂

 

[Kiwiwings]

Steve Biddle wrote:

It’s interesting this took so long to make the mainstream media. I was reading about this months ago when somebody spilled the beans about it. Air NZ didn’t reply to my offer to on twitter to help come and test the seat.

 

Yeah but…

1. You’re a ‘sure thing’.

2. Can you keep a secret?

🙂

[Author]

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