Cathay to launch business product

The Jakarta Post, Hong Kong

Committed to constant improvement of services, Cathay Pacific airways will soon launch a new business class product on its long-haul routes: the longest and widest stretch-flat seats in the sky, an exclusive bar and reception area for passengers to meet and mingle inflight and a private dressing room.

The brand new product and the enhancement of regional services are a result of Cathay Pacific's continual monitoring of customer requirements.

A new Business Class cabin is being installed in all of the airline's Boeing B747-400s and Airbus A340s, and a number of new three-class Airbus A330s operating on long-haul, Sarah Blomfield, Cathay's product manager, told Indonesian journalists visiting CX City here recently.

The new Business Class cabin is the revolutionary seat design which allows even the tallest passengers to stretch out to a full six feet and three inches at a gentle incline of 13 degrees inflight. The seat is infinitely adjustable between the stretch- flat mode an the upright takeoff-and-landing position.

"Independent research has shown that in an aircraft environment most passengers will probably prefer to snooze with the seat in an intermediate position, which cradles them like a traditional "lounger" style chair," Blomfield said.

The new seat is also surrounded by a privacy "cocoon" to prevent sleepers being disturbed by other passengers seated behind or beside them. An adjustable privacy screen is also included, and the number of seats in Business Class has been reduced to offer passengers more personal space.