Australian fashion, food and design feature on board upgraded qantas A380 fleet
Qantas expects to complete the refurbishment of all remaining 11 aircraft by the end of 2020.
All 12 of the national carrier’s A380 aircraft will be refurbished as part of a multimilliondollar upgrade, delivering higher levels of comfort and a higher number of premium seats. Qantas group CEO Alan Joyce said the upgrade would benefit customers in every cabin. Australian designer David Caon has transformed the aircraft’s upper deck lounge, which has been significantly expanded. It now features seating for 10 people on deep green leather couches and wood panelled walls. Customers will be able to order from a range of bespoke snacks and light meals to be enjoyed in the lounge. The Caon-designed Premium Economy seat, which made its debut on the Qantas Dreamliner fleet, also features as part of the upgrade. smarter use of space on the A380 has allowed Qantas to increase the number of Premium Economy seats from 35 to 60. The Qantas Business suite, dubbed “mini First” by the airline’s frequent flyers, has replaced the skybed and provides direct aisle access for every passenger. In total, there is a 27 per cent boost to premium seats, improving the economics of the aircraft and allowing Qantas to respond to growing demand on long-haul flights.
The airline has used the introduction of the upgraded A380 to roll out several improvements for passengers travelling in the airline’s First cabin including:
• A refresh of the First Suite with new contoured cushioning and higher resolution entertainment screen.
• Redesigned Martin Grant sleeper suit in dark charcoal with a henley neckline and burgundy trim introduced from November.
• New First amenity kits including socks made from bamboo cotton and new skin care products from Australian brand Lagaia Unedited.
• The Lagaia Unedited First amenities (launching onboard in November) that incorporate a Qantas-signature Australian native scent of lemon myrtle and geranium in a refreshing facial mist, accompanied by a moisturiser and lip balm. Lagaia Unedited products will be stocked in the First lavatories. From late November, Lagaia Unedited will move into Qantas’ sydney and melbourne First Lounge spa facilities.
Qantas chef Neil Perry and his Rockpool team have created a menu of snacks and light meals to be enjoyed by First and Business Class customers in the redesigned upper deck lounge.
Passengers will be able to chose from dishes including dry laska goreng with fishcakes and seared prawns to mushroom arancini in a tomato ragu as part of custom-designed menus for each route.
The lounge also features a new self service bar, while customers will also be able to order signature cocktails including an Australian Negroni with mountain pepper and river mint as well as the Qantas signature gin and tonic with pink grapefruit.
Qantas’ A380s will also feature a larger dedicated Premium Economy cabin including a self-service bar.
The capacity of Qantas A380s after the upgrade will be: 14 First suites (unchanged), 70 Business suites (up by six), 60 Premium Economy (up by 25) and 341 Economy (down by 30) for a total of 485 passengers (up by one).
«Porsche is looking to enhance its scope as a sports car manufacturer by becoming a leading brand for premium mobility. In the longer term, this could mean moving into the third dimension of travel,» says Detlev von Platen, member of the Executive Board for sales and marketing at Porsche Ag. «We are combining the strengths of two leading global companies to address a potential key market segment of the future.» As part of the partnership, the companies will create an international team to address various aspects of urban air mobility, including analysis of the market potential for premium vehicles and possible use cases. Boeing, Porsche and Boeing subsidiary Aurora Flight sciences are also developing a concept for a fully electric vertical takeoff and landing vehicle. Engineers from both companies, as well as Porsche subsidiaries Porsche Engineering services gmbh and studio F.A. Porsche, will implement and test a prototype. «This collaboration builds on our efforts to develop a safe and efficient new mobility ecosystem, and provides an opportunity to investigate the development of a premium urban air mobility vehicle with a leading automotive brand,» said steve Nordlund, Vice President and general manager of Boeing Next, an organization that is laying the foundation for a next-generation mobility ecosystem in which autonomous and piloted vehicles can safely coexist. «Porsche and Boeing together bring precision engineering, style and innovation to accelerate urban air mobility worldwide.»
A 2018 study by Porsche Consulting forecasts that the urban air mobility market will pick up speed after 2025. The study also indicates that urban air mobility solutions will transport passengers more quickly and efficiently than current conventional means of terrestrial transport, at a lower cost and with greater flexibility. Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace company and leading provider of commercial airplanes, defense, space and security systems, and global services. As the top U.s. exporter, the company supports commercial and government customers in more than 150 countries. Boeing employs more than 150,000 people worldwide and leverages the talents of a global supplier base. Building on a legacy of aerospace leadership, Boeing continues to lead in technology and innovation, deliver for its customers and invest in its people and future growth.
Porsche and Boeing signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore the premium urban air mobility market and the extension of urban traffic into airspace. With this partnership, both companies will leverage their unique market strengths and insights to study the future of premium personal urban air mobility vehicles.