Japan Airlines has ordered a total of 13 Airbus A350-1000s, which will eventually become the airline’s flagship aircraft. Currently, Japan Airlines has 13 Boeing 777-300ERs in its fleet, serving as their current flagship aircraft, indicating a one-to-one replacement. The 777s were delivered between 2004 and 2009, making them around 16 years old. Although not considered old, Japan Airlines prefers to maintain a modern fleet, hence the decision to replace them.
Delivery of the first A350-1000 is expected later this year, with the goal of replacing all the 777-300ERs by 2028. Two A350-1000s will be delivered before the end of 2023, followed by nine more before the end of 2025, and the remaining 13 by 2028. The initial A350-1000 route announced by Japan Airlines is between Tokyo (HND) and New York (JFK), scheduled to commence before the end of 2023. However, there might be a slight delay due to supply chain issues.
Japan Airlines operates two daily flights between Tokyo and New York, and initially, only one of these flights will feature the A350. The first flight to feature the new aircraft will be JL6 from Tokyo to New York, departing at 11:05 AM and arriving at 10:50 AM. The return flight, JL5 from New York to Tokyo, will depart at 1:45 PM and arrive at 5:15 PM the next day, on alternating days.
The Airbus A350-1000s will have a premium-heavy configuration with 239 seats in total. This includes six first class seats, 54 business class seats, 24 premium economy seats, and 155 economy class seats. The seat map for the aircraft is provided, along with a comparison to the current 777-300ER seat count.
New Japan Airlines A350 first class
Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 first class will consist of just six seats, spread across two rows in a 1-1-1 configuration. The seats are produced by Safran, and here are some of the key features of this product:
- The dimensions of this seat are unreal — the seat will have 83″ of pitch, 48″ of width, the bed will be 80″ long, the wall will be 62″ high, and the entertainment monitor will be 43″
- For the first time in the carrier’s history, first class seats will feature privacy doors
- To create a more spacious environment, there will be no overhead bins in the cabin, and instead there will be a wardrobe and storage space at each seat
- The suite will offer three seating modes, including a sofa, a seat and a single bed, and a double bed (that’s despite the fact that each seat is designed for one passenger)
- Japan Airlines is introducing the world’s first headphone-free stereo with built-in headrest speakers, allowing passengers to enjoy inflight entertainment without using headphones
- The suite will feature wireless charging, a minibar, and the ability to communicate with flight attendants through a monitor at the seat
New Japan Airlines A350 business class
Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 business class will consist of 52 seats, spread across 14 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. The seats are produced by Safran, and here are some of the key features of this product:
- The seat will have 51″ of pitch, 22″ of width, the bed will be 78″ long, the wall will be 52″ high, and the entertainment monitor will be 24″
- For the first time in the carrier’s history, business class seats will feature privacy doors
- There will exclusively be overhead bins along the windows, to create a more spacious cabin layout; the seats will feature a personal wardrobe as well as baggage storage
- The seats will also feature headrest speakers, so that you can enjoy entertainment without using headphones
- Seats will feature wireless charging and pressure dispersing cushions
New Japan Airlines A350 premium economy class
Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 premium economy will consist of 24 seats, spread across three rows in a 2-4-2 configuration. The seats are produced by Safran, and here are some of the key features of this product:
- The seats will have 42″ of pitch, 19″ of width, and the entertainment monitor will be 16″; this is among the best pitch you’ll find in premium economy on any airline
- This will be the first premium economy product in the world to offer electronically operated reclining functionality
- Japan Airlines will have large partitions in premium economy, to significantly improve privacy
- The seats will feature leg rests that can go up 90 degrees, to give you more options for how you’d like to position yourself
New Japan Airlines A350 economy class
Japan Airlines’ new A350-1000 economy will consist of 155 seats, spread across 18 rows in a 3-3-3 configuration. The seats are produced by Recaro, and here are some of the key features of this product:
- The seats will have 33-34″ of pitch, 18″ of width, and the entertainment monitor will be 13″
- This builds on the carrier’s current economy class, but between the excellent legroom, seat width, and big entertainment screens, this is about as good as economy gets
- Economy seats will have AC, USB-A, and USB-C outlets (it’s rare to have that many charging options in economy)
Japan Airlines also refreshing soft product
To coincide with the launch of the new A350-1000, Japan Airlines is also refreshing various aspects of its soft product. Among other things, here’s what we can expect:
- In first and business class, Japan Airlines will introduce new vegan and vegetarian menus
- As of the spring of 2024, Japan Airlines will introduce a new dine on demand concept in business class, giving passengers more flexibility
- In business class, Japan Airlines will start offering pajamas, though you can only use them during the flight (which seems rather cheap)
- In premium economy and economy, the airline will introduce new premium paid dining concepts, for those who want an even better experience
READ MORE: https://bangkokone.news
For more information go to http://www.jal.com
