Qantas adds a premium economy section on 747s, A380s

Qantas has unveiled plans to install a fourth class of service on its long-haul fleet, including 747s and the new Airbus A380s it has on order. The new premium economy section is already available in one 747, and should be installed in all of Qantas’ 747s by mid-2008. It features ergonomic seats with adjustable headrests and fold-out footrests; more legroom than standard economy; a large touch-screen video monitor at each seat; noise-canceling headset port, PC power port, USB and RJ45 ports, and a self-service bar. The Qantas A380s, which it will receive from Airbus starting in August 2008, will have 14 first class “suite” seats, 72 seats in business class, 32 in premium economy and 332 in economy. Business class cabins on the A380s will feature an enhanced version of Qantas’ Skybed sleeper seat, “which now offers a longer, fully flat bed with ergonomically enhanced cushioning, a larger in-arm entertainment screen and additional storage options,” a spokesman said. The in-flight entertainment system on the A380s will provide more than 100 on-demand movies, 350 TV programs, 500 audio CDs, 30 games, and a variety of audio books, language lessons, destination information and radio channels. All cabin classes will offer wireless connectivity, laptop power ports, USB and RJ45 ports for email and Internet activity.