You'd need to start saving up your hard-earned clams if you ever want to see them in the flesh, but Qantas has revealed plans for major makeovers to their First and Business Class cabins. The airline has unveiled the layout for the pointy end of their A350 fleet, which is set to fly passengers non-stop from Australia to London and New York, kicking off in 2025.
The big sell of the new designs is unequivocally space, space and more space. The First Class suites (yes, suites!) look palatial in size, with a personal wardrobe, ultra-wide bed, an additional recliner chair, a dining table for two (in case you want to invite a friend over for dinner) and an 32-inch ultra-high-definition TV.
Further along into the plane, you’ll find the equally impressive Business Class section, with pods featuring a two-metre bed, a cushioned leather ottoman, and a touch-screen bluetooth 18-inch screen. There will even be a breakaway area where passengers can help themselves to food and drinks throughout the flight.
The thoughtful design comes at the hands of industrial design studio, Caon Design. Founder David Caon said the project has been years in the making.
“We began designing this aircraft cabin five years ago, working with Airbus and Qantas to maximise space, as well as creating a tailored lighting program that will influence mood and sleep patterns,” said Mr Caon. “All the design and service elements will work together to significantly improve inflight comfort, convenience and health and wellbeing and help minimise the old nemesis of jetlag.”
In the coming months, Qantas plans to announce the design plans for their Premium Economy and Economy classes, which of course won't be quite so grand in scale, but will include welcome upgrades for the majority of us who can't afford Business or First Class.
All of these upgrades will be taking place in the coming years in preparation for the new non-stop Australia-London and Australia-New York services that have divided the public. For example, the Perth to London service will see passengers clock an eye-watering 18 hours' straight flying time, which may be more than some can handle. But hey, if there’s an ultra-wide bed involved, we could be persuaded.