First Images: Jetstar’s New 787 Business Class
Business Class seating more than doubles on Jetstar's refurbished 787
Jetstar is pressing ahead with a sweeping overhaul of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, unveiling the first images of its new Business Class seats as the first upgraded aircraft nears its return to service.
The refresh will see all 11 of Jetstar’s 787-8s undergo a cabin makeover during already scheduled maintenance and safety checks. The first aircraft, registered VH-VKK, is currently in Hong Kong having its new interior fitted.
Jetstar will also allow passengers booked in Economy to bid for a Business Class upgrade using cash, and eventually by using Qantas Points. The BidCash system is coming online from today, across Jetstar’s international Boeing 787 routes.
The retrofit more than doubles Jetstar’s 787 Business Class cabin to a total of 44 seats, up from 21. The new leather seats built by Recaro offer a 38-inch seat pitch, 21-inch width, and 7-inch recline. Those are similar figures to what you’d find on a narrowbody Business recliner, such as Qantas’ new Airbus A321XLR.
Here are the headline features of Jetstar’s new Business Class seat:
- 38-inch seat pitch
- 21-inch seat width
- 7-inch recline
- Six-way adjustable headrest
- Generous seat cushioning
- Bi-fold in-arm tray tables
- Cocktail table
- Seat-back device holders
- Dual USB-C charging ports
- Calfrest
- Footrests
Business Class passengers on the refreshed aircraft will also enjoy free in-flight Wi-Fi and entertainment through Jetstar's streaming product. For Economy class passengers, this will be a paid add-on, although Economy seats add 60W USB-C outlets to keep devices charged up.
The efficiency improvements here are significant, and in fact, Jetstar expects to operate the most fuel-efficient 787-8 fleet that exists. That mostly comes down to a weight saving, with new slimline seats and the removal of bulky seatback IFE screens. Because of the efficiency gains, Jetstar expects to be able to offer even cheaper fares.
The cabin upgrade program will be rolled out across the 787 fleet over the next two years, during scheduled aircraft maintenance. Similar to your car’s maintenance schedule, the 787 is due to be substantially overhauled and inspected for safety regularly. Therefore, it makes sense for Jetstar to complete its cabin upgrades at the same time to save on expensive hangar fees.
Jetstar deploys its 787 on longer routes to destinations including Bangkok, Singapore, Tokyo, and the soon-to-launch Colombo service. As part of the cabin refresh, the airline will also install crew rest areas to unlock the full range of its 787s. The airline says this could pave the way for new long-haul routes, with destinations including the United States, India, and South Africa.
