Air Canada unveiled new business class interiors and seats on two of its planes on Tuesday. It is a major improvement that the airline described as “the first major expression” of its “Glowing Hearted” design standard and customer service approach.
The new business class cabin, which the airline calls “Air Canada Signature Class,” will debut on its Airbus A321XLR this summer, marking the first time Air Canada will offer lie-flat seats on a single-aisle aircraft. It will later appear on the airline’s new fleet of Boeing 787-10 aircraft.
On both aircraft of all classes, passengers can expect to find larger overhead bins; ergonomic seats with phone or tablet holder; new larger 4K OLED inflight entertainment screens with Bluetooth audio; and USB-C and AC power outlets at each seat.
The A321XLR will feature 14 business class seats in a 1-1 herringbone configuration, along with 168 economy seats (36 of which offer additional legroom). Travelers will find these cabins on certain transatlantic and transcontinental routes.
While business class seats won’t have fully closing doors, Air Canada said they will feature “a sliding privacy panel” that passengers can close to block off more cabin space.
Air Canada has 30 of these aircraft on order from Airbus.
Meanwhile, the 787-10 will have 42 Signature Class seats in a 1-2-1 inverted herringbone layout. It will also feature 28 premium economy seats and 262 economy seats, including some with extra legroom. (Air Canada did not specify the number of seats with extra legroom.)
The first row of business class seats, called “Signature Class Plus”, will offer more spacious suites.
This includes a center divider between the middle seats that passengers can lower completely to create more open space when traveling with a companion.
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Premium economy class will also see a slight redesign with “privacy wings” that appear similar to those on the new domestic first class seats offered by Delta Air Lines and United Airlines.
Air Canada is scheduled to take delivery of 14 of the larger variant of the 787, which it plans to position as its new flagship.
The design of both cabins conveys a calm and relaxing atmosphere, with gray tones accented by Air Canada’s signature red, along with natural wood grain and bronze metallic details.
Air Canada also said it plans to revamp its soft product, including improved service, food and beverage and amenities. The end result will be a “distinctly Canadian” hospitality experience. The airline said it will reveal details about the improved service later this year.
“This investment is about fundamentally redefining the experience of flying with Air Canada,” the airline’s executive vice president and chief operating officer, Mark Nasr, said in a statement about the redesign.
“Details matter: we listened closely to feedback and challenged ourselves to create an experience defined by a strong sense of Canadian place, along with a commitment to craftsmanship, functionality and long-term durability,” he added.
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