Many flyers would agree that the Rockwell Collins Apex Suite is the best business class product in the world. In fact, it’s sold as a high-density first class product, which tells us a lot about what it costs for an airline to buy it. Unfortunately, this means that very few airlines have made the investment in this product over the past few years. Oman Air, Japan Airlines, and Korean Air are the only carriers to use the seats, and Korean Air even uses them in first class.
Last year Runway Girl reported that Japan Airlines decided to install reverse herringbones on their reconfigured 777-200 instead of the Apex Suite, signaling that their famous “Sky Suites” may have been a little too “suite.” 😉
During my visit to Oman Air last week, I had to ask how the seat was performing for them. Almost their entire long-haul fleet offers the product now, and future deliveries will as well.
Paul Gregorwitsch, CEO, first emphasized that the seat is seen not only as an investment for the airline, but also as an investment for Oman. “The quality of this seat represents the country and its culture.” he told me. Interestingly, it sounds a little like it doesn’t matter whether or not they’re liking its performance, even though they are set to receive relatively few state subsidies this year.
“We want you to be able to sleep on both sides comfortably”, he said. “The reverse herringbone simply doesn’t provide this level of comfort.” Indeed, I imagine the seat has a high passenger satisfaction rating, and it’s reason alone to choose an airline over their competition, in my opinion, be that Oman Air, JAL, or Korean. I’d be curios to hear what Korean Air thinks and how they view the investment. It certainly makes their onboard product superior to Asiana’s staggered seats.
For all the Apex Suite lovers, Mr. Gergorwitsch also confirmed that they will configure all their upcoming 787s with the seat as well. Given the way Japan Airlines is heading, Oman Air and Korean Air are likely the only airlines that will hold onto this seat long-term.
Have you flown the Apex Suite? What did you think of it?
"You pose a question in the title then don’t answer it in the post…"
Seriously.
"Because I’m assuming you didn’t ask, “Have you seen business class load factors increase on routes where you’re flying the new product?” or “Can you give me an idea where your are on your road map to your target ROI on these upgrades?”"
Seriously x 2.
AN IDEAL CHOICE CHOOSING APEX SUITE SEATS WHICH ARE FAR MORE COMFORTABLE...!!!
@singularity and you have a link to their announcement? It was certainly not in their latest midrange plan.
JAL actually announced that all existing Apex 'Sky Suite' configured aircraft will be reconfigured to the reverse-herringbone Zodiac Aries 'Sky Suite III', starting with the 787-9 then the 777-300ER. Their reason was because they wanted to increase revenues by adding more business class seats in the same floor space. Instead of increasing economy seats which most airlines do, they will increase premium seating by making them tighter. Korean Air on the other hand, seems not...
JAL actually announced that all existing Apex 'Sky Suite' configured aircraft will be reconfigured to the reverse-herringbone Zodiac Aries 'Sky Suite III', starting with the 787-9 then the 777-300ER. Their reason was because they wanted to increase revenues by adding more business class seats in the same floor space. Instead of increasing economy seats which most airlines do, they will increase premium seating by making them tighter. Korean Air on the other hand, seems not too focused on profits and they're losing more money than Asiana. But they are part of the chaebol conglomerate Hanjin and they can always afford to transfer cash to the airline.
JAL is not turning away from the APEX suite, they will still have 787-9 coming in with the product. They have been adding reverse herringbone seats to the fleet as well. It seems they are splitting their fleet configuration in long haul and medium haul. The reverse herringbone will be used mainly for Intra Asia and Hawaii.
Flew JAL Apex from SYD-NRT on 789: it's a great seat. I wish they would persist with it.
Densist or not, Varun, it is more than adequately sized.
Did I miss the answer to the question in the title? Someone please clarify!
JAL's version of the apex suite is the densest and worst out there. Oman and Koreans config is much more spacious.
I loved the Apex suite on JAL business. Favorite of all my business class seats so far. I really felt the privacy and was well taken care of.
To the haters: the meanness of your posts says a lot more about you than about the person you're trying to bully.
This is an awful piece of journalism!
" I’d be curios to hear what Korean Air thinks..."
My grandmother has curios on her dresser. Are you curious what they are?
Mmmmmmm. How about a journalism class at your local community college, Daniel?
Y'all need some help.
Apex suites are more private than reverse herringbone, but reverse herringbone are far more spacious IMO. Apex suites are lacking in elbow room, IMO. I've flown dozens of reverse herringbone, of course, and I've flown JL's Apex.
Korean's Apex Suites were definitely worth it for me. Having a window seat with direct isle access in Business class is hard to beat. Unless you're in First, of course.
Headline should be: "CEO of WY blows me off politely because I didn't even ask a meaningful question".
Because I'm assuming you didn't ask, "Have you seen business class load factors increase on routes where you're flying the new product?" or "Can you give me an idea where your are on your road map to your target ROI on these upgrades?"
I hope KE uses these seats on their A380 when they start reconfiguring them. It would be a quantum leap in comfort compared to what they have now.
Since their new 787s are getting seats I'd KE is quiet happy with them.
Sad JAL couldn't make them work even in a 2-3-2 config.
Daniel, you can blog as you please, but PLEASE DO WRITE COHERENT POSTS. It's tiring getting either a) incomplete information, b) biased reports, c) everything else you write.
I'm sure many readers are giving you the benefit of the doubt that you are young, and have little blogging experience, but lately, I've been feeling as if I waste my time reading your posts, and I open them, since I believe that they come from Ben's authorship.
No follow up for him to clarify the vague answer?
@Robert his original answer was that the seat "represents the country", indicating that its performance is secondary. When I pushed for an answer he compared it to the reverse herringbone and basically said the Apex Suite was superior...
Still waiting for you to answer your titular question.
"“We want you to be able to sleep on both sides comfortably”, he said. “The reverse herringbone simply doesn’t provide this level of comfort.”
Yeah, no.
Oman Air's Apex Suite is amazing, I prefer this over reverse Herringbone seats, Apex Suites has both privacy and social contacts on board, which reverse Herringbone seat can't provide
You pose a question in the title then don't answer it in the post...