Qantas will soon be launching service with its new Airbus A350-1000ULRs, which will offer all-new seats across cabins. Given that these planes will be used to operate the world’s longest flights (from Sydney to London and New York), there’s obviously a big emphasis on comfort.
However, the more I look at the carrier’s new first class, the more I wonder if they kind of got it all wrong. I’m curious if I’m alone in feeling this way.
Qantas’ new A350 first class suite with seat & bed
Qantas will be introducing new first class suites on its Airbus A350-1000ULRs. The planes will have six first class suites, spread across two rows, in a 1-1-1 configuration. That’s of course an incredibly spacious layout, and should allow for an amazing product.
The airline has opted to give each passenger a little cabin, with both a flat bed and a separate seat. In theory, that’s of course a nice luxury to have, and we’ve known for years that these cabins were coming. However, the airline has increasingly released real pictures of mockups of the new seats (rather than just renderings), and I can’t help but think that the product might be lacking a bit on the comfort front.
Having a separate bed and seat sounds super cool, but the issue is that it comes at an opportunity cost. Based on looking at the mockup of Qantas’ new first class suite, am I the only one who thinks that both the seat and bed look super tight, especially with the high walls around them? Take a look at the pictures below…
Officially, this suite features a reclining seat that’s 22″ wide, a bed that’s 80″ long, and 57″ walls. It’s not clear to me how wide the bed is, especially when you consider the armrest between the bed and the seat, as it doesn’t look like there’s any way to move that, best I can tell? The bed basically looks as wide as one not particularly large pillow.
And before anyone attacks me for daring to suggest a first class doesn’t look amazing, let me of course add that I’m sure it’ll be extremely comfortable compared to any other cabin. But ultimately first class is very competitive, airlines keep one-upping themselves, and I’m not sure if this product represents a step forward.
This new first class suite seems like the worst of both worlds?
Qantas’ new Airbus A350s will operate the world’s longest flights, so when travelers are booking 18-21 hour nonstop journeys, getting good sleep is of course a priority.
I understand the theoretical appeal of having a first class suite with a separate seat and bed. The issue is that airlines are only willing to dedicate so much real estate to each first class suite, and this just strikes me as not actually focusing on the right things.
That first class seat looks quite narrow, especially with the wall right next to it. Meanwhile the bed’s width is what I find to be most concerning.
Of course Qantas isn’t the first airline to pursue a concept like this. For example, while Etihad’s A380 first class is mighty impressive, the bed isn’t actually that comfortable. It’s wild to me to dedicate so much space to each passenger, only to have a bed that’s average comfort, at best.
A similar thing is true in Singapore Airlines’ A380 Suites. The first class suites are absolutely huge, but then there’s only a fairly small bed that folds out of the wall.
Personally, I think Japan Airlines’ A350 first class is a much better utilization of space, and it’s a pretty direct comparison, given that it’s on the same plane type, also with a 1-1-1 configuration.
Even though Air France’s 777 first class has a combination of a bed and a seat, it’s ultimately a more spacious product, since the bed and seat are across from one another.
Anyway, that’s just my take… am I the only one who feels that way? Obviously I hope to experience the product firsthand once it actually launches, and I’ll reserve my final judgment until then. But I do think this makes for an interesting discussion, as I thought the renderings made it look a bit more spacious than the actual mockups.
Bottom line
In 2027, Qantas will debut its new Airbus A350-1000ULRs, featuring new seats across cabins. These planes will be used for the world’s longest flights, so comfort is a huge priority. These planes will have six first class suites, each featuring a seat and bed.
When you look at the evolution of first class, I can’t help but think that this product just doesn’t look terribly comfortable, and looks rather tight. When you have a limited amount of space, I feel like it would be much better to have a spacious seating area that doubles as a massive bed, as that will actually contribute to the most comfort.
What are your impressions of Qantas’ new A350 first class?
Fair call. With a proper mattress pad, any reclined seat can be turned into a proper bed. You wonder why they didn't go with a wide seat to a wide bed, not the narrow seat and narrow bed.