New levels of high-flying luxury

Driven by a post-pandemic boom and the revival of corporate travel, airlines worldwide are seeing bullish demand for premium cabins offering considered luxury at 35,000 feet. And what the customer wants, the customer gets as global carriers unveil a flush of flashy new products for those fortunate enough to fly up at the sharp end.

While the far-flung likes of Hawaiian Airlines and Air New Zealand are rolling out new products, perhaps most exciting for South African travellers is the arrival of a new suite of premium products on Lufthansa, which flies to Johannesburg and Cape Town.

Lufthansa is spending €2.5bn (R50bn) on its “Allegris” product overhaul, which will revamp all four travel classes on its long-haul aircraft.

That includes an indulgent new First Class “Suite Plus” product boasting floor to ceiling walls, a closing door, large dining table and two one-metre-wide seats. Essentially, you can create your own double cabin with lie-flat beds and perfect privacy. I also love the new innovation allowing seats to be cooled or warmed on demand, independent from the rest of the cabin.

First Class too spendy? The new Allegris Business Class seats are deeply impressive and will now offer sliding privacy walls, expanded storage, a 27" screen and in-seat minibar. Interesting too is the abundance of choice. Lufthansa’s Allegris Business seats come in six different configurations, allowing you to book a seat with more workspace, a longer bed or a baby bassinet. Happily, Allegris will also see an overhaul of the airline’s Premium Economy and Economy cabins.

Allegris takes off on May 1 and will be fitted to the airline’s new aircraft, with the fleet of 747-8s — as usually flown on the Johannesburg route — being retrofitted.

Lufthansa’s sister-carrier SWISS — which flies daily from Johannesburg to Zurich — is also upping its on-board offering with new products similar to the Allegris upgrades. While the cabin hardware will be much the same, expect a deft touch of Swiss elegance on board, from the design palette inspired by Swiss natural springs to sleek colour schemes in the reimagined Business cabin.

It’s not only about the seat though: for many travellers on-board experience counts equally and Air France has long leant into the country’s culinary reputation. Travellers flying out of France this summer can look forward to French-inspired menus designed by three Michelin star chef Arnaud Lallement — “I wanted to remember the seasons ... sharing with travellers a gourmet pleasure marked by emotion and indulgence,” says Lallement — and ending with pastries created by award-winning pastry chef Nina Métayer.

Looking east, Cathay Pacific is also upgrading its in-flight offering, rolling out its new “Aria” product on board its 30 Boeing 777-300ER long-haul aircraft with new Business and Premium Economy cabins as well as a refreshed Economy.

Working with JPA Design studio, the new Aria product “was about creating the most human-centric environment,” says Elliott Koehler, creative director at JPA Design. 

In Business that means the industry standard lie-flat beds with new features including a privacy door, wraparound seat design and sliding partitions between seats to enhance privacy at each suite. Aria is also upping the digital ante with personal 24" 4K monitors serving as the control hub for the suite.

“When you’re in the Aria Suite you’ll find technology is at the forefront,” says Vivian Lo, GM customer experience and design at Cathay Pacific. “We brought in a lot of the best tech from the aviation world and it’s seamlessly integrated.”

In the US, American Airlines has fired the first salvo in what looks to be an interesting new trend in premium travel. While global carriers have grappled with whether to keep a First Class cabin or cap it at Business, American Airlines has this month revealed its “Flagship Suite” product to be installed in its Boeing 787-9, 777-300 and Airbus A321XLR fleet.

This is a Business-Plus product that sees a handful of seats at the front of the Business cabin offer more space, elevated amenities and increased service levels.

While the seat remains much the same, Flagship Suite seats offer a sliding privacy wall, in-seat minibar and improved storage space. Perhaps more importantly for long-haul flights, Flagship passengers will settle into a Nest Bedding mattress pad, throw blanket, memory-foam lumbar pillow, signature Nest Bedding pyjamas and enjoy an exclusive amenity kit with skincare products by Thirteen Lune by Joanna Vargas and Relevant.

And the seats’ sexy black colour scheme lets your fellow Business passengers know you are one step above them. Word on the street is competing carrier United, which flies to Johannesburg and Cape Town, is considering a similar approach for its (already excellent) Polaris cabin.

Last, but not least, keep an ear to the ground for Qatar Airways’ upgraded QSuite Business Class cabin. Qatar broke the mould when it launched the QSuite in 2017, offering unparalleled space, privacy and flexibility. And now, it seems there’s an upgrade coming, with a redesign to debut at the Farnborough International Airshow in July 2024. Emirates is also rumoured to be planning an upgrade, so watch this space and start working on that expense account.

Wanted.