TUESDAY SEP 10, 2024
×
Search AeroXplorer
The Most Awkward Business Class? The Current State Of Air New Zealand Business Class

The Most Awkward Business Class? The Current State Of Air New Zealand Business Class

BY SANGHYUN KIM Published on August 27, 2024 0 COMMENTS

 



ADVERTISEMENT • REMOVE ALL ADS


 

Flying Business Class should definitely be one of the best experiences while traveling. However, it doesn't simply end there. Every airline has a unique product to offer premium passengers, and selecting them is a privilege for passengers traveling on a premium product. Usually, Asian carriers such as Korean Air, Thai Airways, and Japan Airlines are considered one of the best airlines to fly business, while American carriers are not much desired when it comes to the overall experience. However, there is one other airline that you might like to avoid, and that airline is Air New Zealand based in New Zealand in Oceania. Today we will be looking at why this business class is left much to be desired.

 

Photo: AeroXplorer | Andrew Seong

 

An Aging Hard Product

 

First impressions are very important, and for a business-class experience, the hard product (mostly the seats) makes up over 90% of that. Unfortunately for Air New Zealand, this is where they will lose the most points, right from the start. What is important is that this is the flagship product that they have to offer.

 

Air New Zealand uses herringbone seats for its business-class products. These kinds of seats were first introduced by Virgin Atlantic back in 2003, and it was at the time a significant breakthrough from all the angled lie-flat seats and recliners. Soon a lot of airlines such as Air Canada started introducing similar products.

 



ADVERTISEMENT • REMOVE ALL ADS


 

Photo: The current business class product of Air New Zealand | Source

 

Just by looking at the photos, these seats might make it seem like a decent business-class cabin. However, with close observation, it becomes pretty obvious that the seats are very narrow for a modern business-class seat. This is not surprising as the seats were designed more than two decades ago in 2003.