Hawaiian Airlines to launch new Business Class starting this fall

Hawaiian Airlines recently announced that most of its long-haul fleet will be equipped with new lie-flat seats and updated interior in business class, and would be available for the customers starting this fall. With its revamped product and service the airline wants to distinguish itself from other U.S. domestic carriers.

Media reports said that Hawaiian Airlines had for quite some time been facing challenges from low-cost carriers such as Virgin America and Alaska Airlines which have gained entry into Hawaii from the U.S. West Coast. The airline said that the only way to remain ahead of its new competitors is by launching new completely lie-flat business class seat, which are currently not being offered by either by Alaska Airlines or Virgin America.

Hawaiian Airlines also said that the new business class product was important because even though one arrives on a daytime flight to Hawaii from the mainland, most of the return flights are “red eyes” thus meaning that the departure from Hawaii would be late at night and arrival on the mainland would be early next morning. With the new business class seats the customers can therefore look forward to luxurious flying experience during the night.

A spokesperson of Hawaiian Airlines while providing the details said that the new business class seat can be converted into a 76-inch long fully flat bed. The seats would be configured in a 2-2-2 layout across each row. The airline has given top priority to couples and the seats have been designed accordingly. The premium customers would therefore not be offered direct aisle access like it is offered by other airlines. The new business class seats would also not be featuring built-in entertainment, but would instead be offering the “next generation large format tablets”. The customers would also not be offered Wi-Fi as well because the airline hasn’t equipped any of its aircraft with this facility.

According to the airline, each of its Airbus A330 aircraft would be configured with 18 new business class seats, in addition to 68 “Economy Comfort” seats and 192 seats in Main Cabin or economy class. The Airbus A330 is the primary aircraft in Hawaiian Airline’s fleet and is used to conduct flights services from the U.S. mainland to international destinations in South Korea, New Zealand, Japan and China. The airline also keeps Hawaii connected with flights from 11 U.S. cities.