Asian Airlines: Sky's the Limit for Luxury

Carriers such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates are taking the pampering of first-class passengers to a whole new level

by Frederik Balfour

While passengers in the U.S. have learned to expect less and less from their in-flight experience due to budget airlines and cost-cutting at full-service carriers, airlines such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, and Emirates continue to raise the bar for pampered passengers. And with Boeing (BA) predicting Asia Pacific carriers will account for about one-third of aircraft orders in dollar terms over the next 20 years, manufacturers of everything from in-flight espresso machines to pneumatic seats to air bags are looking to the region for growth.

Visitors to the Asian Aerospace International Expo & Congress, which took place in Hong Kong last week, had an excellent opportunity to sample a broad array of products and services promising untold luxury and convenience for business and first-class passengers in the region. They also got a chance to tour the Airbus A380, the world's largest airplane, which is set to take its maiden commercial flight operated by Singapore Airlines between Singapore and Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 25. (A pair of seats in first class for this flight sold for more than $100,000 on eBay (EBAY) as part of a charity auction run by the airline.)

True, unlike the better-known Paris and Farnborough air shows, the Asian Expo had no screaming fighter jets or other aerial performances that normally draw crowds. Indeed, the idea of a static aircraft display doesn't exactly get one's blood rushing. Still, the show had plenty of delightfully reclining moments for this visitor.

It's Suites, Not Seats These Days

One of the most popular displays was hosted by Cathay Pacific, which featured its first-class suites. (Referring to them as seats is passé.) The brainchild of British design consultancy Design Q, which also does interiors for yachts, the suite on the Boeing 747-400 flying between Hong Kong and London has its own closet, a 17-inch high-definition TV, adjustable arm rests, and mechanical massage. There's even a jump seat at one end of the suite for visitors, though they have to be first-class ticket holders as well. When it's time to sleep, the flight attendants will provide turndown service, including a mattress, duvet, and pajamas by luxury retailer Shanghai Tang.

Italian coffee machine maker Iacobucci HF Electronics is helping take caffeine to new heights, too. It has teamed up with Nespresso to provide in-flight coffee makers that offer espresso drinks which rival anything you can find on the ground.

With competition to outdo one another in terms of service, airlines are changing their interiors every three to five years, providing plenty of opportunities "for designers and suppliers to come up with innovative designs with better use of space, comfort, and materials," says David Nelson, vice-president of Everett (Wash.)-based Jamco America, a subsidiary of Japan's Jamco that provides solutions for aircraft interiors.