Jan 15, 2020 Boeing 787-9 – Same as the A350, with the new cabin being included in the delivery but with their business cabin in a 1-2-1 configuration. Airbus A330-200 – This fleet is being upgraded to the same cabins as the Airbus A350 with a 2-2-2 configuration in business. The safety and well-being of our guests and staff have always been a top priority at Lee House Inn. Here are a few extra steps we are taking to ensure that all guests and staff safe.In addition to our already top-notch standards of cleaning for all of our guest rooms and common areas we have implementing additional deeper cleaning and sanitizing.All team members have been educated on the signs.
Through a new partnership with Sequoia Aircraft Conversions and the Kansas Modification Center, the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State University will begin a large-scale entrepreneurial Boeing 777 passenger-to-freighter conversion program.
The program, led by NIAR's Engineering Design and Modification Team (EDM), will focus on the conversion of 777-300ER passenger aircraft from passenger-transport operations into cargo aircraft to meet the growing e-commerce high-volume freight transportation market.
The program allows NIAR EDM to provide engineering, modification, flight test, and certification for this and other commercial and defense programs, initially providing jobs for nearly 40 full-time engineers and 10 Wichita State engineering students. As the program progresses, there will be additional opportunities for WSU and WSU Tech students, especially those in the Aviation Maintenance Technician School.
Sequoia Aircraft Conversions will market the passenger to freighter conversions. Kansas Mod Center will own the STC and license the conversions.
NIAR EDM is based out of the former Boeing Air Force One modification facilities adjacent to McConnell Air Force Base. They provide new product development, production design, initial and Supplemental Type Certification, instrumentation installation, modifications and field support/repair.
The team consists of 140 engineers with more than 3,500 years of combined experience in engineering and program management.
About NIAR
NIAR provides research, testing, certification and training for aviation and manufacturing technologies. Established in 1985, NIAR has a $96 million annual budget; a staff of 650; and nearly one million square feet of laboratory and office space in four locations across the city of Wichita, the Air Capital of the World. NIAR laboratories include Additive Manufacturing, Advanced Coatings, Advanced Manufacturing, Aging Aircraft, Ballistics/Impact Dynamics, CAD/CAM, Composites/Advanced Materials, Crash Dynamics, Environmental/Electromagnetic Test, Full-scale Structural Test, Nondestructive Test, Reverse Engineering, Robotics/Automation, Virtual Engineering, eXtended Reality and the Walter H. Beech Wind Tunnel. www.niar.wichita.edu
About Wichita State
Wichita State University serves as the Kansas urban-based research university, enrolling more than 20,000 students from every state in the U.S. and more than 100 countries. Wichita State and WSU Tech are recognized for being student centered and innovation driven.
Located in the largest city in the state with one of the highest concentrations in the United States of jobs involving science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), Wichita State University provides uniquely distinctive and innovative pathways of applied learning, applied research and career opportunities for all of our students.
The Innovation Campus, which is a physical extension of the Wichita State University main campus, is one of the nation's largest and fastest-growing research/innovation parks, encompassing over 120 acres and is home to a number of global companies and organizations.
For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.
Well this is a pleasant surprise to wake up to. While most of us are still nursing our way through our morning coffee, ANA decided to go big. This morning, ANA announced they will be offering a new first class and business class seat on their 777-300 ER planes. I'm not even sure calling it a surprise gives ANA enough credit though. This is a mic drop.
New First Class – 'The Suite'
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
ANA describes their new first class suite as the most spacious fully enclosed seating ever seen on an ANA aircraft'. It certainly looks roomy and impressive. While their current first class is an awkward not-enclosed-kind-of-enclosed-faux-wood seat, the new seat is fully inclosed and looks really sleek. If you're sitting in a middle seat, the suite also includes a partition that can be raised or lowered, depending on if you like the person next to you 😉.
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
Perhaps the most noticeable feature is the new 43-inch 4K in-flight entertainment screen. Let that sink in for a second – 43 freaking inches. That's close to what many people have in their homes, but ANA put it in an airplane. I'm not sure I've ever heard of anything close to that on an airplane. If they can figure out how to serve wings and show football, I'd feel right at home on Sundays in the fall.
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
New Business Class – 'The Room'
ANA's New Business Class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
Not to be forgotten, ANA is also introducing a new business class seat called, 'The Room'. The new business class seat seems to take a page out of the Qatar Qsuite playbook. 'The Room' features doors, giving passengers the option to have a fully enclosed seat. The seat also offers what ANA describes as, 'one of the largest Business Class seating environments in the world – with a wide sofa which is double the width to previous Business Class seating'.
ANA's new business class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
Based on promotional pictures, ANA's new business class seat looks incredible. This has the potential to rival Qatar's Qusites for the top business class product in the world. We'll have to wait and see whether the actual product matches the marketing speak once it is officially launches next month.
ANA's new business class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
United New 777 Configuration
Cabin Layout
ANA's updated 777-300 ER will maintain a premium-heavy cabin layout. The updated cabin will feature:
- 8 first class seats in a 1-2-1 layout
- 64 business class seats in a staggered 1-2-1 layout
- 24 premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout
- 116 economy seats in a 3-4-3 layout
Great! So, when can I fly this?
The redesigned cabin will launch on the Tokyo Haneda/London (HND-LHR) route on August 2nd. The flight will operate under the flight numbers NH211 (westbound) and NH212 (eastbound).
To start out, the aircraft will be operated on the even number dates in August and odd number dates in September. The new aircraft will operate daily beginning in late August or early September.
For more information, follow us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/wichitastate and Facebook at www.facebook.com/wichita.state.
Well this is a pleasant surprise to wake up to. While most of us are still nursing our way through our morning coffee, ANA decided to go big. This morning, ANA announced they will be offering a new first class and business class seat on their 777-300 ER planes. I'm not even sure calling it a surprise gives ANA enough credit though. This is a mic drop.
New First Class – 'The Suite'
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
ANA describes their new first class suite as the most spacious fully enclosed seating ever seen on an ANA aircraft'. It certainly looks roomy and impressive. While their current first class is an awkward not-enclosed-kind-of-enclosed-faux-wood seat, the new seat is fully inclosed and looks really sleek. If you're sitting in a middle seat, the suite also includes a partition that can be raised or lowered, depending on if you like the person next to you 😉.
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
Perhaps the most noticeable feature is the new 43-inch 4K in-flight entertainment screen. Let that sink in for a second – 43 freaking inches. That's close to what many people have in their homes, but ANA put it in an airplane. I'm not sure I've ever heard of anything close to that on an airplane. If they can figure out how to serve wings and show football, I'd feel right at home on Sundays in the fall.
ANA's new first class – 'The Suite' (courtesy of ANA)
New Business Class – 'The Room'
ANA's New Business Class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
Not to be forgotten, ANA is also introducing a new business class seat called, 'The Room'. The new business class seat seems to take a page out of the Qatar Qsuite playbook. 'The Room' features doors, giving passengers the option to have a fully enclosed seat. The seat also offers what ANA describes as, 'one of the largest Business Class seating environments in the world – with a wide sofa which is double the width to previous Business Class seating'.
ANA's new business class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
Based on promotional pictures, ANA's new business class seat looks incredible. This has the potential to rival Qatar's Qusites for the top business class product in the world. We'll have to wait and see whether the actual product matches the marketing speak once it is officially launches next month.
ANA's new business class – 'The Room' (courtesy of ANA)
United New 777 Configuration
Cabin Layout
ANA's updated 777-300 ER will maintain a premium-heavy cabin layout. The updated cabin will feature:
- 8 first class seats in a 1-2-1 layout
- 64 business class seats in a staggered 1-2-1 layout
- 24 premium economy seats in a 2-4-2 layout
- 116 economy seats in a 3-4-3 layout
Great! So, when can I fly this?
The redesigned cabin will launch on the Tokyo Haneda/London (HND-LHR) route on August 2nd. The flight will operate under the flight numbers NH211 (westbound) and NH212 (eastbound).
To start out, the aircraft will be operated on the even number dates in August and odd number dates in September. The new aircraft will operate daily beginning in late August or early September.
Final Thoughts
We've seen many airlines significantly upgrade their business class offerings the past few years. With the recent innovations in business class, many airlines are choosing to do-away with first class entirely. With the addition of doors to products like Qatar's Qsuites, Delta One, and British Airways new Club World Suite, airlines don't see as much of a need for a higher service cabin.
Not only has ANA improved their business class and added a door. They've given us a new product that looks like a first class seat, while still being in business. On top of that, they've also improved their first class. It's a welcome surprise to see an airline not only commit to keeping first class, but improve their product. The real star here though is the business class. I can't wait to see it in action.
New 777 Wing
What do you think of ANA's new first class and business class seats?
