Hainan Airlines upgrades long-haul aircraft cabins

Hainan Airlines has upgraded its long-haul in-flight products, with the roll-out of new cabins aboard its fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners.

The new passenger offerings were introduced recently on a flight from Guangzhou to Beijing, which featured a speech broadcast over the onboard tannoy system describing the new concept.

The upgraded 787-9 has a capacity of 292 passengers in a two-class configuration, with economy and business class cabins. Using the airline’s red and grey colour scheme, the business class cabin is laid out in a “reverse herringbone” format, with all seats featuring direct aisle access. The middle seats are separated by dividers that can be raised or lowered, allowing couples, colleagues or family members to sit together.

In economy class, Hainan Airlines has fitted a new range of lightweight seats with adjustable cushions and headrests.

The aircraft will also be equipped with Nespresso coffee machines on all long-haul international routes, and in terms of technology, the 787-9 features a new in-flight entertainment system and a “Seat Chat” function, which allows passengers in different seats to communicate with one another.

Hainan Airlines said in a statement that “every product upgrade is the result of the close attention that the airline pays to the passenger feedback that is received”.

“The company plans to expand its fleet of B787-9 Dreamliners and improve its products and services both on the ground and in the air, in celebration of its 24th anniversary,” it added.

Last year, Hainan Airlines became the first Chinese carrier to operate both versions of the Dreamliner – the 787-8 and 787-9. The fuel-efficient aircraft has been instrumental in helping the airline to expand its trans-Pacific network between China and the US.