Originally Posted by
nomadabroad
Do you understand how aircraft seating works? It can take 3-4 years to launch a new seat - don't forget that these things have to go through rigorous crash testing. Vantage Nova was unveiled in September and is not expected to break cover on a commercial flight until
at least 2026. It's also described as a 'compact' and 'high density' configuration and retains the enclosed footwell, so I'm slightly confused why you think it would address your concerns about bed length / footwell.....
The reality is that all airlines are trying to optimise for density. It will always be a trade off. You might want an uninterrupted footwell but are you willing to pay for it when another airline is x% cheaper? If you really wanted that space, why don't you just pay for First? It's because you're willing to compromise - and find the sweetspot between cold, hard cash and comfort.
Originally Posted by
US HK UK flyer
I've heard it claimed that travel bloggers had a big influence and were comparing it to other airlines and saying stuff like "wow, X airline has doors and big TVs" and "when will CX refresh their product?" so the focus came to be on those things as opposed to what was working well and less discussed.
Again, it sounds like you don't actually understand how these seats are designed. Elements, which is what Aria is based on, is about the third or fourth design iteration of Collins' super popular Diamond / Super Diamond seat. It's probably one of the most popular seats out there and has been used from everyone from Qatar Airways, BA, Etihad, Starlux and more. Cirrus (which is CX's current business class) is probably the only other seat that has sold in similar volumes.
For business class, footwells are fundamentally an area of compromise because of the way seats are being tessellated. If you want a full width, uninterrupted seat then pay for first class. In business class, airlines are trying to layer passengers so that one person's feet are under your side console table. This allows them to sell the seats at a lower cost than first class and offer the sort of mass affluent business class seats we have to day. Yes, it's a compromise but it's not as if seat manufacturers and airlines aren't aware of this or trying to innovate in this space.
Oh and by the way - even Qsuite, which many people consider the world's best business class, has a surprisingly tight footwell.