samyoull

Agreed, that'll be a very competitive product.

oranjemakker

This is what China Eastern do, they have the Qantas type seats with a door and then the front row is sold as some sort of separate product. its much wider etc as there is no seat in front but I have never seen anyone use it. I think DYKWIA class is a great name! this article shows how it works
https://www.aircraftinteriorsinterna...ess-class.html

i would feel like a total plonker in the "DKWIA" class seat

samyoull

Anecdotally, and this might be different post COVID-19 but the vast majority of people I see in NZ J transpacific aren't leisure pax/couples (kiwis dress v casually to fly) so I wouldn't be so quick to jump on this assumption

edmm

I disagree. I have happily paid for a throne seat on Austrian and would pay for one of these on occasion. It has nothing to do with DYKWIA, it is abour space and privacy. I would certainly pay for it on a special long haul trip with my wife, dining together in the air is a special experience if the food (seldom on NZ), wine and service are good enough. The journey is as important as the destination on a special holiday.
I think the current crisis is a good time for NZ to do a complete reset of BP, we should be showcasing the best of NZ foods and wine. We have the best in the world, NZ BP is an ideal place to show it to the world.

SFO_FT

NZ's long-haul shares of corporate travellers (vs couples and others travelling for leisure and VFR) are low when compared to many other markets (eg, JFK/LHR, HKG/LHR, SIN/TYO, etc) are generally considered corporate-heavy markets, with lots of solo business travelers interested in private seats rather than "doubles". Even QF long-haul likely has higher market shares of corporates than does NZ. TYO/HNL, on the other hand, is very leisure-focused, with very few corporates. Who are flying between NZ and the US nowadays -- almost entirely repatriating Kiwis? Cant imagine many corporate travelers of any nationality are flying these. samyoull: what vast majority of pax types were you seeing on the NAmerica flights preCOVID?

samyoull

Yeah agreed most travel right now is repatriation but that's not really pertinent to a long term product decision on the part of NZ, considering how long the current BP has been in the skies!

My experience has been lots of NZ/AU based folks in full J cabins ex AKL on Sundays/Mondays and ex LAX/SFO Thursdays/Fridays/Saturdays as was my usual travel pattern - can't speak to the rest of the week which I imagine have more leisure pax.

You see lots of folks from PER/ADL/BNE who would rather transit AKL than SYD to head stateside.

oranjemakker

I think paying extra for the seat makes sense maybe (unless they turn the whole BP into s2s, but what's DYKWIA about it to me is treating it like a separate class and the naffness of a "premium blanket" ffs. It's just four seats in the same cabin.
If they want a first class make it a proper one with a separate cabin

edmm

Completely agree. The front seats in the new Business Premier are very likely to have more room and privacy, and my point was that I would happily pay extra for that. If it is to be First Class then we will also pay on occasion, but it needs to be a proper First Class, with a separate cabin, better food, wine and service. I would be very unhappy to be given a "premium blanket" in BP, as if that makes it somehow a better product.

jawnbc

When AKL JFK finally launches, I could see this doing well. But most 13 or less hour flights? Probably not.

SFO_FT

Highly unlikely NZ will introduce a dedicated F product given their markets and the generally high-quality C product in the markets they serve (both NZ future C and competitors). Rather, this C+ product (likely sold as an upcharge to C) is pretty easy and low-cost for them to introduce while creating a small revenue benefit. Assuming a slightly larger seat in a 4-seat mini cabin with slightly enhanced software (ie, pillows and blankets), a companion dining seat that’s not similarly available in C, and “maybe” slightly better bubbly, would you (and others in your party) pay, say NZ$600 each for the privilege?

kiwiandrew

JFK , ma puce? Wishful thinking on your part, perhaps :-) I know it would be more convenient for you than EWR, but h�las , non.

nzkarit

Who else feels they are just seeing if they can charge more for the full width foot well as the front row doesn't need to have a seat infront of it?

SFO_FT

Based on the proposed names (Alcove, Retreat, ..), it appears they're considering dividers between this C+ mini-cabin and the rest of C. Makes sense. Curtains won't work, tho, given that the C lavs are up front.

Good to see that they’re getting close to announcing the much-needed C cabin refresh.

Chessboxin

Agreed. They're trying to see what they can get away with charging for. All of these options seem to already be in place with the current seat.

Additionally, who at NZ thought people would be willing to pay more for a "premium blanket"?

sbiddle

Out of probably the last 10x 777 flights I've had one only used the duvet on probably one or two occasions due to the heating being cranked up so hot meaning it's unnecessary!