sxc

Remember this BA Club World concept that was leaked many years ago?

https://www.executivetraveller.com/s...s-seat-designs

(scroll down about two-thirds to see the PriestmanGoode concept)

It appears to have found a customer in Finnair. I think BA dodged a bullet with this. The Finnair seat looks like a very uncomfortable bench seat. I can’t imagine sitting propped on cushions for a few hours let alone 12 hours.

https://www.headforpoints.com/2022/0...emium-economy/

crazy8534

Reading HfP today about the new Finnair seat and it immediately reminded me of a BA design that I think was discussed on here at the time but never came to anything:
From 2014: British Airways New Business Class Seat Patent Revealed

I'm glad they didn't go for it in the end I think it was a bit of an odd angle for sitting although might have been comfortable enough for "curling up with a book"!
The finnair version seems slightly "straightened-out".

These were the BA patent drawings:

pythonisman

Maybe it's a symptom of the "component shortage" meaning less (or no?) semiconductors required for hefty mechanical mechanisms for recline/bed mode etc.

It looks somewhat innovative, but I agree that not much about it is appealing. My first thought seeing the Finnair news was that their seat looks very closed in / reminds me a bit of the VS/NZ coffin J seats, with a little more privacy.

I'm guessing they got a great deal?

sondra_finchley

Checking out the HfP article - kinda reminds me of those "pods" in open plan offices that were all the pre-Covid rage as they helped provide some privacy and muffled noise. Hmmm.

We are heavily considering Finnair to the US in May on their A350/330 fleet to ORD and from LAX so I wonder the likelihood of ending up on one of the refurbed aircraft. And no more cool glassware?! Errgggh - wonder if they will notice if I perhaps drop one in my carryon? :P

bhomburg

No need to worry. Finnair doesn't 'do' refurbishments, the new seat will only be on new aircraft deliveries. The ones currently flying will keep their seats for now.
And you can actually buy the glassware from them: https://www.finnairshop.com/en/home-...leware/glasses

teme

Not quite true. Finnair will refurbish current fleet and implement new premium economy as well. First flights scheduled in March.

FlightDetective

They plan to have the entire fleet with the new seats by the end of 2023, so they certainly do 'do' refurbishments.

I was unaware their very cool glassware had been around since 1969!! Always loved it.

sondra_finchley

I didnt realise that they do LAX-ARN nonstop too which works much better for us since SK pulled their direct flight. We took them shorthaul years ago ARN-HEL-LHR and it was more or less fine with not enough time in HEL to see anything really. But the moves they are making with product and route strategy will put some pressure on poor old Scandinavian for sure.

James Russell

i thought they had not long taken delivery of new a350s ans those business class got really good reviews. Thry surely wont have had much use before end 2023

James Russell

[QUOTE=sondra_finchley;33983497]Checking out the HfP article - kinda reminds me of those "pods" in open plan offices that were all the pre-Covid rage as they helped provide some privacy and muffled noise. Hmmm.

That was exactly my thought too

choosethedrew

I can't believe they put those glasses on a plane, they are extremely heavy! The kind of high quality, iconic design that you would never see on BA

Ultima glassware is, sadly, going as part of this change although they are keeping the champagne glass.

SKT-DK

I do not see their ARN based strategy working in the long run - many have tried and failed.

This seat looks incredibly uncomfortable to me, and knowing the seat SK has as the competition, I would hazard to say they win hands down even with a connection

Jimmie76

The BA design avoided the foot box under the seat in in front, this doesn’t. Unsurprisingly this isn’t a thing that the video is keen to highlight. Speaking as someone who has a dislike of foot/feet boxes that design doesn’t inspire me much.

choosethedrew

I agree, the thing with the BA design is that you can lounge around better as there was a lot more width, as there was no table - unlike the Finnair version.

In an effort to have window facing seats it appears that this design loses all BA’s designs positive points and keeps all of the negative ones.

Kettering Northants QC

Arguably the biggest aviation youtubers blog this week on the new Finnair seat failed to mention that the seat doesn't recline. Seemed a vey strange omission, unless Finnair is nervous about this particular aspect of the new seat and is reluctant to promote what the seat doesn't do.

Access looks quite cramped. The video I've seen makes it look like a lot of the leg rest adjustments are done manually. I'm also not sold on the idea of me resting my head to sleep on or close to wihere previous flyers have been sitting for hours

Concept might be quite good for younger people who probably suffer less from sleeping and sitting at odd angles. Me, with my increasingly achy joints, dodgy knee, just want a reasonably accessible adjustable seat that goes flat.