Seating experts examine the push for premium
This is a special feature from the June/July 2025 Seating & IFEC issue of PAX Tech on page 12.
Air New Zealand’s Business Premier Cabin
Influenced by evolving passenger preferences, there has been a shift onboard toward premium products and differentiation, and airlines are increasingly investing in premium seating solutions.
Air New Zealand is a recent case in point. Speaking to PAX Tech, Chief Commercial Officer Jeremy O’Brien says that for the past few years, the airline has seen an increased demand across its premium cabins, particularly from its long-haul markets.
“This trend was something we have been monitoring and fed into the decision behind increasing our premium capacity on our retrofitted aircraft. Our retrofit program will see an increase in capacity in our premium cabins by 27 percent across all 14 aircraft once the retrofits are complete,” O’Brien reveals.
Front row views
VantageNOVA First star configuration
The airline is in the early stages of retrofitting its fleet of 787-9 aircraft with a reimagined cabin experience that includes new seats in every class such as all the new Business Premier Luxe (four seats in the front row of the Business Premier cabin) and Business Premier seats from Safran Seats.
Northern Ireland’s Thompson Aero Seating is also seeing an increase in demand for the Enhanced Front Row in both its long-haul twin-aisle VantageNOVA (unveiled at this year’s Aircraft Interiors and due to be delivered to an unspecified customer in 2026) and VantageXL+ (recently launched with China Southern Airlines for its A350 fleet).
In conversation with PAX Tech, the company’s Head of Sales & Commercial, Phil Howe reveals that the majority of customer inquiries for the Business Class product come from established airlines having this as a clear requirement.
“This trend is being seen not only in the traditional Business Class operators but also those with a leisure fleet, as they are looking to add a further level of premium seating to their cabin. Business Class cabins are currently growing in size due to the continued demand for premium travel outside of the businessperson traveling alone for work. The Enhanced Front Row is no longer just for the Zone 1 in the aircraft; it is also requested in the Zone 2 area to maximize the options for the passengers and provide an increase in revenue for the airline above a traditional Business Class offering,” Howe says.
According to Howe, the push for the upgraded Business Class is not limited to the usual areas of the globe and airlines who have traditionally led the drive for the upgraded product, such as Emirates, Japan Airlines or Singapore Airlines.
“The demand for such products is being seen from more countries and regions across the globe as airlines look to differentiate their product from their competition who are servicing the same routes and passenger groups,” he says.
Howe also adds that this trend is not only in the widebody fleets but is being seen on the latest generation of single aisle aircraft. As their range continues to extend, it is driving the requirement to recover the highest potential revenue from the available space in the cabin through the inclusion of an enhanced front row offering.
At a premium
RECARO Aircraft Seating R4 Premium Economy seat in the recline position
Dr. Mark Hiller, CEO of RECARO Aircraft Seating and RECARO Holding, believes that with a notable increase in leisure travel, airlines are seeking to enhance the passenger experience to attract and retain customers who are willing to invest more in comfort and quality.
“This trend is particularly pronounced as leisure travelers seek enhanced amenities without the full cost of business class, making Premium Economy an attractive middle ground,” Hiller tells PAX.
Since its introduction by EVA Air more than thirty years ago, the attraction and adoption of Premium Economy has grown. However, as Hiller observes, “Right now, Premium Economy represents the smallest segment in terms of cabin layout. This specialized section is designed to bridge the gap between standard Economy and Business Class, offering enhanced comfort and amenities. Due to the premium features and increased space requirements, airlines typically allocate a limited number of Premium Economy seats within the overall economy cabin.”
Hiller also says that as Premium Economy evolves, it may adopt certain features traditionally found in Business Class, such as enhanced comfort and generous living and personal space. “However, Business Class will likely remain distinct in terms of luxury amenities and full privacy options,” he concludes.
All Nippon Airways (ANA) was one of the earliest adopters of Premium Economy, introducing the class in 2002. As ANA’s Katsunori Maki, Director - Cabin Products and Services Planning (Head of Cabin Programs), Customer Experience remarks, Premium Economy has been thought of as an extension of Economy Class–until now.
“We believe that Premium Economy should be treated as an independent and different passenger experience from now on, not only the seat product but also with other services,” he points out, noting that some airlines have already started offering different food and beverage services and amenities from the ones available in Economy Class, with ANA itself offering access to lounges for its Premium Economy passengers.
RECARO’s R4 headrest for ANA
ANA is a long-standing customer of RECARO, recently selecting the company’s new R4 seat for its Premium Economy cabin on its next-generation 787-9 long-haul international aircraft, with deployment scheduled to begin next year.
Maki admits that while First and Business Class seats have evolved significantly in the past 30 years, from lie-flat bed to full-flat bed and from direct aisle access to having suite doors, there have been no such iterative enhancements to the Premium Economy seat itself. What ANA and other airlines have done, however, is improve the functionality, such as the personal monitor size, USB charging, etc.
In such a situation, the gap with Business Class seats is widening, asserts Maki. With direct flights becoming more common because of aircraft performance improvements and flight times getting longer, “We believe that what our customers need most is enhanced seat comfort,” he says.
“From this new R4 seat, we have increased the seat pitch from 38 inches to 40 inches and the recline from seven to nine inches from [the] previous Premium Economy and enhanced the passenger experience dramatically,” explains Maki. “Adding another two inches of recline is improving the passenger’s comfort.”
For Hiller, the premium boom can be more accurately described as a strategic enhancement of passenger experience. Airlines are focused on differentiating their offerings to meet the evolving needs and preferences of travelers.
“This segment will grow approximately 20 percent in the next five years on an annual basis, it is a purposeful investment in quality, comfort and innovation to provide meaningful value to passengers,” he says.
Hiller believes that with this, the trend toward premium products and differentiation is poised to be a long-term development in the aviation industry.
“The sustained growth in leisure travel, coupled with ongoing advancements in seat design and passenger comfort, indicate that premium offerings will remain a core component of airline strategies. As passenger expectations continue to evolve, the demand for enhanced comfort and personalized experiences will drive continued investment in premium cabins,” he says.
