Cathay Pacific unveils Airbus A321neo with new Regional Business Class seats

Hong-Kong based Cathay Pacific has unveiled its first Airbus A321neo with all-new Regional Business Class seats.

Why is Cathay Pacific getting A321neos

For decades, Cathay Pacific has only operated wide-body aircrafts such as the Boeing B777. However, in late 2020, it was announced that Cathay Dragon (Cathay Pacific’s wholly owned subsidiary) would be merged with Cathay Pacific. While Cathay Dragon primarily flew Airbus A330s, it also flew narrow body aircraft.

Cathay Dragon had 16 A321neos on order, which are now going to Cathay Pacific. Cathay Pacific has already taken delivery of four of these with more two aircraft coming in the second half of 2021. The remaining 10 will all be delivered by the end of 2023.

The last time that Cathay Pacific operated narrow body airplanes was in 1983, when the airline retired its Boeing B707s.

Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A321neo

Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A321neos feature 202 seats, including 12 in Business Class and 190 in Economy Class. The A321neo is our first aircraft to feature the airline’s newly designed Regional Business Class seat product.

This hard-shell recliner seat provides a cocoon-like feel with divider screens for ‘maximum’ privacy, while there are also 15.6-inch 4K Ultra-HD personal TV screens at every seat. Meanwhile, the Economy Class seats feature 11.6-inch 4K personal TV screens along with a ‘generous recline, comfortable seat cushions and new adjustable headrests’.

With the A321neo, Cathay Pacific is the first airline in the world to provide 4K ultra-high-definition screens, a 4K video-on-demand experience as well as Bluetooth audio streaming (being introduced progressively) across all cabins. Passengers will be able to use their Bluetooth-enabled headphones on Cathay Pacific A321neo flights.

Stay up to date: Sign up for my newsletter to never miss latest Aviation and Travel news.

And finally, according to the airline, the A321neo will have a new and enhanced content selection providing one of the largest movie and TV libraries available on a regional single-aisle aircraft. Cathay Pacific is also slowly introducing onboard Wi-Fi across its fleet.

Furthermore, the carrier says that it has added new ‘extra-large’ overhead storage bins in all cabins, providing 60% more space for passengers to stow their carry-on luggage.

Augustus Tang, Chief Executive Officer, Cathay Pacific, said:

We’re incredibly excited to see our next-generation A321neo take to the skies for the first time next month as we continue to add more passenger services in the region. The single-aisle A321neo is the newest addition to our fleet and has been designed and fitted with an array of new features that offer the most enjoyable short-haul experience in the world to our customers. We look forward to deploying A321neos on more regional routes and welcoming customers on board.

Cathay Pacific’s A321neo will enter commercial service on 4th August 2021 when it takes its inaugural flight from Hong Kong to Shanghai (Pudong). During August, the airline will fly these aircraft to Guangzhou, Hangzhou, Nanjing, Qingdao, Kaohsiung and Taipei.

Meanwhile, Cathay Pacific recently launched its premium travel lifestyle brand, ‘Cathay’.

Featured image by Cathay Pacific

What do you think of Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A321neo? Did you like the new regional Business Class seat? Let me know in the comments section below.

Follow IH Aviation and Travel on Social Media on Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.