Air NZ adds touch of class to jetliners at $20m apiece

Air New Zealand has revealed how much it will cost to fly the world in its flash new seats.

The airline is spending $20 million on each of its eight Boeing 747-400, pulling out all the seats and interiors, installing inflight entertainment systems and new lie-flat beds.

First class is being axed, but travellers in all classes will get new seats and enjoy new menus and service. Flight attendants also get new uniforms.

The airline's fleet of eight new Boeing 777-200 planes, which start arriving this year, will also be fitted out with the new-look seats and interiors.

Air NZ said yesterday its new "premium economy" class will cost around 25 per cent more than standard economy fares, meaning a return flight between Auckland and Los Angeles would cost $2399, while London would cost $2999.

Fares in the new "business premier" class with the lie-flat beds are higher, with a $6759 return fare between Auckland and Los Angeles.

Because refitting all its planes will take time, the new seats and services will be rolled out progressively on certain routes. The first to get the treatment are flights to San Francisco, while the Auckland-Los Angeles-London route will begin in November.

Air NZ's refitted Boeing 747-400s will have 36 "business premier" seats in the front of the main deck, with another 10 on the upper deck, along with 23 of the new "Pacific premium economy" seats.

The remaining 324 cheap seats, called"Pacific economy" will fill up the rest of the main deck.

Scott McCrae, director of corporate business at the House of Travel, said it would be interesting to see how businesses reacted to the change in travel classes. Many required their workers to fly economy for trips of less than five hours, with business class allowed for longer flights.

Now companies would have to decide whether to pay for the lie-flat beds, or to have their people fly premium economy. Other airlines around the world offered business class seats in premium economy but provided the same food, drinks and entertainment as economy class.

New airfares

* Auckland to Los Angeles return Premium economy $2399

* Business premier (with lie-flat seats) $6759