Air Canada joins the Boeing 787 club early next year as it takes delivery of the first of 37 Dreamliners – a mix of both the original 787-8 and stretched 787-9.
Europe is on the cards for the Dreamliner’s debut in July, with Sydney and Melbourne likely candidates for the longer-range 787-9 from late 2015.
Read: Air Canada maps out new Boeing 787 routes
The Canadian flag-carrier has opted for a three-class layout across 251 seats in the Boeing 787-8 with business, premium economy and economy.
The cabin has been designed for a “contemporary, sophisticated” look, the airline says, using warm natural textiles and fabrics, while the colour palette is based in slate grey “with hints of Canadian red and celeste blue”.
The 20 business class seats, which Air Canada tags as ‘executive pods’, feature a similar mix of privacy and access as we’re seeing in other new international business products such as Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines and Qantas’ forthcoming business suite.
The 1-2-1 layout provides direct aisle access for every traveller, with the solo seats angled towards the window while the two centre seats are angled slightly towards each other.
Each of the middle seats sport a privacy screen which can be lowered if you’re travelling with a partner or colleague.
The seats extends to an 80 inch fully flat bed dressed with a 100% cotton duvet and, for that extra touch of indulgence, a new espresso and cappuccino service featuring Lavazza coffee.
Other creature comforts include an 18 inch touchscreen video panel and controller and an amenity kit featuring Canadian-made Escents aromatherapy products.
If you’re more ‘budget’ than ‘business’, Air Canada’s premium economy cabin offers 21 seats in a 2-3-2 pattern.
Passengers get a 19.5 inch wide seat with 38 inch pitch and a 7 inch recline. Each set has its own 11 inch touchscreen panel, USB and AC power socket.
The rest of the 787 is given over to 210 economy seats ranked 3-3-3.
Air Canada says their “personal space is consistent” with its current economy cabins, which we’ll take to mean around a 31-32 inch pitch, although the slimline seats should afford a bit of extra room around the knees.
To take your mind off the squeeze there’s a 9 inch touchscreen with a USB port and “universal power ports at arms’ reach”, which could mean one per seat or one shared between every few seats.
For an extended sneak peak at Air Canada’s new Boeing 787, watch the video below.
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About David Flynn
David Flynn is the editor of Australian Business Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Email: david@ausbt.com.au
Twitter: @djsflynn
Inside Air Canada"s new Boeing 787
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