When it comes to “luxury” premium cabin travel, it is widely accepted that Asian and Middle Eastern carriers outperform  European and American airlines. One of the most stable products in this market has been the Safran-manufactured Cirrus seat, which was introduced on Cathay Pacific in the 2010s after having found its way on US Airways and American Airlines in 2008 or so.

With Cirrus came the reverse-herringbone layout on Cathay Pacific, which has been prevalent since then. In this layout, airlines position your feet towards the window and your head towards the aisle. But with appropriate protection, you still have privacy.

Cathay Pacific installed this product on its regional and long-haul cabins, including the Boeing 777s and Airbus A330s.

But Cathay Pacific also realised that it had to change to keep up with the times, and hence, in 2023, it teased the launch of the Aria Suite. Aria is a heavily customised seat that has been in the works for over six years, as Vivian Lo, Cathay Pacific’s GM of Customer Experience and Design, tells us.

Registration for the Cathay Pacific Aria Suite Launch event at Cathay Pacific Headquarters in Hong Kong

Earlier this week, Cathay Pacific hosted an impressive event at the hangars of HAECO at Hong Kong International Airport to showcase the new product to the media. LiveFromALounge.com was there to check out the new seat in person.

Cathay Pacific unveils ARIA Suite at HAECO Hangars in HK.

Cathay Pacific’s Aria Business Class Suite: Understated luxury at 35,000 feet

Cathay Pacific launched the Aria Suite, which it designed over the past decade along with London-based JPA Design, to make its business-class product more contemporary and luxurious. During our interactions at the event, the airline representatives repeatedly mentioned the focus on understated luxury. The airline did not want an over-the-top seat; perhaps in line with the insights it gathered from its frequent travellers, but at the same time, it tried to make it a product that offered privacy and took in human design principles.

The airline has done a nose-to-tail retrofit of one of its Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, completely changing everything inside, including the galley, lavs, and, of course, the seats.

As you enter the aircraft from door L1, you will meet the brushwing insignia instead of the door that brings the crew to the rest area.

The Aria Suite Concept

The Aria Suite is Cathay’s answer to a growing trend: the demand for more personal space and increased privacy in business class. As airlines worldwide compete to offer luxurious in-flight experiences, Cathay Pacific has taken an approach to elevate their premium cabin experience with an eye on functionality and style.

This approach focuses on offering each passenger a space they can personalise and control. The idea is to deliver a journey where everything, from the lighting to the entertainment, is tailored to individual preferences. From the layout and finishes, Cathay has put significant thought into what modern business travellers want: privacy, flexibility, and comfort, all within an aesthetic that echoes elegance rather than opulence.

The Aria Suite unveiled

An Elegant, Efficient Layout

At first glance, the Aria Suite’s design feels expansive and surprisingly private for a business-class seat. Each suite has direct aisle access, which means no more awkward manoeuvring around fellow passengers to step out for a stretch or a restroom break. This all-aisle access layout provides a level of convenience that feels almost like a luxury in itself, particularly on long-haul flights where mobility is key.

The Aria Suite, onboard Cathay Pacific’s 77W

The suite’s fully enclosed design is a first for Cathay’s business class, incorporating sliding doors that give passengers complete privacy. Unlike some privacy shields that feel flimsy, Aria’s doors are substantial, adding an additional layer of seclusion. Whether you’re looking to catch up on work, enjoy a meal, or simply relax in peace, the doors create a serene personal space reminiscent of a first-class pod.

Lighting That Sets the Mood

Lighting in the Aria Suite is another highlight. It offers passengers control over their environment at the touch of a (touch) panel. With individually controlled ambient lighting options, you can tailor the suite’s illumination to fit your mood or time of day.

The Aria Suite’s armrest panel provides the ability to adjust lights

This includes cooler tones for daytime flights that gradually shift to softer, warmer hues as the evening sets in, helping passengers ease into relaxation. It’s a subtle but powerful feature, designed with the understanding that lighting can dramatically impact the flying experience, whether you’re working or unwinding.

One of the many LED lights outfitted on the Aria Suite

Seating Comfort and Precision Adjustments

The Aria Suite’s seat is crafted with comfort in mind. It’s spacious enough to stretch out without feeling confined. When it’s time to sleep, the seat reclines into a fully flat bed over six feet long, significantly improving from traditional lie-flat configurations. But the airline is tight-lipped about the exact measurements and has not even put these on the seat map, so this assessment is of a bunch of aviation passenger experience experts at the event, and don’t hold me to it!

What’s truly exceptional here is the range of personalisation options. The Aria Suite has intuitive seat controls that allow you to adjust everything from lumbar support to headrest height. Whether you want to work, lounge, or sleep, the seat adapts effortlessly. The tactile controls make adjustments smooth and precise, allowing passengers to fine-tune their seating without the hassle of figuring out complex controls. It’s a user-friendly design that caters to both business travellers and leisure flyers alike.

You can also switch up your seat controls via a screen interface, which is much more convenient than the option built into the armrest.

Seat Controls on your screen, on board the Aria Suite

Entertainment That Speaks to the Modern Traveler

Cathay has upped the ante with a 24-inch 4K screen in the Aria Suite, a generous size that surpasses many business-class offerings. It’s not just about the size; the display is sharp, vibrant, and perfectly angled for viewing from any seat position. The airline’s in-flight entertainment (IFE) system boasts an extensive library with over 1,000 hours of movies, TV shows, music, and more, ensuring passengers can choose what to watch, even on the longest routes.

Not just that, the airline went on and switched up the cameras under the cockpit so that the avgeeks could also enjoy their views of the runway in 4K.

The new aircraft’s IFE also has a 4K camera set up for the forward and downward cameras on board.

One of the most appealing features is Bluetooth connectivity, a first for Cathay. With this, passengers can pair their noise-cancelling headphones—a welcome change for those who prefer their own gear over airline-provided headsets. This feature aligns well with Cathay’s commitment to making the Aria Suite feel more like home, offering passengers a genuinely immersive experience.

Pair your own headphones / Airpods with the on-board IFE

The Bedding is premium, too

Sleeping in the Aria Suite is an experience all its own, thanks to a dedicated bedding setup that includes a thick mattress pad, premium pillow, and soft duvet. Cathay’s transforms the seat into a bed that’s both inviting and comfortable. A turndown service, available upon request, further elevates the experience, adding a touch of luxury usually reserved for first-class cabins.

Cathay Promises a premium bedding experience on long-haul flights

The quality of the bedding materials is evident, ensuring that passengers can sink into a restful sleep without any discomfort. For frequent flyers, the ability to sleep well mid-flight is invaluable, and Cathay has designed the Aria Suite with this in mind, making long-haul travel feel refreshingly restful.

A Workspace Above the Clouds

The Aria Suite has features that make productivity more accessible for those who work on the go. Each suite has a large, stable work table with multiple USB ports and power outlets, accommodating laptops and other devices.

The new tray tables on board the Aria Suite are firm and large enough to accommodate your laptop and a nice dinner spread.

Power and connectivity options are plentiful, with USB-A and USB-C ports and a universal power outlet. Passengers can work comfortably, charge all necessary devices, and stay connected throughout the journey. The suite was designed with the needs of business travellers in mind.

Multiple power options on board Aria, including USB-A, USB-C and universal power adaptor

The privacy doors and noise-reducing features create a focused work environment, ideal for those tackling projects or attending virtual meetings in transit.

Privacy Door on the Aria Suite

Is the loo open?

Not exactly a show-stopper, but this is so easy that you wonder why hasn’t it been done before. Cathay Pacific built into the IFE seats, an indicator which shows you the status of your closest lavatories. So, it has more information than the signs affixed on the edges of the cabin indicating of there is an open toilet or not. All via sensors/ internet of things.

Cathay Pacific’s new IFE systems tell you about the nearest lavatory, and if they are open.

Cathay did a great job with the lavatory on board as a part of the Aria Suite.

Where to find the Aria Suite?

For the first few months, Cathay is expected to fly the upgraded 777s on short hops to Beijing and Shanghai and then to Tokyo and Singapore before taking on a premium long-range route to Europe in January 2025. Think of these as crew familiarisation flights before the bird flies long haul. The airline has already flipped Hong Kong – Beijing to the new product, effective October 18, 2024.

While the first jet took over 90 days to retrofit, Cathay expects that from now on, each of the remaining 29 jets will undergo one month of surgery before emerging from the maintenance hangar with 45 private business class suites, 48 premium economy recliners, and 268 standard economy seats.

Bottomline

The Aria Suite represents a new era of comfort and exclusivity for frequent flyers, especially Cathay loyalists. With a renewed focus on privacy and in-flight customisation, business travellers and leisure flyers alike can look forward to a more personalised flying experience that caters to both work and relaxation. The addition of Bluetooth connectivity, noise-reducing doors, and flexible dining further speaks to Cathay’s understanding of the varied needs of today’s travellers.

As you can note, many of these are not groundbreaking changes but merely upgrades and refinements. COVID-19 allowed the airline to ride the trend and catch new technologies that have been evolving for a while.  Business class has evolved significantly over the years, and Cathay’s Aria Suite has tried to capture the pinnacle of this evolution.

It recognises that passengers no longer view their flight as simply a way to reach a destination; instead, they seek a premium experience where the journey is memorable and enjoyable. With Aria, Cathay has merged form with function, creating a space that’s not just luxurious but incredibly usable. This suite invites passengers to settle in, make themselves at home, and experience air travel as if they were at home.

What do you think of the new Aria Suite?

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