HONOLULU - Bringing the serenity of Hawai'i's shores to the air, Hawaiian Airlines has welcomed home its first Airbus A330 aircraft featuring fully lie-flat seating in a spacious Premium Cabin that surrounds guests with modern, luxurious island-inspired designs and even a twinkling constellation paying homage to the history of Polynesian navigation.
"Our custom-built fully lie-flat seats and our new Premium Cabin redefine the leisure travel experience to Hawaii," said Mark Dunkerley, Hawaiian's president and CEO. "In details little and large we have crafted a new seat and a new cabin to look after our guests in unparalleled comfort accompanied by the authenticity and warmth of our in-flight Hawaiian hospitality."
The 18 lie-flat seats, whose curved shell evoke gentle ocean waves, fold into 180-degree beds that are 20.5 inches wide by 76 inches long, maximizing living space and providing options for both privacy and a shared flight experience. Aligned in a 2-2-2 configuration, the seats are ideally tailored to leisure guests (couples, families, honeymooners), while offering superior functionality to the business traveler. Guests will enjoy intuitive seat controls and access to multiple power ports, including two USB connections and one A/C outlet.
An advanced in-flight entertainment system is powered by the next generation of large-format tablets resting on an adjustable telescoping arm for optimal viewing angle and comfort.
Hawaiian collaborated with California-based consultancy PaulWylde to incorporate flowing curves evocative of the winds and ocean, while marrying organic textures and pops of bright saturated color in its Premium Cabin. Optimares, an innovative Italian seat manufacturer specializing in traveler-centric design, created an exclusive, highly-customized seat that will cradle guests in premium leather from renowned craftsmen Poltrona Frau. The airline's island design is reflected in earth, sand and sea tones alongside natural materials: from the wave-inspired seatback shell to an adjustable privacy partition of natural reeds embedded in resin, and a 'constellation panel' between premium and main cabins.
The constellation, Makali'i, rendered in subtly twinkling fiber-optic lights, is the cluster of stars appearing in the Northern Hemisphere during the winter months. Also known as Pleiades, or the Seven Sisters in Western astronomy, the stars were instrumental in guiding early Polynesian explorers on their Pacific journeys. They also hold special significance to Hawaiian Airlines: the constellation was high in the sky on the date of its first flight on Nov. 11, 1929, and Hawaiian's first A330 aircraft was christened Makali'i.
Hawaiian, Hawai'i's largest and longest-serving carrier, unveiled plans for its Premium Cabin last year. As part of the upgrade, Hawaiian is also adding 28 additional Extra Comfort seats to the A330 aircraft in response to growing demand for its popular premium economy service. The Extra Comfort option features 36 inches of seat pitch, priority boarding at the gate, complimentary on-demand in-seat entertainment, and a personal power outlet.
Today, Hawaiian's wide-body, twin-aisle A330-200 aircraft seat 294 passengers, with 18 in Business/First Class, 40 in Extra Comfort and 236 in the Main Cabin. In the new configuration, the aircraft will seat 278 passengers, with 18 in the Premium Cabin, 68 in Extra Comfort and 192 in the Main Cabin. Seat pitch in the Main Cabin will remain a roomy 31 inches.
Hawaiian's newly outfitted A330 aircraft's Premium Cabin will enter the carrier's U.S. West Coast network next month as an exciting surprise-and-delight feature for guests. Sales for the Premium Cabin are expected to commence in the fall, when the first dedicated routes will be revealed along with new signature service elements and a host of new amenities.
Hawaiian will phase installation of additional A330 Premium Cabins starting this fall through early 2018. It will have 23 A330s by this summer after taking delivery of its final aircraft type on order.
Hawaiian, the premier global carrier for leisure travel to Hawai'i, operates its A330 aircraft on the majority of its North American and international routes. Amenities include personal on-demand entertainment system, comfortable legroom, and a roomy interior. Adding to the enjoyment of the travel experience is the carrier's award-winning onboard hospitality program, Mea Ho'okipa (translation: I am host). Travelers are treated to island-inspired complimentary meals and made-in-Hawai'i snacks to go along with the airline's engaging presentation of the islands' culture, people and Aloha Spirit throughout the flight.
