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Wow! The Cathay Pacific new first class design concept is gorgeous AF

a bed in a plane

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Cathay Pacific First Class Concept

2021 started off with a frenzy of credit card news, but now we have a very good reason to get excited about using all those points! The skinny on a new drop dead gorgeous, Cathay Pacific First Class. Via Executive Traveller and design firm Yellow Window, Cathay Pacific gently reminded us why they are considered one of the best airlines in the world. Case in point: Their 777-9 all new, first class cabin concept design. Fingers crossed this goes from concept to reality.

If the palate of the new concept looks familiar, Yellow Window also designed Air France First Class. Personally I think the first concept iteration has a lot of AF vibes from the seat to color palate and cabin openness. VFTW thought so too.

From Yellow Window:

The cabin design is based on a concept of “metamorphosis” and the first-class suite must be able to offer different spaces for different points in the journey, becoming a lounge, an office, a dining room and a bedroom.

Here is the current Cathay Pacific First Class – you can read our review

Prices from the States using points and miles

  • Still 70k Alaska Miles
  • 110k American Miles
  • 110k+ Asia Miles

The New Cathay Pacific First Class Concept

Here is a side view

a seat in a plane
Courtesy of Yellow Window

More top down look

Cathay Pacific First Class Concept Design
courtesy of Yellow Window

And then bed mode

Cathay Pacific First Class Concept Design
courtesy of yellow window

Keeping the Cathay 1-1-1 cabin layout

a room with a couch and a green pillow
courtesy of yellow window

One concept wasn’t enough, so Yellow Window came up with another design

This is unlike anything we’ve seen before in terms of cabin design, and honestly I have no idea how it reconfigures. Certainly a bed mode must be possible, but those concept pictures weren’t available. No doubt, something in the realm of this iteration would set Cathay part from other airlines with avant garde design.

a bed and a couch in a plane

HEre is the aerial view of that cabin in a 1-1 configuration. An interesting choice putting the passengers so close to eachother in the aisle with little barrier. I’m not seeing a door here, but I’d be surprised that if they chose this design that something wouldn’t be integrated.
a group of chairs with colorful lights

Very cool designs, but where are the doors?

This reminds me a lot of Air France First Class and they have integrated curtains for privacy. Personally, I’d prefer to have a door, but the decision not to include one was certainly thought out, and perhaps in the realization of these concepts will be included. It’s hard to tell, but we have quite a while to wait to see. Current estimates are that we won’t see Cathay take delivery on the 779 until maybe 2025!

Maybe they’ll retrofit? Fingers crossed.

What do you think?

Don’t those give you AF vibes? Am I wrong?

a seat in a plane
courtesy of Air France

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

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4 Comments

  • Christian January 23, 2021

    I love the current iteration. The only thing that could be done better outside of a door would be to adopt the sliding tray on a track like JAL has. I hope that Cathay won’t adopt a four seat first class. It’s already literally impossible to find two saver award seats in the current configuration. As VFTW points out, getting even a single award seat will become impossible if they adopt the four seat setup.

  • Daniel January 23, 2021

    I don’t think it looks that great. I’d much rather fly the new or old EK F, Qatar Qsuites etc.

    • Franklin January 28, 2021

      Agree. I prefer Air France La Premiere. More classy.

  • Tom January 23, 2021

    I love the designs, but I still prefer a 1-2-1, so I can sit with, and share the flying experience with, my wife.

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