There are one or two rumours about that the new economy cabin will be 10 abreast, due to a narrowing of the aisles.
(Same rumours also indicate the new seats are 17" wide, replacing the earlier 17.8" seats.) Makes sense. You can only squeeze the aisles by so much.
This is on a business travel website.

To me, long haul travel is 90% about the seat. The meal makes a welcome diversion to interrupt the tedium, and distract one from the discomfort. The IFE can divert attention from the cramped surroundings for a time, but I still want to be comfortable while I'm watching it.
I have not been in any comfortable economy seats within the past few years. I would willingly swap a fancy meal and a good IFE unit for a seat that allowed me to sleep in comfort. That means having a base that slopes up a little when the seat is reclined, a footrest, and a back that does not have computer designed lumbar support that tries to eject me from it. It also means a minimum 34" pitch. (36 was good, when it was the norm.)

If the seat width actually is reduced from "breathe-out-hard; quick, sit down" to "clench-and-hold", I will never fly long haul in these things again, unless it is the only way out of disaster zone. I think 18.5" should be a minimum width for long haul. And I'd pay a little extra for it. Or choose an option that had that as standard. I probably would not pay ~50% more for what is offered here.

I think I may be out of step with most others, though. Friends who regularly travel long haul talk about, in order 1) the cost; 2) the IFE; 3) the meal; 4) the cost; 5) the next meal; and 6) the cost. Nobody else I know seems overly concerned with comfort/sleep.

Anyone done the math to work out how many more seats there will end up being in the cabin with a 10 abreast arrangement, even when that total has 22 half price seats deducted?

Now, to be not entirely negative, the premium economy offering looks fairly tasty. As does the business unit.

Wouldn't it be good if travel centres had a mock up of the seat, so you could try before you buy.

RedT I would challenge you to come up with an idea, engineer it, build prototypes and then get it certified in three years! I know it sounds easy but I suspect it's not! Having said that I think the time pressures may have eased with the delay of the 78.

Tarq: it's not rumor unfortunately. Check this link for a photo of the LOPA. I can only hope the 78 is narrow enough to only take 3-3-3. I suspect they are doing this as they are probably facing serious price pressure from LCCs and the likes of Emirates (who I reckon are a LCC in economy: terrible product except maybe the 380).

Second Coach Cabin on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

It is most deff 3-4-3 in Y class.

Its so bad they have to re-engineer the meal and bar carts as they will no longer fit down the narrowed aisles.

How in hell are pax bags going to fit when boarding and deplaning, but of bigger concern is how are they going to get all pax off in an emergency when flying to the likes of the Pacific Islands with the many XL sized PI pax. ???

From today's NZ Herald:

http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webconte...on_460x230.jpg

brilliant ;)

Forking funny.

That's almost a spoonerism.

whoop! whoop! pull out. :ooh:

Air NZ to introduce mobile, web services

Keeping cellphones off during flights will soon be a thing of the past with Air New Zealand set to introduce new aircraft with mobile and web services later this year.
Those on board the new Boeing 777-300 aircraft which makes it maiden flight in November will be able to send and receive text messages and emails and use the internet during the cruise stage of flight, international airline group general manager Ed Sims said today.
But the airline does not plan to enable voice calls on board, based on customer feedback.
Customers would be able to use iPhone, Blackberrys and GSM mobile phones, along with laptops and Netbooks with a mobile broadband connection, like a Telecom T-Stick or Vodafone Vodem.
Passengers would also be requested to keep their phones on silent mode, Mr Sims said.
Customers would pay standard in-flight roaming costs and be billed by their own mobile service provider.
Telecom XT customers would pay 80c per outbound text and no cost to receive them, and $40 per megabyte of data for mobile broadband.
Other mobile phone providers, including Vodafone, would confirm their pricing in the coming months.The service would be delivered in partnership with in-flight phone and data operator Aeromobile but was still subject to regulatory approval, Mr Sims said.
- NZPA

@ $40 per MB you could end up doubling the cost of your fare....:eek:

Perhaps Continental will offer this on their new IAH - AKL direct service.

World airlines queue up for Air NZ 'cuddle class' seats


11:00 AM Wednesday Dec 15, 2010



http://media.nzherald.co.nz/webconte...0x14779260.JPGExpand


Air New Zealand is in talks with other airlines wanting to use its new "cuddle class" economy seats.
The airline's first Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will land in Auckland on Christmas Eve, including new economy Skycouch seating, on which couples can lie down.
Air New Zealand chief executive Rob Fyfe said new premium economy Spaceseats on the aircraft would re-define that class of travel.
More than 30 airlines had been in contact with Air New Zealand and its seat manufacturers about the new seats, Fyfe said
Formal negotiations were underway with carriers from Asia, North America and Europe to license the seats after Air New Zealand had 18 months of exclusive use, he said.
"Four long years of planning and design are about to become a reality and there is a great deal of excitment within the airline about the game-changing aircraft we are about to introduce," he said.
"Few if any airlines have invested time and money in re-designing the economy experience and we've done it for both economy and premium economy."

The 338-seat aircraft, which will have 60 economy seats which can create 20 Skycouch combinations, will leave Boeing in Seattle on December 22 and fly to Auckland via Los Angeles, arriving on Christmas Eve.
A second aircraft was due for delivery in a few weeks with five on order.
The first routes for the aircraft would be on return services between Auckland, Los Angeles and on to London from April next year.
For two adults, purchasing the Skycouch will be based on buying two seats at standard prices with the third seat at approximately half price

- maybe they can have amorous Bruce B do his P class cuddle demo!!!!!!

......gives my PA about keeping your seat belt fastened at all times due to unexpected turbulence a whole new perspective!.........if the plane is a rockin.........

AT :E:E

Will altimeters have to be recalibrated in miles as well? :}