Innovation....but Not At Cx
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Innovation....but Not At Cx
Just had a look at Air New Zealands 'economy lie flat beds'. This is one of the cleverest and most innovative ideas in years. They apparantly have patented the idea, therefore earning profits if licensed to other airlines. Funny how a little airline in the middle of nowhere (
) can come up with something truly revolutionary, but CX can't even get it's Business class seating right after 3 generations.... 
) can come up with something truly revolutionary, but CX can't even get it's Business class seating right after 3 generations....
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Photos of Air New Zealand's prototype new seating are widely available on the internet now. According to Air New Zealand CEO Rob Fyfe, “Air New Zealand is putting the magic and romance back into flying."
But wait Rob, not so fast...
The catch is that you have to purchase all three seats in the row (at a discounted rate), implying that not every passenger onboard will be able to lie flat. Hardly an innovation, if even worth patenting.
The only innovation to speak of here is a revenue generating policy that started here in the United States in 1981 whereby Southwest Airlines began to charge fat people for the extra seats that their body mass spilled into. See FAQ below:
Southwest Airlines - Customer of Size FAQ
LD
But wait Rob, not so fast...
The catch is that you have to purchase all three seats in the row (at a discounted rate), implying that not every passenger onboard will be able to lie flat. Hardly an innovation, if even worth patenting.
The only innovation to speak of here is a revenue generating policy that started here in the United States in 1981 whereby Southwest Airlines began to charge fat people for the extra seats that their body mass spilled into. See FAQ below:
Southwest Airlines - Customer of Size FAQ
LD
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I suppose it's an OK concept if you have no passengers sitting next to you but if you do the idea of sitting like a monk for 12+ hours doesn’t really appeal to me, especially in a seat that looks like it’s as hard as a rock.
What??? Fat people are charged for an extra seat??
Where I come from they have to be loaded into a cage and are stored underneath as cargo... Moooooo - that's innovation!
Where I come from they have to be loaded into a cage and are stored underneath as cargo... Moooooo - that's innovation!
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I think the ANZ concept is a great idea.
I also love the CX Business class - all I want is a flat bed. Not as good perhaps as SQ and others but at least it's horizontal.
But I HATE HATE HATE the awful new CX economy seat. It's a nasty piece of lightly padded plastic that doesn't recline - it slips. Awful for the lower back and intolerable for over 3 hours. Whoever designed that should be condemned to live in purgatory at CX city for the rest of their lives. Rip them out immediately and start again.
I also love the CX Business class - all I want is a flat bed. Not as good perhaps as SQ and others but at least it's horizontal.
But I HATE HATE HATE the awful new CX economy seat. It's a nasty piece of lightly padded plastic that doesn't recline - it slips. Awful for the lower back and intolerable for over 3 hours. Whoever designed that should be condemned to live in purgatory at CX city for the rest of their lives. Rip them out immediately and start again.
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CX have not been innovating for years although they did try a changing room in the first class which was promptly removed! We also have to give them credit for the first economy seat that doesn't recline. Does it count if the innovations are all rubbish?
Well done to ANZ but I don't see it being all that popular to be honest, especially if you have to pay the 50% for the 3rd seat.
Also, ANZ have their own cabin design company which researches things like this for airlines and VIP customers which we don't. When we come up with a 'new' cabin it is one offered by cabin fitting companies and any small innovations are ideas hashed out between our own Products Dept and the cabin interiors company which fit within their existing product so it is harder to come up with anything truly revolutionary.
Well done to ANZ but I don't see it being all that popular to be honest, especially if you have to pay the 50% for the 3rd seat.
Also, ANZ have their own cabin design company which researches things like this for airlines and VIP customers which we don't. When we come up with a 'new' cabin it is one offered by cabin fitting companies and any small innovations are ideas hashed out between our own Products Dept and the cabin interiors company which fit within their existing product so it is harder to come up with anything truly revolutionary.
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a PR innovation
This is one of the cleverest and most innovative ideas in years.
What's innovative is how much balls it takes to call this a 'revolution'...
But yeah, at least they are trying something different, much unlike or beloved airline, which only copies other airlines' good ideas, and turns them into disasters.
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Our First Class is very good, although not even close to Emirates etc... Business is pretty awful with the only saving grace of at least being totally lie flat. Economy is bordering on being hit with medical claims by pax who develop lower back damage...whoever designed and approved those seats should be tested for minimum levels of intelligence. And the quality of the materials all the seats are made from is atrocious. They have found the cheapest and tackiest plastics and fabrics and fake veneers they could find and had a party with them! As for the economy food, it is, quite frankly, disgraceful, especially seeing as we own the catering company!
Cathay need to send someone who ACTUALLY HAS A CLUE and who hasn't been closeted in some back office in Hello Kitty City to look at our competitors' product and then create our own product accordingly. And for once CX need to actually stop doing everything on the cheap....it is FALSE economy doing things the way they do now.
It amazes me that these people keep CX as profitable as it is....imagine how good we could be if we did the job properly!!!
Cathay need to send someone who ACTUALLY HAS A CLUE and who hasn't been closeted in some back office in Hello Kitty City to look at our competitors' product and then create our own product accordingly. And for once CX need to actually stop doing everything on the cheap....it is FALSE economy doing things the way they do now.
It amazes me that these people keep CX as profitable as it is....imagine how good we could be if we did the job properly!!!
Yes, Mr. Wraith, and also imagine how good the airline would be if it actually honoured its contracts and spent even a little of what it spends on legal bills on its staff!
I'm in my third decade with this airline and it's been downhill ever since Red Oddington was CEO; in innovation, service, calibre of leadership and staff morale.
I'm in my third decade with this airline and it's been downhill ever since Red Oddington was CEO; in innovation, service, calibre of leadership and staff morale.
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Captain Dart....nail on the head!
Imagine how REALLY great this company could be if they treated their staff with some decency and respect and actually practised the stuff they continually spout! It is so frustrating to be so close and yet so far away. But I guess this IS China and we do have a bunch of lying, scheming, rotten people at the helm, so I'm not holding my breath.
Imagine how REALLY great this company could be if they treated their staff with some decency and respect and actually practised the stuff they continually spout! It is so frustrating to be so close and yet so far away. But I guess this IS China and we do have a bunch of lying, scheming, rotten people at the helm, so I'm not holding my breath.
