Qantas has published renders for the lie-flat Business Class suites to be fitted to its upcoming A321XLRs.
The pictures appear to show a customised version of the Thompson VantageSOLO. The suites are arranged in a 1-1 configuration in an angled herringbone layout, which will be a first for a Qantas single-aisle aircraft. Every customer will have a lie-flat bed and a sliding privacy door.
Interestingly, this also aligns with Qantas' existing seat strategy. Its current Boeing 787, A380 and A330 Business Class seats are based on Thompson Aero's Vantage XL platform, while the newly announced 787-9 suite is reported to be based on the newer VantageXL+.
The airline has reported that demand for premium travel continues to outpace Economy, with premium cabin revenue growing at twice the rate of Economy across Qantas' international network. The next generation aircraft joining the fleet carry a higher proportion of premium seats than the aircraft they replace.
Qantas Group CEO Vanessa Hudson said the new Suites reflected how demand for premium travel had shifted.
"Investing in new aircraft is one of the most significant ways we can enhance the flying experience. These new Suites on our next generation narrowbody fleet are another step in that journey, transforming the premium cabin experience and the level of comfort for our customers flying on longer domestic and short and medium haul international services."
The first of the 16 A321XLRs configured with the new Business Suites is scheduled to arrive in 2028. The next generation aircraft has a range of up to 8,700 kilometres, more than 3,000 kilometres further than the Boeing 737.
