Gallery: Flydubai, Saudia Unveil Narrowbody Business Cabins at Arabian Travel Market
Kurt Hofmann May 04, 2023
The spacious seats can be fully reclined into bed mode; the suite also features an 18-in. screen for enhanced viewing and increased storage space. Now the door is open to leave.
Flydubai’s “The Business Suite,” with Safran Seats’ VUE product, offers a window-facing experience for each passenger, thanks to the herringbone seat layout. It will be introduced on a number of the carrier’s newest aircraft in the last quarter of 2023 on select flights in its growing network.
Flydubai’s offering should see 10 business suites on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 first, followed by the -9, according to CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith. Flydubai is the launch customer for this new seat, which has been designed in close collaboration with Safran Seats.
The seat adjustment instruments for your personal needs are reduced to an absolute minimum. This is quite surprising compared to premium products on legacy carriers, but enough to function reclining the seat.
In a separate compartment, passengers will find earphones and power supplies to charge personal devices. The new seat will offer all passengers in business class direct-aisle access, which rivals the business-class experience onboard many widebody aircraft.
Stretching test—ATW correspondent Kurt Hofmann, at 1 meter, 76 cm (69.2 in.) tall, found himself quite comfortable in flydubai's The Business Suite, which offers privacy and a window view. However, if you travel with a partner, you will be separated.
The table can be easily folded. The airline said The Business Suite was developed in close collaboration with Safran Seats and JPA Design.
The Business Suite, with closed doors, is designed exclusively for single-aisle aircraft.
Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said the carrier has come a long way since the introduction of its first business class offering in 2013, which served the carrier successfully. The new premium business-class experience will be available on up to six aircraft by the first quarter of 2024.
Saudia also unveiled its latest state-of-the-art business class seat at the annual Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. The VantageSOLO suite, designed by Thompson Aero Seating, will be fitted on the airline’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
A Saudi delegation inspects the new seat. Saudi Arabia is currently a developing hot spot for new airlines and entities, for LCCs as well as fully established legacy carriers.
Saudia’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will cover destinations across Europe, the Indian subcontinent and Africa including Milan, Barcelona, Brussels, Rome, the Maldives and Dakar.
Saudia’s Thompson Aero Seatings’ VantageSOLO seat is equipped with an extra seat for a guest, which is usually only found on widebodies.
The Thompson Aero Seating's VantageSOLO suite has a privacy shield around the back and an additional door at the aisle. Here a flight attendant demonstrates how to close the private door.
The spacious seats can be fully reclined into bed mode; the suite also features an 18-in. screen for enhanced viewing and increased storage space. Now the door is open to leave.
Flydubai’s “The Business Suite,” with Safran Seats’ VUE product, offers a window-facing experience for each passenger, thanks to the herringbone seat layout. It will be introduced on a number of the carrier’s newest aircraft in the last quarter of 2023 on select flights in its growing network.
Flydubai’s offering should see 10 business suites on board the Boeing 737 MAX 8 first, followed by the -9, according to CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith. Flydubai is the launch customer for this new seat, which has been designed in close collaboration with Safran Seats.
The seat adjustment instruments for your personal needs are reduced to an absolute minimum. This is quite surprising compared to premium products on legacy carriers, but enough to function reclining the seat.
In a separate compartment, passengers will find earphones and power supplies to charge personal devices. The new seat will offer all passengers in business class direct-aisle access, which rivals the business-class experience onboard many widebody aircraft.
Stretching test—ATW correspondent Kurt Hofmann, at 1 meter, 76 cm (69.2 in.) tall, found himself quite comfortable in flydubai's The Business Suite, which offers privacy and a window view. However, if you travel with a partner, you will be separated.
The table can be easily folded. The airline said The Business Suite was developed in close collaboration with Safran Seats and JPA Design.
The Business Suite, with closed doors, is designed exclusively for single-aisle aircraft.
Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said the carrier has come a long way since the introduction of its first business class offering in 2013, which served the carrier successfully. The new premium business-class experience will be available on up to six aircraft by the first quarter of 2024.
Saudia also unveiled its latest state-of-the-art business class seat at the annual Arabian Travel Market in Dubai. The VantageSOLO suite, designed by Thompson Aero Seating, will be fitted on the airline’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
A Saudi delegation inspects the new seat. Saudi Arabia is currently a developing hot spot for new airlines and entities, for LCCs as well as fully established legacy carriers.
Saudia’s new Airbus A321XLR aircraft will cover destinations across Europe, the Indian subcontinent and Africa including Milan, Barcelona, Brussels, Rome, the Maldives and Dakar.
Saudia’s Thompson Aero Seatings’ VantageSOLO seat is equipped with an extra seat for a guest, which is usually only found on widebodies.
The Thompson Aero Seating's VantageSOLO suite has a privacy shield around the back and an additional door at the aisle. Here a flight attendant demonstrates how to close the private door.
The spacious seats can be fully reclined into bed mode; the suite also features an 18-in. screen for enhanced viewing and increased storage space. Now the door is open to leave.
The Arabian Travel Market in Dubai provided the perfect venue for Dubai-based LCC flydubai and SkyTeam alliance member Saudia (formerly Saudi Arabian Airlines) to unveil their new business-class products for narrowbody aircraft on May 2, 2023.
Flydubai presented “The Business Suite,” based on Safran Seats’ VUE platform, for its Boeing 737 MAX fleet. Flydubai is the launch customer for this new seat, which will fly on longer haul flights.
Saudia launched a new business-class seat—Thompson Aero Seating’s VantageSOLO—for its Airbus A321XLR aircraft.
Air Transport World correspondent Kurt Hofmann attended the rollouts at the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai and brings exclusive photos of the event.
