A flying experience that feels like lounging in your living room? Unless it’s business class or first class, that’s a description that may be slightly hard to believe.
However, JetBlue unveiled its first Airbus A320 to undergo the airline’s massive fleet restyling initiative today. The company says the reimagined interior delivers an all-new level of comfort, even boasting that the redesign brings “humanity back to air travel.”
Insert gasp here.
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The return of humanity to air travel is certainly a noteworthy development.
“JetBlue’s A320 restyling is about making the best even better,” Marty St. George, executive vice president commercial and planning, JetBlue, said in a statement. “JetBlue has built its innovative reputation on offering our customers the very best products and a level of service they won’t find on another U.S. airline and this update ensures we remain the go-to choice for flyers who expect nothing but the best.”
JetBlue’s A320 cabin restyling marks the first major overhaul of the airline’s original fleet since the company launched in 2000. For most of JetBlue’s 101 destinations, the new A320 restyling will bring the first upgraded airline product to their city in nearly 20 years.
The new interiors being rolled out include what JetBlue is describing as the very best in customer comfort, connectivity, and entertainment, all modernizations based on customer preferences.
A major focus of the redesign involved keeping customers connected throughout their flight, including a new in-flight entertainment system, high-definition seatback televisions, in-seat power outlets with USB ports and continued free gate-to-gate Fly-Fi high-speed internet.
There will be two design iterations of the restyling effort. This year will bring the introduction of features from the A321 interior and 2019 and beyond will feature an innovative seat design and an in-flight entertainment system that JetBlue says is unlike anything offered by U.S. airlines today.
Over about the next nine months, JetBlue’s A320s will be restyled with Rockwell Collins Pinnacle seats and LiveTV 4 entertainment options currently enjoyed by customers on the airline’s A321 aircraft.
In early 2019, JetBlue will transition to restyling featuring Rockwell Collins Meridian seats and Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 products.
For those not entirely familiar with Rockwell Collins Meridian seats, they feature a number of design elements aimed at customer comfort, among them:
—Expanded seat width that offers more than 18 inches, the widest available for the A320
—The most legroom in coach of any U.S. airline
—Enhanced cushion comfort
—Adjustable headrests, a new feature for JetBlue’s A320
—Contoured seatback design at knee level creating additional living space for every customer
—Redesigned seatback stowage options, including an innovative elastic grid to accommodate a variety of customer items
—At least two easily-accessible and repositioned power connections at every seat
Sounds pretty enticing, no? There’s more. In 2019 JetBlue will also be improving its entertainment options with Thales AVANT and ViaSat-2 connectivity. The system will allow JetBlue to offer passengers on restyled A320s expanded entertainment choices in nearly every region the airline flies.
Among the highlights here are:
—10.1 inch, 1080P high definition screen at every seat.
—More than 100 channels of live television.
—Expanded collection of on-demand movies, TV shows and video content, plus new gaming features.
—Destination-specific content allowing customers to enhance their travel experience.
—Picture-in-picture function.
—Enhanced, 3D flight map offering multiple ways to track time to destination.
—NFC paining turning personal handheld devices into remotes or gaming controllers.
—Expanded Fly-Fi connectivity, providing coverage to nearly the entire JetBlue network.
In addition to all of the already mentioned details, JetBlue says its A320 restyling is creating an improved in-air ambiance that includes a refresh of the overall feel of the aircraft interior. (Think such things as LED lighting that aims to enhance the look and tone of the cabin and allows for a variety of lighting settings to increase customer comfort.)
There will also be new sidewalls and overhead bins installed, as well as a variety of newly incorporated design elements throughout the cabin.
JetBlue expects to complete approximately one dozen A320 restyles by the end of 2018. Multiple aircraft will be completed each month by 2019. JetBlue’s A320 classics will be restyled first. The overall restyling program is expected to take approximately three years.
