Japan Airlines unveils new first and business class cabins… with double bed suites that ‘feel like luxury hotel rooms’ and headrest speakers

Japan Airlines has unveiled its new first class cabins, with first class passengers soon able to enjoy a double bed in their ‘exclusive’ suite in the sky.

The unveiling of the suite is part of a wider unveiling of the new interior of the Japanese airline’s new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft, which will soon become the airline’s new flagship for international flights.

The launch is expected to take place before the end of the year on the route between Tokyo (HND) and New York (JFK).

Japan Airlines (JAL), voted the fifth best airline in the world at this year’s ‘Oscars of Aviation’, says the interior of the A350-1000 is designed ‘to immerse customers in the elegance of Japanese aesthetics and envelop them in tranquility, creating a serene atmosphere that encapsulates the beauty of Japan’.

It says the new first and business class cabins are “spacious, yet completely private environments.”

The airline has introduced a world-first built-in stereo system (shown in first class) so passengers can enjoy in-flight entertainment without the need for headphones

Japan Airlines’ new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft (shown in the rendering above) is expected to launch on the Tokyo (HND) to New York (JFK) route before the end of the year.

First class passengers can enjoy a ‘stress-free’ environment in one of six luxury suites, which feature privacy doors, as shown in the renderings. “When you close the door, the large and completely private space feels like stepping into a luxury hotel room,” says JAL.

The new seats can be converted into a sofa, a single bed or a double bed, the airline said, and coats can be hung in the suite’s private closets.

There’s also a “headphone-less stereo with built-in headrest speakers,” so passengers can watch movies without headphones.

These two photos show the first-class storage areas; coats can be hung in the suite’s private closets

Business class seats (shown in the two images above) can be expanded to ‘bed mode’ with a length of approximately 198 cm (78 inches) and ‘plenty of space at the foot end’

The Business Class seats feature built-in headrest speakers for customers to enjoy

Just like first class, the business class suites are equipped with doors for extra privacy. And in the middle rows between seats are “electric privacy dividers,” which can be rolled up or down depending on whether travelers are sitting next to travel companions.

The seats can be extended to ‘bed mode’ with a length of approximately 198 cm (78 inches) and ‘sufficient space at the foot area.’ It is said to be a “comfortable sleeping experience with cushioning structures that evenly distribute body pressure.”

Business Class, following on from first class, also features a closet space for hanging clothes and a stereo system without headphones.

Business class suites feature a wardrobe and ‘electric privacy walls’

First Class and Business Class passengers have access to complimentary loungewear (left). New amenity packages for high-end passengers are designed by Japanese lifestyle brand Heralbony (right)

Premium Economy cabins feature seats with power recline functions and privacy dividers ‘to significantly enhance each individual space’

The new economy seat (above) is said to offer ‘improved’ legroom and comfort

First and Business Class passengers have access to complimentary loungewear and new amenity packages designed by the Japanese lifestyle brand Heralbony.

JAL has also revealed what passengers can expect from its new premium economy and economy cabins. The former features seats with electrically operated reclining functions and privacy dividers “to vastly enhance each individual space.”

JAL already offers an impressive economy seat – it was named ‘best economy seat’ at this year’s Skytrax Awards – so the new one is likely to have plenty of fans too. It will offer “improved” legroom and comfort and feature “the largest 13-inch 4K monitor in its class,” JAL says.