[Feature] JAL’s New International Airbus A350-1000: A Closer Look at the Premium Economy Class with Spacious Seating

Japan Airlines (JAL) unveiled its new flagship for international routes, the Airbus A350-1000, at the Airbus delivery center in Toulouse, France. This article features the significantly upgraded Premium Economy Class.

The Premium Economy Class is arranged in a ‘2-4-2’ seating configuration with a total of 24 seats. While there are 16 fewer seats than the current flagship Boeing 777-300ER, JAL developers aimed to ‘upgrade quality and provide comfort close to that of the previous business class.’ The seats are manufactured by Safran Seats France and are the first Premium Economy Class seats in the world to adopt an electric reclining mechanism and leg rest.

The seat pitch is about 107 centimeters, and the seat width is up to approximately 48 centimeters. The electric leg rest can be raised horizontally, allowing passengers to relax in a posture of their preference such as sitting cross-legged.

A fixed large partition is installed in the middle of the center four seats to ensure privacy. Movable partitions are also equipped on other seats.

The in-flight entertainment (IFE) system features a 16-inch monitor with 4K resolution and can be connected to passengers’ personal wireless headphones via Bluetooth.

The Airbus A350-1000 is scheduled to debut on the Tokyo/Haneda to New York route on January 24, 2024. Initially, it will be introduced on alternate days. Two to three more aircraft are expected to join the fleet within the fiscal year, and after introducing the second aircraft, it will serve the same route daily. Following the acquisition of the third aircraft, it will also operate on the Tokyo/Haneda to Dallas/Fort Worth route.