Inside Cathay Pacific’s New Futuristic A321neo Cabin

On August 4th, Cathay Pacific began service with its new Airbus A321neo aircraft. The narrowbody flew between Hong Kong and Shanghai to get the ball rolling for the carrier. With this commencement of flights, JPA Design, a leading provider of aircraft interior, has proudly shared details of the new cabin design of the plane.

The Cathay Pacific A321neo LED cabin lighting system provides a comforting setting for the airline’s short-haul services. Photo: Cathay Pacific

Meeting the needs of the market

Until this week, the flag carrier of Hong Kong hadn’t flown a narrowbody since 1983. It deployed the Boeing 707 back then. Undoubtedly, the on board experience would be distinct compared to now amid the new requirements and technologies that have emerged. So, what can we expect with the new design?

Those traveling in business class will notice a revised stowage area for newspapers, cards, and magazines to offer more legroom, along with an enlarged divider in the middle for additional privacy. Photo: Cathay Pacific

Throughout the cabin, JPA Design has taken care with its approach. There are clever features placed throughout both the business and economy sections of the plane, along with the lavatories and galleys. The company highlights that it is always in close communication with suppliers to meet the requirements of Cathay and its passengers.

Innovations are not lost in economy, with additions such as integrated stands for personal devices, accessible USB ports, and bottle holders. Photo: Cathay Pacific

Notably, the entire palette and material selection of the cabin was tailored to Cathay’s branding. This factor offers consistency across the aircraft, which can be noted with the lounge theme.

A new generation

JPA Design Creative Director Elliott Koehler shared the following in a statement:

“We have been a trusted long-term partner of Cathay Pacific for many years now and we are proud to see our latest design programme with them take flight, elevating their customer experience and placing them at the forefront of the next generation of short-haul flying”.

JPA Design is also proud of the leather-trimmed adjustable headrests in place. Photo: Cathay Pacific

No compromise

Altogether, JPA Design and Cathay Pacific are keen to provide a sleek and professional ambiance with the design. This can be seen with the “warm and sophisticated” patterns in the cabin that are backed by materials such as leather and wood.

Four A321neos are currently sitting in Cathay’s holdings – B-HPB, B-HPD, B-HPE, and B-HPG, and it is the latter that had hit the skies this week. Passengers traveling with Cathay on the new aircraft will undoubtedly appreciate the comfortable yet smart offering with this design.

Bluetooth headphone pairing is expected as a feature, and Cathay recently took delivery of an A321neo with Intelsat WiFi. Photo: Cathay Pacific

The airline’s customers will be used to flying on widebodies such as the A330 and A350. However, the days of assuming that comfort will be lost with a single-aisle jet are passing by. In the modern era, these aircraft are assuming new roles, taking over several widebody operations, even on transoceanic missions!

What are your thoughts about Cathay Pacific’s new interior for its A321neo aircraft? What do you make of the design? Let us know what you think of the cabin prospects in the comment section.

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