Air Seychelles upgrades Pearl Class seats |10 May 2007

Apart from benefiting from a new design, the seats will now offer greater recline and more space between the individual rows, a communiqué from the airline’s head office in Victoria said yesterday.

Whilst the B767-300’s undergo their annual C-Check’s, the existing Pearl or Business Class seats will be removed and sent to the seat manufacturers, B/E Aerospace, where the upgrading works on the seats will be carried out.

The works will include an increased recline angle from 125 degrees to 138 degrees; an increase in seat pitch from 50 to 58 inches between seat rows; replacement of all back and base cushions with an ergonomic design foam for enhanced comfort; replacement of the centre consoles with enhanced features such as in-seat power and a relocated passenger selector panel; a new headrest system which will give improved functionality and comfort; a new seat dress cover to blend in with the cabin interior design, with more fabric and less leather.

Once works have been completed, the new Pearl Class cabin floor area will boast a marked increase in physical space from 258 square feet to 325 square feet.

The cabin will still retain only 24 seats in Pearl Class.

The works will also see the removal of one row of seats in economy class, which will allow the  increase in seat pitch from 50 to 58 inches, providing substantially more leg space in between the revamped Pearl Class seats.

Air Seychelles Chairman & Chief Executive, Captain David Savy, said: “These modifications were necessary as our business class passengers are more discerning and calling out for improved facilities and seat comfort. We must not forget that the large majority of those passengers choosing to travel in our Pearl Class are accustomed to high levels of comfort and service. Even though they are on leisure trips in most cases, their expectations remain high. We need to deliver and the new product is geared towards improving their in-flight comfort”.

Captain Savy also explained that although the two brand new Dreamliners are due in 2010, the national airline felt that a further three years is too long a wait for its increasingly demanding Business Class passengers. 

The Vallee de Mai (AHM) Boeing aircraft will be in the hangar from today until May 25, whilst the Aldabra (ASY) Boeing aircraft undergoes similar works from May 25 to June 8.