Etihad
Come December, the Abu Dhabi-based airline is taking luxury a step further with the launch of Residence Class on its Airbus A380 and Boeing B787 Dreamliner aircraft. Wealthy customers can enjoy three-room apartments while in the air. These suites cost around $40,000 for a round-trip flight from Abu Dhabi to London, will feature a private bedroom, a living room and en suite shower.
Passengers looking for a slightly scaled down experience can book a First Apartment -- a private suite with a full-length bed, separate reclining ottoman and access to a bathroom with shower.
All suites will come with a private minibar.
Passengers of Residence Class will get their own Savoy Academy-trained butler, concierge, a chauffeur to get them to and from the airport and a private chef. While guests can order off the a la carte menu, they can also request personalized dishes anytime.
Emirates
Emirates has announced similar plans to launch a private, on-board residence, though the details have yet to be released. Still, the Dubai airline has long been at the forefront of in-flight luxury. In 2008, Emirates was the first carrier to install first-class cabins with sliding doors for privacy on their Airbus A380s, A340-500s and on most Boeing 777s.
Cabins come with a personal minibar, adjustable lighting, private vanity table, mirror and wardrobe.
Guests can avail themselves of a "shower spa" treatment (though actual shower time is limited to five minutes).
There's also turndown service, where cabin crew convert the seat into a bed with a real mattress.
And of course there's the award-winning food. Passengers can expect items like Iranian caviar or stir-fried lobster in black bean sauce.
Air France
Passengers craving an extra level of comfort can book Air France's new La Premiere cabin. These mini-suites, available on the carrier's long-haul Boeing 777-300 aircraft, feature lie-flat seats that adapt to each passenger's morphology, a 24-inch HD screen (one of the largest available on board), a private wardrobe and an adjustable privacy curtain. There's a reclining ottoman, so guests from other parts of the cabin can visit.
Come nighttime, cabin crew will outfit the seat with a mattress and linens from the Sofitel range.
Air France has also teamed with an army of Michelin-rated chefs to design its new La Premiere menu. It features gourmet touches from Joël Robuchon, Régis Marcon, Guy Martin, Anne-Sophie Pic and Michel Roth.
Qantas offers the ubiquitous lie-flat seats, though when it comes time to snooze, cabin crew will set it up as a bed with a sheepskin mattress. The seats also have a range of massage features. The first class "pods" are also roomy, taking up the space of about four economy seats.There are also privacy screens to give passengers that much-needed feeling of seclusion.
In a bid to make in-flight dining restaurant grade, Qantas has teamed with Australian chef and TV personality Neil Perry to design the menu.
Diners can go a la carte or enjoy an eight-course tasting menu. Sommeliers are on hand to recommend wine and champagne pairings.
Lufthansa
Lufthansa's first-class cabins are fairly standard. They come equipped with lie-flat seats and an amenity-filled washroom. One of the main perks, however, is access to the Lufthansa private jet. Granted, the extra service isn't included, but for travelers wishing to hit up a second, perhaps more remote, location, the jet offers a seamless means of transport, minus the rigmarole of layovers. Lufthansa also tapped a few Michelin-starred chefs to design its in-flight menus, complete with caviar service. The award-winning wine program (Vinothek Discoveries) offers a rotation of vintages handpicked by sommelier world champion Markus Del Monego.
Singapore Airlines
In 2012, Singapore launched suites aboard its new A380 aircraft. Each cabin features sliding doors and window blinds for maximum privacy. Eschewing the lie-back seat, the carrier opted instead for a standalone bed that can accommodate two people. The cabins also come with a 23-inch screen and USB and HDMI ports, enabling travelers to plug in their own devices. Singapore's Book the Cook service lets passengers pre-order one of more than 60 dishes. Some of its more off-the-cuff items include kyo-kaiseki, a traditional, bespoke Japanese tasting menu, and wagyu sirloin. Singapore also offers an extensive selection of champagne, grand cru red burgundy and second growth Bordeaux.
JetBlue
Somewhat surprisingly for what was once a low-cost carrier, JetBlue recently introduced JetBlue Mint -- a premium class that offers the only private suites with closing doors in the U.S. market.
Though the luxury experience is scaled back compared to many other major carriers, so too is the price (one-way tickets from New York to Los Angeles, for example, clock in at a relatively modest $599).
When fully flat, the seats, at six feet, eight inches, are the longest in the U.S. market and have a massage function. Passengers can adjust the seat firmness at the touch of a button.
The food in Mint is also upscale. JetBlue partnered with New York restaurant Saxon+Parole to introduce a choice of swank tapas, such as Portobello mousse with truffles.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your reservation needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
(602) 843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
No comments:
Post a Comment