Qantas announces upgrades to Economy seating on A330 aircraft

Qantas unveils new Economy cabins for A330s

By Mark Reif Published October 25, 2024

Touchscreens on Qantas Economy seats — Qantas

Today, Qantas announced new Economy seats for its Airbus A330s flying to Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Singapore. The airline will install new seating, technology, and entertainment features across 10 aircraft for an enhanced inflight experience. The work begins in mid-2025 when the first A330 receives the update.

Qantas reimagines Economy seating on its A330s

Qantas Economy seating — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Economy cabins often feature basic amenities in the name of lower pricing. It’s more about getting there than enjoying the flight. But with its new A330 cabins, Qantas reimagines the Economy experience. Here are the highlights.

Qantas revised Economy cabins include:

USB-C fast charging and Bluetooth audio connectivity
Brand-new Economy seats for additional comfort, especially on Qantas’ Project Sunrise ultra-long haul flights
13.3-inch 4K OLED touchscreens with the latest interface are 20% larger than current versions

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Additionally, the cabin upgrade replaces all curtains and carpets and installs mood lighting. The current Business class seats with lie-flat beds will stay in place. They continue to enjoy positive reviews, and are identical to those found on Qantas’ 787 Dreamliners and A380s.

Qantas International CEO Cam Wallace said: “We’ve used our fleet renewal program to completely rethink the inflight experience and these cabin upgrades mean we can bring next-generation features and designs to our existing aircraft.”

“Customers can look forward to brand new Economy seats that have been specially created to maximize comfort and provide features that our customers want for international travel. They’re the same seats that will feature on our ultra-long haul A350-1000ULR aircraft, so it will be a preview of the Project Sunrise flying experience.”

Mark Reif has a passion for the outdoors and travel, and telling the stories of his experiences. He’s a lifelong…

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The first time I flew first class, I had a fully lie-flat bed, gourmet meals, and endless champagne – it definitely felt different than squeezing into a cramped economy seat. After that flight, I never wanted to go back to flying economy for long-haul trips. But let’s be real – most of us fly economy because it’s affordable. So, is first class really worth the splurge? Let’s break down the key differences between first class vs. economy and see when (or if) you should upgrade.
Differences between first class and economy

First class and economy offer two very different flying experiences. Let’s compare them across the most important factors to see if the upgrade is worth it.
1. Cost
One of the biggest differences between first class and economy is the price. A first class ticket can cost anywhere from three to 10 times more than an economy ticket, sometimes even higher for long-haul international flights.