American Airlines Flagship Suite Preferred seat coming to the airline's new Boeing 787-9 and 777-300 ... [+]
Apart from the essential ingredients of the flying experience—the type of aircraft and seat, the quality of the service and how smooth the flight path is-details also play a role in that experience. That’s something executives at American Airlines have heard from customer surveys with the result a rollout of new onboard amenities due to take to the skies on over 300 international and transcontinental flights beginning Memorial Day weekend in Flagship® First Class, Flagship® Business Class and Premium Economy Cabins.
American Airlines Limited Edition Thirteen Lune Flagship Business Class Amenity Kit
“We had a lot of surveys about what our customers wanted to experience, especially on a long-haul flight,” explains Kim Cisek, American’s Vice President of Customer Experience. Apparently, one of the major requests was a different type of amenity kit, not a standard one featuring one brand that remains in place for years. American’s response was a rotating program. “We partnered with the company Thirteen Lune which has a portfolio of over 200 brands so we can present a new, fresh approach and introduce new products to our customers,” she explains. The first two products offered will be by the connoisseur skincare brands Joanna Vargas and Relevant; how long they’ll stay onboard before other products, still to be named, rotate in will be determined by customer response. Limited edition kits created by U.S. based designers and based on specific milestones and initiatives will also be introduced in the coming months.
The new bedding for Flagship® First
Other enhancements set to roll out involve the bedding available in all cabins. “This also came out of customer feedback,” explains Raphael Girardoni, Managing Director of Customer Experience Product and Design. “Apart from comfort, they wanted a focus on sustainability so nearly all of the bedding-pillows, duvets and blankets- will be made from recycled fibers. In Flagship® First, Flagship® Business and Premium Economy, bedding will also be delivered in reusable, zippered product bags that will reduce about 25 tons of plastic waste a year.”
Customers also, apparently, wanted dual sided pillows with a cool side and another fabric on the other side so passengers in Flagship® First Class and Flagship® Business Class will have them. And since the majority of passengers in Flagship® First Class valued having pajamas onboard, they’ll have those too with new ones created by Nest Bedding®.
Domestic First Class cold entrees
Meals onboard are also due for reimagining with influences filtering in from some of the airline’s new destinations. “We’re always looking for ways to enhance dining,” explains Girardoni. “Our customers want choice and variety.” Among the new dishes on flights between Europe and the U.S.: macadamia crusted sea bass with citrus cream sauce, quinoa, toasted orzo, and haricots verts; chili marinated chicken with mojo verde sauce, sweet potato mash, roasted corn and mini chili and gnocchi duet with plain and beetroot gnocchi, lentil ragout, apple chutney, brown butter, roasted spring onion and sliced green onion. In domestic first class, new choices include shawarma seasoned grilled chicken, three cheese sacchetti pasta, chicken enchiladas and a plant based stuffed red pepper. Also new: a pre-ordering option coming to business class passengers on international flights from the U.S. that allows passengers to choose their meals from 30 days to 24 hours in advance.
Domestic First Class hot entrees
Other, more major changes will also be introduced with the delivery of new Boeing 787-9 and Airbus A321XLR aircraft along with retrofitted Boeing 777-300s. Chief among them is the debut of the Flagship® Suite seat with privacy doors, a chaise lounge position added to its lie flat option, wireless charging, Bluetooth capability and multiple storage spaces. Top of the line, though, will be the front row Flagship® Suite Preferred seats with additional space and exclusive amenities like a Nest Bedding® mattress pad, a throw blanket and a memory foam lumbar pillow. (How passengers can book these has not yet been determined, according to Girardoni.)
Flagship® Suite Preferred seats in front of the rows of Flagship® Suite seats
Elsewhere on the plane, Premium Economy will also be upgraded with new amenities like wireless charging, additional storage space and privacy headrest wings. Main Cabin will receive new 4K seatback screens, new Bluetooth connectivity, AC and USB-A/USB-C charging ports and refreshed seats in a new brown and gray color scheme. All passengers will be able to browse high speed WiFi and cruise through 1,500 entertainment offerings. Perhaps they’ll also be wondering how to score a Flagship® Suite Preferred seat on the next flight.
