July 19, 2005 – TWO new airline service products show the extent to which leading carriers are investing in IFE and other cabin systems to help win the battle for the passenger dollar.

Taiwan’s EVA Air has unveiled the first of its new Boeing 777-300ERs, which will be introduced on Taipei-Bangkok-London from mid-September 2005. And Air New Zealand has taken the wraps off its first refurbished Boeing 747-400, due to enter service on Auckland-Los Angeles-London from November and on other routes next year.

EVA is due to take delivery of 12 777-300ERs between this month and June 2009, and three 777-200LRs in 2008 and 2009. The latter aircraft will also have the new cabins.

EVA’s 777s will feature three completely revamped service offerings. Premium Laurel Class, the carrier`s new business class, will make its European debut in September, while Elite Class, EVA’s relaunched premium economy product, will enter service for the first time anywhere. Economy class has also been upgraded.

All three cabins will feature Panasonic in-seat audio/video-on-demand – EVA’s “Star Galley” entertainment offering comprises films, TV programming, music, games and shopping – and short messaging and other satellite communications services provided via Inmarsat by Airbus/SITA joint venture OnAir.

Premium Laurel has fixed-shell, 22in-wide lie-flat seats set at 61in pitch. Amenities include adjustable headrests, electronically adjustable lumbar supports, footlights and personal LED reading lights, pull-down luggage racks,

110V/60Hz laptop power outlets and retractable privacy dividers. The seats incorporate viscoelastic memory foam, which moulds to the passenger’s body contours, evenly distributing weight, providing improved support and promoting better circulation. IFE provision comprises 10.4in LCD screens and Sennheiser noise-cancelling headphones.

Elite Class boasts 18.5in-wide seats at 38in pitch. IFE is delivered through an 8.4in in-seat touchscreen. Economy also features 8.4in screens, and 18.3in-wide seats at 33in pitch.

Air New Zealand’s first refitted Boeing 747-400 features lie-flat beds in premium class and in-seat AVOD throughout.

The premium seat - manufactured by Contour and similar to that fitted in Virgin Upper Class – is claimed to be the only truly lie-flat bed to be offered at

a business-class price on flights into and out of New Zealand.

The rest of ANZ’s eight-strong 747-400 fleet is being refitted at a rate of about one every six weeks. The same interior design will be used on the carrier’s eight new Boeing 777-200ERs, the first of which is due to be delivered this October.