Jenah

Korean Air Introduces Upgraded Cabin By Kim Rahn Staff Reporter Korean Air has unveiled its new aircraft and next-generation cabin amenities. The carrier presented the state-of-the-art B777-300ER, the first plane to be equipped with premium Kosmo Suites seats in first class, Prestige Sleeper in business class and New Economy in economy class, at Incheon International Airport Monday. The new aircraft had its first flight Wednesday on the Seoul-New York route. The upgrading of the seats and in-flight entertainment system was part of the airline's various projects designed to commemorate the 40th anniversary. The new seats are designed for maximum relaxation. Kosmo Suites seats represent luxurious travel and cost 250 million won per seat. In wood color, it brings a touch of nature to the cabin. The 180-degree lie-flat seat is 15.3 centimeters wider than Korean Air's previous first-class seat. The Prestige Sleeper seat is the nation's first 180-degree lie-flat seat in business class, giving customers comfort usually offered in other carriers' first class. The space between front and back seats is 66 centimeters wider than previously. Seat partitions were enlarged to offer more privacy. The ergonomically designed New Economy seat has a slimmer seat back to secure more leg space. The bottom cushion slides forward when the seat is reclined in order to minimize discomfort to the passenger sitting behind. Besides the seats, the audio and video on demand (AVOD) system has been upgraded with wider screens and better technology. The screen on Kosmo Suites seat was enlarged by 41.9 centimeters to 58.4 centimeters, while that on Prestige Sleeper, by 22.6 centimeters to 39.1 centimeters, and that on New Economy, by 5.6 centimeters to 26.9 centimeters. With 16:9 screens, both handset and touch-screen controls are available. The CPU and memory of the AVOD system were upgraded to match the latest computer hardware for high-resolution video quality, along with increased network speed. Besides movies and music, the programs include Incheon airport connection information, news, games and an aircraft exterior view. Along with the new aircraft, Korean Air will replace the tableware of economy class with lighter, bright-green one. The tableware in first and business classes were already changed in 2005. For a more comfortable cabin environment, various color lightings will be available in different flight stages. Korean Air plans to install the new seats on all its 96 mid- and long-range aircrafts by 2014. rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Wow! looks like the 77W also has mood lighting! looks like the Y seats also have USB ports as well!

wow! thanks for posting that! look at that beautiful plane! hehe now we just need pics from the inside hahaha

If you go to flickr, there are pictures from the boeing factory of KE's new 777-300ER and 737-900. I think they were being prepared for delivery to their new home in ICN.

Hopefully they release real-life cabin pictures of their new 777-300ER 777-300ER service to JFK starts next week!

Korean Air will be using Thales' newer IFE system so maybe it is more reliable? *crosses fingers* Air Canada seems to be the only Thales customer who has major/never-ending problems with their IFE.

You're correct, certain 772ER's are already fitted with new business and economy seats. And the screens and remotes are from Panasonic. My guess is that they installed those new seats before making a commitment with Thales. Newer aircrafts such as the 777-300ER, A380, 787, A330-200's will have the Thales system. Planes in the current fleet (777's and A330-300's) that is scheduled to be fitted with new seats will also feature IFE from Thales.

"Korean Air To Receive New B777s With Thales AVOD, Upgraded Seats Korean Air in May will receive the first of 12 new Boeing 777-300ER aircraft featuring Thales’ TopSeries AVOD system and upgraded premium class seats. Delivery of the aircraft will continue through 2012, with the first aircraft flying New York and Los Angeles routes. The Thales Gen III personal video monitors will be 23-inch in first class, 15.4-inch in business class and 10.6-inch in economy. IFE will include a selection of approximately 60 films, over 60 TV shows, more than 350 CDs, 16 programmed audio channels, audio books, 40 games from DTI, local Korean text news, and airport guide. Korean Air does not have plans to introduce connectivity on these aircraft, according to General Manager Jong-bong Han. New first class seats recline to a 180-degree flat bed and are 27 inches wide. Each seat provides an 82-inch seat pitch and an 18-inch x 27-inch table. Korean Air's new business class seats also will recline to a 180 degree lie-flat bed instead of the 170-degree recline of current business class seats." Korean Air makes a further selection of Thales for its In-Flight Entertainment systems "Neuilly sur Seine, 7 April 2009 – Thales, a leader in In-Flight Entertainment systems, is pleased to announce that Korean Air chose Thales’s TopSeries In-Flight Entertainment system for six of its recently purchased Airbus A330-200 aircraft. This order follows the airline‘s original commitment for the TopSeries system on 10 B787, 35 B777 and 19 A330 aircraft. Consistent across the fleet, passengers will enjoy large screen displays, and in-seat features including a slim line passenger control unit, USB port for personal electronic connectivity and in-seat power for laptops. System functions are comprehensive and include a small map display on the passenger control device, 3-D games, live landscape cameras and daily news. “Thales’s IFE system provides the commonality we require for our aircraft. We are impressed with both the system capability and Thales’s commitment to the program,” said Mr. S K Lee, Managing Vice President of Procurement for Korean Air. The TopSeries system for all of the airline’s aircraft is based on Thales’s next generation 3-D technology, which provides more powerful performance and efficiency. First aircraft deliveries will take place in May 2009. “Korean Air is a prominent customer for Thales in the Asia Pacific region. Our relationship is strong and we look forward to working with their organisation for years to come,” said Alan Pellegrini, Vice President and General Manager of Thales’s In-Flight Entertainment systems business."

IFE for me because I need to be entertained especially on long flights. I can't really sleep on planes.

Yup the titles will be bigger on the 777-300ER. The logo on the engine is also larger here's a picture of the new 77W: http://paineairport.com/images/kpae5046.jpg And I believe the new 777-300ER will also be going to Ho Chi Minh City (SGN). Originally it was suppose to go to Bangkok, but they decided to switch it. So the 77W will be going to SGN on days 246 and JFK 357. Starting September, it will run daily to JFK for KE081/082 and 3 times for KE085/086. I'm assuming by then they'll be receiving their 2nd 773ER. There are some 777-200ER's that are already installed with the new business and economy class seats but with the previous Kosmo Sleeper in first class. According to Thales IFE, looks like KE's 773ER IFE will have their new system. I kinda wish they had stuck with Panasonic though They've ordered 10 773ER's. KE will also be getting A380's and 787's, which will be getting the new seats. The rest of the fleet (A330's and 777's) are expected to be refitted with these new seats as well. I don't think they have plans to fit the 747's with new seats since most of them already have AVOD. Anyone know?