Hainan Airlines

1 · POSITION

Hainan Airlines states that the environmental design of its Boeing 787-9 cabins was developed with Priestman Goode, a British design firm, over two years of work. The airline gives the cabin theme as Dream Feather and calls it the main element for the enhancement of its passenger cabins. The aircraft is laid out in three separate cabins with a total of 294 seats, of which 26 are business, 21 premium economy and 247 economy. [1]

2 · THE SEAT IS DESCRIBED AS A PRIVATE AREA

The business seats are set in a reverse herringbone pattern in a 1-2-1 layout, and the airline says spacing was increased from 42 to 46 inches. Each seat is given its own private area with five storage spaces, under dimmable soft lighting. Nomex technical fabric lines the inner seat case wall, the headrests are leather and the seat covers carry a feather pattern. Walnut wood is used at the dining position. [1]

3 · THE MEAL IS LAID COURSE BY COURSE

The airline describes table service with dishes brought one course at a time, served on bone china it calls award-winning Pixiu ware. It states that it is among the few carriers offering four main-course choices, and that flights over eight hours carry two meals or more. A quick-meal option exists for passengers who want to sleep soon after eating, and snacks are offered at the bar. An espresso machine is carried in the business cabin. [3, 4]

4 · THE AIRCRAFT REACHED HAIKOU IN 2016

Hainan’s first 787-9 came off Boeing’s Everett line in Washington on 4 April 2016 and completed its first test flight on 28 April 2016. It landed at Haikou Meilan Airport on 10 June 2016 and flew its first domestic service, HU7281 from Haikou to Beijing, on 13 June 2016. The airline describes menus designed by its chefs and amenity kits within a comfort range it calls Hai Dream. [4, 5]

5 · ⚑ CANDOUR

⚑ Two of the airline’s own pages give different accounts of the same business cabin. One describes a reverse herringbone with 26 seats and spacing raised from 42 to 46 inches; the other names Cirrus 3 Herringbone seats, 30 of them, with a length of 78 inches fully reclined and an extendable exterior casing. Neither account is dated. The claim to be among the few carriers offering four main courses is the airline’s own, and the meal pages state that products vary by aircraft and route. [1–5]