Cathay Pacific’s new business class is all about quiet luxury

On Emirates, passengers in business class have a bartender to mix a cocktail mid-flight. Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. offers the Loft Lounge, a sky-high saloon where travelers can relax on red leather banquettes. Now Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. is introducing an airborne art gallery. Hong Kong’s flag carrier revealed its refreshed business class cabin on Wednesday evening, part of a $12.9b multi-year outlay on new planes and upgraded lounges. One differentiating factor: The “Gallery in the skies,” a curated art selection of 30 works featuring artists with unique connections to Hong Kong. Each piece will offer a different perspective on nature, with “a calming energy that draws one into the artist’s world.” It’s part of Cathay’s quest to introduce a sense of quiet luxury, this much-hyped aesthetic exuding confident affluence without being ostentatious. No golden fixtures or faux wood paneling in sight. Instead, Cathay has refined the gray and green color palette that was prevalent in its older business-class cabins with a silver marble hue as the mainstay of the seat. “Everyone’s moved on to have a door, a big TV, but it’s really the execution that makes the difference,” said Vivian Lo, who spearheaded Cathay’s new business-suite overhaul. The new seat, dubbed The Aria Suite, has been six years in the making. It’s the first time Cathay has pivoted to suites in business class, swelling the ranks of airlines globally with privacy doors as the gold standard. Qatar Airways has them in their QSuite, and Japan Airlines Co. as well as Air France have followed suit. As for the seat itself, Cathay won’t actually disclose how wide and long the berth is. It’s not exactly a state secret, but they’re not letting on. <br/>