Dragonair Is Changing For The Better

It seems there has been quite the rumour-mill going on the past week over the apparent shift in Dragonair‘s new image, after leaked images of “Cathay Dragon” appeared overnight on the internet. Whilst the photoshopping on the images make it look more like a concept than reality for now, it seems there may be more alignment going on between the feel-alike brands. There is talk of the launch of the new Dragonair uniform, being launched 28th March too, so perhaps this will hint further at the tie-up between the two brands.

There was an announcement a few weeks back of a new economy and business product which fits in line with the new Cathay hard products. This is great news, as the alignment of the two brands is going to make a more seamless experience, and further strengthen the Cathay-Dragon brand in the Asian market. For many, the individuality of the two entities remaining so separate for so long has remained a mystery. Whether the brand does change to a pseudo-Cathay Pacific or remains as Dragonair, one thing is for sure, as the planes get refitted this year, Dragonair is maintaining itself as an airline of choice across mainland china. We look deeper into the Business and Economy Classes that will be onboard soon.

Economy Class

Whilst Dragonair’s longest flights are mid-haul at best, it’s good to know there are creature comforts installed to keep you cosy and relaxed throughout your flight, the biggest changes are in seat width and inflight entertainment. We all know every inch counts when it comes to economy, so the extra inch in seat width will be appreciated. Infact, every detail is designed to give more space, smaller entertainment boxes under the seats provide more leg room, the seats are designed to hold more of your personal items, such as sunglasses etc, giving you more space around the knee area, and a bi-fold table means for a little more space when all you want is to drink a coffee. The entertainment system is the sister system to Cathay’s Studio CX , Dragonair’s Studio KA is an AVOD system, meaning more film and TV choice even for the shorter flights. Upgraded by 2 inches, the englarged 9 inch screen also means for a better viewing experience. For those wanting to use their own iPads or iPhones, a USB power point with iPod connectivity is installed in every seat. The one thing that we can’t see is any increase in the 30″ – 32″ seat pitch, which can be a little tight for the taller traveller.

Business Class

The biggest improvements are in Dragonair’s Business Class. Whilst still a regional carrier in all aspects, and no real need for a flatbed seat, the new shell-seat business class offering is perfect for a few hours travel. The airline has chosen to go down the route of the fixed shell seat, an seat option that some passengers have complained about seat comfort in other airlines, but the benefits being in that your TV Screen won’t be shoved down your throat when the person infront reclines. The Studio KA also features in the business class cabin, as it does in the economy class cabin, providing 100 films and 500 TV Shows on demand to keep you entertained, even if you are a frequent traveller. Screens are bigger too, 12 inches of entertainment is at your fingertips. 3 inches more legroom, and an inch more seat width means you’ll feel like you are swimming in your seat, allowing more passenger comfort. The seat is almost an advanced premium economy offering in our opinion, but we have always believed that seat comfort is very much dependant on the route you are travelling. Long haul requires a flat bed, where as a shorter route, premium economy style seat is all the comfort you could require. As the seats are rolled out, we are interested to see the feedback on the shell-seat concept and to see whether it will be as comfortable as it is billed to be. If you are travelling on Dragonair soon, we’d love to hear from you!