(Bloomberg) -- In 2020 the coolest airplane bar is actually parked at New York's JFK airport. It's been decades since American Airlines had its onboard piano clubs or Continental had Polynesian Pubs aboard; now evenย Emirates isย pivoting awayย from its horseshoe-shaped bars.
Insteadย the new high-altitude drinking denย is a best-of-all worldsย loungeย designed like a coworking space but with flight attendants who can bring you cocktails. And while it'sย been slowly cropping up as a trendโEtihad introduced the idea in 2014, with other airlines from Virgin Atlantic to Qantas recentlyย embracing itโexpect more airlines to follow suit withย flexibleย and relaxedย spaces setting the tone for yourย mile-high carousing.
Rethinking the Seat Map
Last Septemberย Virgin Atlantic introduced a new business-class-only concept called โThe Loft,โ which offers various seating configurations in a common area minus a wall ofย booze bottles.ย Vice President of Customer Journey Daniel Kerzner saysย in-flight spaces resembling on-the-ground cocktail bars are out-of-date:ย โCustomers told us they wanted multipurpose spaces akin to a living room or a corner booth at a bar rather than just high stools.โย
The Loft includes two booths, a small table, and a standing counter for three, with power ports all around. A 32-inch HD screen on the back wall allows passengers to sync up their Bluetooth headphones and watch a movie in tandem. From any of those areas, guests can order not just cocktails but light meals and snacks, like the airline's โMile Highโ afternoon tea. As with most of the lounge spaces being designed on planes today, the seats all have safety belts, which means travelers don't have to stop socializing when turbulence hits.
Not surprisingly, this redesign benefits the airline, too. The task of preparing drink orders in galley kitchens gets spread out across the cabin crew, eliminating the need for a dedicated bartender; meanwhile, better separation between the Loft and actual plane seats keeps the party atmosphere from bleeding into the Upper Class cabin.
โWe have given passengers a lot more privacy in the new Upper Class suites on the A350,โ says Kerzner. โBut if you're traveling with someone else, the Loft provides a space where you can interact with one another.โ
The Privacy Paradox
That same rationale droveย Qantas to install new lounges on three of its double-decker A380s, with nine more toย comeย end of 2020.
Because first- and business-class cabins have basically morphed into self-enclosed podsย with privacy doors and โdo not disturbโ signs, industrial designer David Caon aimed to create new common spaces with booths and tables on one side and a long banquette with a self-serve bar on the other.
The color scheme has jade-toned upholstery and dark wood paneling that wouldn't look out of place in a slick Singapore speakeasy. And despite being much larger than the old onboard lounge, which was little more than a bench, splurging on the square footage didn'tย compromiseย head-count. Newer seat designs allowedย Qantasย to trade up 30 economy seats forย 25 premium-economy andย six business-class ones.ย
โA more private seat is fundamental for longer flights. But passengers want more ways to spend blocks of their time, and that's what drove us to create a new multiple-use space on our airplanes,โ saysย Phil Capps, head of customer experience for Qantas.ย The airline's flights from Australia to the U.S. can easily top 15 hours, which means even with two meals, a movie, and a solid eight-hour sleep, passengers might still have time to pass and want a change of scenery.
Other Adopters
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad was the industry's earliest adopter of this bar-to-lounge trend in 2014. Aboard its A380s passengers can camp out inย โThe Lobbyโ ย for meals, drinks, and self-serve snacks while getting work done around a decorative, six-seat table.
Similarly, Emirates beganย transitioningย theย mostly-standing-room-onlyย barsย on its A380s to a more understated, yacht-inspired design in 2017. There's still an iconic horseshoe-shaped counter, but flyersย can also settle in at booths or an L-shaped sofa and watch live TV on a 55-inch LCD screen. The reimagined space can be found on 16 of the fleet's jets, with eight more to be delivered by the end of 2021.
Of course, if it's a bar you seek, youย can still enjoy cocktails and conversation in all these spaces. But now you should also be able to get a little work done, too, if that's your flight plan.
To contact the editor responsible for this story: Nikki Ekstein at nekstein@bloomberg.net
ยฉ2020 Bloomberg L.P.
Essential Business Intelligence, Continuous LIVE TV, Sharp Market Insights, Practical Personal Finance Advice and Latest Stories โ On NDTV Profit.
