How airlines can bring back comfort to flying economy class

Board the plane, turn right, take your seat and brace yourself for discomfort: when flying economy, clients know exactly what to expect. Meal services and seat space have been slashed in recent years, but as the aviation industry recovers from the pandemic, passengers are beginning to demand more from their inflight experience.

This year's flight capacity surpassed that of 2019 in October, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. Plus, with new super-long-haul routes meaning passengers might be spending 15 hours or more in the air, some airlines are aiming to make flying economy a more appealing prospect. From better sleep at 35,000 feet to new menus, these innovations are intended to change flying for the better.

The Skynest by Air New Zealand (pictured)
Coming in September 2024, Air New Zealand's revolutionary "We spent just as much time on the second half of the aircraft as we did the front; we started studies on the Wellbeing Zone before any other area of the A350," says Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce.

With departures beginning at the end of 2025, innovative features like the Wellbeing Zone could certainly make 22 hours in the air much more comfortable.

Menu Upgrades by China Air, Eva Air and Cathay Pacific
The pandemic put airlines into survival mode, but some are starting to splash out on making the economy meal service more delicious. Meals by top chefs are back on the menu: from 2024, Economy Class passengers on Taiwanese carrier China Air will be able to munch on a menu curated by a three-Michelin-starred restaurant.

On Eva Air, another Taiwanese carrier, Economy Class passengers can opt to sample the delectable delights of Business Class for a small fee.

Plant-based options on board are rapidly improving too. This August, Cathay Pacific unveiled a plant-based menu by Hong Kong restaurant Veda, featuring Indian and Chinese favourites. Best of all, passengers on Cathay won't have to pre-order a vegan or vegetarian meals as they'll be readily available.

In 2022, Emirates opened the world's largest hydroponic farm, aiming to produce one million kilogrammes of leafy greens per year, with the fresh produce ending up in meals across all cabin categories.

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Free Wi-Fi by JetBlue, Delta and Singapore Airlines
Customers are beginning to expect Wi-Fi onboard planes. A passenger survey by satellite provider Immarsat this year revealed that 77% said inflight Wi-Fi was important to them – up from 51% in 2018.

Previously the preserve of the premium classes, complimentary Wi-Fi is starting to be rolled out to all passengers on select airlines. North American airlines are leading the charge: JetBlue has offered free Wi-Fi to all passengers since 2017, and Delta announced plans to roll out free, unlimited Wi-Fi on all international flights by the end of 2024.

In Asia, Singapore Airlines introduced the service in July 2023.