Airbus has unveiled its new Airspace A330neo premium cabin concept, slated for entry into service from 2027, featuring customisable premium hero lighting and innovative electro-dimmer elements for the windows.
Building on elements already integrated into the A320 Airspace cabin system, the new concept will “add a real new dimension,” explained Joost van der Heijden, senior vice president of marketing at Airbus during a briefing at AIX in Hamburg on 28 May.
An overhead hero light (drawing on A320 technology) is “consistent with what we’ve seen on the XLR,” confirms vice president of cabin marketing Ingo Wuggetzer, adding that patterning can be optimally customised with patterns and branding reflecting an airline’s identity. All in all, advanced lighting technologies will result in a weight reduction of around 100kg.
Innovative lighting solutions also include the option for electronically dimmable window blinds (replacing conventional pull-down shutters), cited by Airbus as able to achieve 99.9% darkness. Although these have been developed primarily for premium cabin customers, they could also be applied to the entirety of an airframe at the customers’ request.
Additionally, new lining in the walls and door will offer 8mm more shoulder clearance within the premium space, further helping to accentuate the luxury offering and improve overall passenger experience.
