Premium economy now available in paradise with Air Tahiti Nui

Air Tahiti Nui’s first foray into the growing premium economy segment is now on sale ahead of the replacement of its Airbus 340-300 fleet with fuel-efficient Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners. The fleet renewal, which includes enhancements to the economy and business cabins,  is scheduled to begin with the arrival of the first three-class Dreamliner in November. The other three are expected to be in service by September 2019. READ our ratings for Air Tahiti Nui. The Tahitian airline’s dedicated Moana premium economy cabin offers 32 Zodiac Aerospace seats with a 38-inch (96.5cms) seat pitch, a width of 19 inches and an eight-inch recline on a 2-3-2 layout.

“We’re very excited to be introducing a new class to our airline with premium economy offering an option for those who want to experience extra comforts during their journey to and from Tahiti, while the Dreamliners new lie-flat seats will make our front-end offering more competitive and compelling for our premium guests,” Air Tahiti Nui regional manager Australia New Zealand Alan Roman said. Zodiac is also supplying new economy class seats with a less spacious 31-inch seat pitch in a 3-3-3 configuration with a tighter 17.3-inch width. However, the airline notes the Z300 seat has an articulating seat pan which makes it “one of the best next-generation long-range economy seats available today” and promises experienced travelers will notice the difference. Air Tahiti Nui’s Poerava business class is getting a new Rockwell Collins Parallel Diamond fully-flat seat with plenty of storage areas and a seat pitch of 60 inches. The 30 business seats are in a 2-2-2 configuration and will feature 16-inch hi-definition touch screens and Panasonic’s eX3 system. Travelers in premium economy will get 13-inch screens while those in economy class will measure 12-inches. High-speed wi-fi will be available through Panasonic’s eXConnect satellite broadband during the airline’s short and long-haul flights from Tahiti to Auckland, Los Angeles, Paris and Tokyo. The aircraft interior will also be redesigned to offer “a stunning new look that is distinctly Tahitian”.