Qantas to Install Door-Equipped Business Suites on New 787s

Qantas will introduce enhanced business class suites on Boeing 787-9 aircraft scheduled for delivery starting in fiscal year 2028, the airline announced this week. The upgraded cabins will maintain the carrier's current 42-seat configuration in a staggered layout while adding privacy doors and other premium amenities.

The new suites will feature 80-inch fully flat beds with expanded footwells, 19-inch entertainment displays, and redesigned personal storage areas. Each seat will include a sliding privacy door, bringing the carrier's Dreamliner product in line with growing industry trends toward enclosed business class spaces. The airline operates 14 Boeing 787s currently, all configured with 42 staggered business class seats lacking door features.

Qantas has not indicated whether existing Dreamliners will receive the updated cabins through retrofit programs. The carrier's order book includes four 787-9s and ten 787-10s, though the announcement specifically referenced only the -9 variant receiving the new suites. Industry observers note the seating appears based on the Thompson Aero Vantage XL platform currently used across the Qantas 787 fleet, albeit with substantial enhancements beyond the existing configuration.

The 787 upgrade represents a different approach from the carrier's Airbus A350-1000 program, where Qantas selected Safran Unity seats for the business cabin. Twenty-four A350-1000s are on order, with those aircraft expected to feature what some consider a superior staggered suite product compared to the Thompson-based platform planned for the Dreamliners. The Safran Unity design can accommodate 787 installations, as demonstrated by Riyadh Air's aircraft configuration, though cabin width considerations and seat count optimization reportedly influenced Qantas's decision to maintain its existing platform architecture.

The fiscal 2028 delivery timeline places initial rollout between July 2027 and June 2028, giving the oneworld alliance member several years to finalize specifications before the first upgraded aircraft enter service on long-haul international routes.