This suite design brings a first class twist to business class

Many airlines which no longer have a dedicated first class cabin are transforming the front row of business class into a spaciously upmarket ‘business plus’ experience.

A few examples include JetBlue’s Mint Studio, at the front of its Airbus A321LR Mint business class… 

… Virgin Atlantic’s A330neo Retreat Suite, which takes the A330neo Upper Class to a whole new level… 

... the Business Elite suite of newcomer Riyadh Air...

... and Air New Zealand’s upgraded Boeing 787 Business Premier Luxe mini-suites.

Even Lufthansa, which still champions first class, has given the first row of business class the private suite treatment.

Now there’s a fresh take on combining first class and business class.

Called Vantage Nova First, it’s from Ireland’s Thompson Aero Seating, which alongside London-based Factorydesign pretty much invented the ‘business plus’ concept.

Thompson says it’s reinventing ‘business plus’ with Vantage Nova First, which in turn serves a crowning companion to the twin-aisle Vantage Nova business class seat.

“Seamlessly incorporated into the front row of the Vantage Nova platform, this enhanced business class experience offers first class appeal,” Thompson explains.

“The clever configuration of the suite environment provides a greater sense of space and luxury, within the same footprint as an all-business class cabin.”

Opening up the middle suites provides the opportunity for four passengers travelling together to enjoy a unique ‘quad’ experience where they can dine or socialise in a comfortable, practical and friendly setting.

An innovative mechanism connects the two tables in the centre to form one large bespoke surface: perfect for shared dining or a friendly game of cards.

Passengers sitting by the window will find their Nova First suite also contains a ‘buddy seat’ so that a companion can join them during the flight.

Other top-end traits of Vantage Nova First include:

• a supremely comfortable ‘zero G’ seat design in which passengers can tilt and lower their body while raising their legs, resulting in a highly relaxing position for comfort and circulation.
• inbuilt heating and cooling
• a 32” video screen, compared with 24" across the rest of the Vantage Nova cabin
• in-suite stowage designed to fit a mid-size cabin bag
• ambient, feature and mood LED lighting

A launch customer – rumoured to be Delta Air Lines, for its Airbus A350-1000 jets – is already locked in for the Vantage Nova business class, with first delivery scheduled for 2026, although it’s not yet known if that airline will also be rolling out the new Nova First suites.