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Jetstar has commenced an overhaul of its 787-8 Dreamliner fleet, with the first aircraft now undergoing refurbishment in Hong Kong.
VH-VKK departed Melbourne this week for the cabin update, which will see new seating for both business and economy passengers, on-board Wi-Fi, and lie-flat crew rest bunks. The first aircraft is expected to be completed by the end of March, with all 11 787-8s to be progressively refreshed.
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It comes ahead of the low-cost carrier launching flights from Melbourne to Colombo in Sri Lanka later this year, with the six crew rest bunks at the rear of the aircraft to also enable longer-haul flights of up to 16 hours.
“The first aircraft entering the hangar is an exciting milestone and a testament to the hard work our teams have put in to get us here,” said Sophie Dawson, the senior project manager for Jetstar’s 787 refresh program.
“We’re thrilled to begin the upgrades that will deliver a more modern and better long-haul experience for our customers and crew when taking off to destinations such as Tokyo, Seoul and Colombo.”
The current seating will be replaced with ergonomic designs by RECAERO Aircraft Seating, with the economy seats featuring seat-back device holders, charging outlets, and six-way headrests, while business will also have device holders, power, and headrests, plus a “generous recline”.
To make room for the extra business seats – 44, as opposed to the current 21 – the total seats across the whole aircraft will drop from 335 to 325. There will also be “new ways” for customers, including Club Jetstar members, to book business-class seats.
Additionally, seat-back screens will be removed to reduce weight and fuel burn, to be replaced by the device holders with in-flight Wi-Fi.
Jetstar chief executive Stephanie Tully said in 2024 that the airline is going through a “big growth phase” and that its fleet renewal program, including the overhaul and refit of its Dreamliners, will unlock new international markets.
“We’ve got lots of new aircraft coming in. The technology of the aircraft that are coming mean that smaller aircraft can go further, which unlocks even more network, new routes, new places to fly,” Tully said.
“Some of our other aircraft, we’re changing the inside so they can fly further, which means new international routes, new domestic routes.
“With what we’re doing with our bigger aircraft, the 787s, they’ll be able to fly further, so places like Vegas and Cape Town are not out of reach, [though] I’m not confirming we’re doing them.
“Also, the new aircraft that are coming, our new narrow-bodies – what we call the NEOs or the XLRs – coming soon, they can go to other places in Southeast Asia.”
Jetstar was the first Australian airline to operate the Dreamliner, with the 787-8s entering service for the carrier in 2014.
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