TOKYO- All Nippon Airways (NH) has confirmed a comprehensive cabin overhaul of its international Boeing 787-9 fleet, highlighted by the introduction of a new business class suite named The Room FX.
ANA has scheduled the product to enter service in 2026, and it represents a direct evolution of the airline’s acclaimed long-haul premium offering.
The upgraded aircraft will primarily operate long-haul international routes from Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND) and will also feature redesigned premium economy and economy cabins.
According to OMAAT, the project reflects ANA’s strategy to prioritize passenger comfort and technology over maximum seating density.
ANA Business Class “The Room” on 787s
ANA’s current “The Room” business class, available on select Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, is widely regarded as one of the most spacious and private business class products in commercial aviation.
The Room FX, where “FX” stands for Future Experience, adapts that concept for the Boeing 787-9 while introducing several fundamental design changes.
ANA developed the new suite in partnership with Safran Seats and Acumen Design Associates, continuing a long-standing collaboration with the 2 suppliers.
They describe The Room FX as the world’s largest business class seat in its category on a mid-sized aircraft, a claim supported by its exceptional bed width, overall footprint, and low-density layout.
ANA will fit each Boeing 787-9 with 48 business class suites arranged across 12 rows in a 1-2-1 configuration.
Seats will alternate between forward-facing and rear-facing orientations, a design approach that allows greater personal space, improved privacy, and more efficient use of the cabin footprint. Every suite will include a full-height privacy door.
A defining feature of The Room FX is its no-recline architecture, similar in concept to the non-reclining business class seats introduced by Finnair. Instead of reclining backward, passengers slide into a sleeping position.
ANA refers to this as a pre-reclining function, where the backrest forms a sofa-like structure that supports multiple lounging and resting positions.
The fully flat bed reaches a maximum length of 76.5 inches and a width of up to 41.5 inches, dimensions that exceed most business class seats installed on mid-sized widebody aircraft.
Executives Remark
Victoria Foy, Chief Executive Officer of Safran Seats, described the new product as a step-change in comfort and versatility, emphasizing the combination of ANA’s passenger-focused philosophy, Safran’s engineering expertise, and Acumen’s creative design approach.
Ian Dryburgh, Chief Executive Officer of Acumen, highlighted that the suite builds on the DNA of the original “The Room” while delivering a balanced blend of flexibility, comfort, and refined engineering intended to exceed passenger expectations over the long term.
In-Seat Technology and Features
The Room FX introduces technology enhancements that go beyond ANA’s existing 777 business class product.
Each suite is equipped with a 24-inch high definition monitor and Bluetooth audio connectivity, allowing passengers to pair personal headphones directly with the inflight entertainment system.
Power and charging options are extensive and include USB-A ports, USB-C ports, standard AC outlets, and integrated wireless charging.
These features are designed to support multiple personal devices simultaneously and reflect evolving passenger usage patterns on long-haul flights.
Cabin Layout Changes and Seating Capacity
The introduction of The Room FX coincides with a broader reconfiguration of the Boeing 787-9 cabin across all classes.
ANA’s current international 787-9 aircraft are configured with 215 seats, comprising 48 business class seats, 21 premium economy seats, and 146 economy seats.
The future configuration will reduce total capacity to 206 seats. Business class and premium economy seat counts will remain unchanged, while economy class seating will decrease to 137 seats.
The 9 seat reduction occurs entirely within the economy cabin and underscores ANA’s decision to allocate more space per passenger rather than maximize overall capacity.
Notably, ANA will install only 24 business class seats between the first and second set of aircraft doors.
Many competing airlines place up to 30 business class seats within the same fuselage section, making ANA’s approach a clear departure from prevailing industry density trends.
Timeline and Fleet Scale
ANA expects to take delivery of the first Boeing 787-9 featuring The Room FX cabins in August 2026.
By the end of that year, ANA plans to have 3 aircraft equipped with the new interiors in active service on international routes.
The Dreamliner represents a critical component of ANA’s long-haul fleet. The airline currently operates 35 international Boeing 787-9 aircraft and has an additional 27 on order, ensuring that The Room FX will eventually impact a significant share of ANA’s global network.
Strategic Importance
The Boeing 787 fuselage is narrower than that of the Boeing 777, a factor that often forces compromises in seat width and personal space.
With The Room FX, ANA aims to mitigate those limitations through innovative seat architecture, alternating orientations, and reduced cabin density.
While the new suite may not fully replicate the scale of the Boeing 777-based “The Room,” it represents a substantial improvement over ANA’s existing 787 business class product.
The combination of increased space, modernized technology, and a distinct no-recline design positions The Room FX as one of the most competitive business class offerings available on a mid-sized widebody aircraft.
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