Japan airlines, bullet trains add premium seats
· UPIMay 27 (Asia Today) -- Japanese airlines and rail operators are expanding premium seats and private compartments on airplanes, bullet trains and overnight trains as they compete to sell travel time as sleep, work and private space.
The Yomiuri Shimbun reported Wednesday that transportation companies are adding new seating options for passengers who want to rest or work while traveling. The trend marks a shift from competing only on speed to offering travel as productive or restful time.
All Nippon Airways renewed seats on midsize international aircraft in April. Economy seats now recline farther than before, while business class includes private-suite-style seating with doors.
The airline's next-generation business class seat, "THE Room FX," is being introduced gradually on Boeing 787-9 long-haul international routes beginning in 2026. The seat has a door for privacy and can be converted into a bed-like space. ANA has described it as one of the world's largest business class seats for midsize aircraft.
Rail operators are moving in the same direction.
JR East plans to introduce a new overnight limited express train in spring 2027 linking the Tokyo metropolitan area with the northern Tohoku region. The company plans to convert an existing E657-series limited express train into an all-premium private-room service, with rooms for one to four passengers.
Central Japan Railway, known as JR Central, plans to bring private rooms back to the Tokaido Shinkansen on Oct. 1. The service will include two private compartments per train and is designed for passengers who want to hold online meetings or work without worrying about nearby passengers. Private rooms on the Tokaido Shinkansen are returning after more than two decades.
The shift shows how the business model is changing. In the past, transport companies could increase revenue by placing more seats in the same space. Now, fewer but more expensive seats can be more competitive if they offer privacy, comfort or work space.
Japan Airlines is also redesigning domestic service. The airline said it will begin operating new Boeing 737-8 aircraft from fiscal 2027 and expand domestic first class service to new routes across Japan. JAL said travel and work habits have changed since the coronavirus pandemic and passenger needs have become more diverse.
Behind the changes is Japan's growing emphasis on "time performance," or getting more value out of time. Business travel has declined, but demand has increased for online meetings, remote work and finishing tasks before arrival. Leisure travelers also want better sleep and more privacy.
For transport companies, the strategy is tied to demographics. With Japan's population shrinking, passenger numbers are unlikely to rise sharply. Raising revenue per customer through wider seats and private spaces has become a practical way to protect earnings.
South Korea faces similar pressure from low birthrates, population decline, fewer business trips and shifting tourism demand. Japan's premium-seat competition suggests transportation will no longer be judged only by how many hours a trip takes.
The next question for transport operators may be how well they can sell the same two-hour journey as time to sleep, work or rest alone.
-- Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
© Asia Today. Unauthorized reproduction or redistribution prohibited.
Original Korean report: https://www.asiatoday.co.kr/kn/view.php?key=20260527010007895