Went to book a business class flight for October today. Seating showing a 1-2-1 formation. On checking further, it seems that their new flat beds are arriving, if they have not already.

Yeah I saw this too. Gonna check them out i think, £1930 ish with 6 month validity LHR-BKK-LHR at the moment too. The old 170deg tilt beds made Eva a no-no before.

Refitting their B777's to Royal Laurel should be finished this month.

Here's the EVA Air press release:

http://www.evaair.com/en-global/news-releases/2012/eva-premieres-royal-laurel-class.html

I flew back from BKK to AMS in Royal Laurel on 01/06/2013.

Here's the YouTube video of Royal Laurel:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLHVNn7ggu0

I'm not happy about this.. They were the best value before, but have bumped their prices up. I believe they have reduced the leg room in Elite as well. I was happy with the sloping seats.

Going from a 2-2-2 layout to a 1-2-1 means a 30% reduction in seat numbers / row. They will have to make up that revenue somewhere. That probably means even less space in Economy, and Premium Deluxe, plus higher prices all round. Those exorbitant UK air taxes (£460) don't help either.

1-2-1 is herringbone seating, fully flat and very comfortable.

I've flown with Jet airways, Turkish Airways who have this config and it is very good.

Going from a 2-2-2 layout to a 1-2-1 means a 30% reduction in seat numbers / row. They will have to make up that revenue somewhere. That probably means even less space in Economy, and Premium Deluxe, plus higher prices all round. Those exorbitant UK air taxes (£460) don't help either.

It's like they are going after a different market and leaving a class of loyal travellers behind. I suppose it's inevitable, but I'm seeing my affordable options disappear.

Two things, they are now part of Star Alliance and any decent airline knows that full fare paying business passengers demand full flat beds on flights of that length. I applaud them and will now probably save my company money and use them instead of Thai First.

Well I paid full price out of my own pocket and was happy with the sloping seats as they were cheap and I could sleep. Now they have abandoned that niche to compete with the "decent" airlines.

And WestEast just told me they won't let me mix classes any more. So now it's EVA in Elite or someone else in Business..

They moved up to spot #1 for my next-next trip with their renewed business class.

Will fly Etihad business next week, maybe for the last time, too expensive they got at 100k+/2500+euro

Checked EVA to AMS en seems 30 days fare around 80k baht/2000euro, free bus to BRU.

Joining star alliance is a bonus.

Sloping seats will not get my business.

Any trip reports welcome.