Air Tahiti Nui has given the first look at the result of it’s upcoming $17 million dollar refurbishment.

The 5 Airbus A340-300 aircraft in the carriers fleet are undergoing significant changes in order to freshen up the airline’s image.

Poerava First Class service is being phased out from April 1st and will be replaced with a larger Poerava Business class cabin of 32 seats, up from 24 arranged, and in a 2-2-2 configuration.

The seats being used are the Sogerma angled lie flat cocoon seats which while not the fully flat seats that travellers covet, they are certainly an improvement over the the old recliner style seating.

Seat pitch has also been increased from 53″ to 60″ and the colour scheme has been modernized to reflect the natural beauty of the Tahitian islands.

Moana Economy class has also received a revamp with lightweight slimline seating installed with the standard 2-4-2 configuration and larger seat back screens installed. Seat pitch is an average of 32″ and the standard 18″ width.

Throughout the aircraft a new IFE system featuring an “on demand” access to a selection of 25 movies and 24 television programs as well as a Tahiti focussed channel “Tiare TV” to give passengers a taste of island life before they arrive.

The revamped aircraft will appear in the skies in April and will be initially flying routes from Papeete to Los Angeles and onto Paris.

Air Tahiti Nui expects that three of it’s aircraft will be retrofitted with the new interiors by early June which is when passengers on routes to Tokyo and Auckland will get to experience what the air line is calling its ’boutique feel and and exclusive Polynesian hospitality’