Flight Review: Eva Air Business Class Royal Laurel Review | TPE to KIX
Introduction
EVA is one of the world’s highest-ranked airlines, and its business class is beloved. But those accolades don’t come from its cabin design. During my trip to Japan, we had a quick layover in Taipei, and hopped onboard Eva Air’s flight from TPE to KIX in the morning.
Eva Air is known to provide some of the best services in the air, and this flight was evident of their ability to anticipate all their guests need, even with a fully-booked business class flight.
Seating Layout
Let me get the negatives out of the way right now: as much as I loved this flight and love EVA Air as a whole, I can’t help but feel that the entire EVA Air business class cabin is a bit… well, bland. When compared to its Taiwanese counterparts like China Airlines and Starlux Airlines, their design pales very well in comparison. However, everything else was fantastic.
This particular business class layout is a slightly older version of its latest business class seating, but still does a great job for an intra-Asia trip. For this flight from TPE to KIX, EVA Air has reverse herringbone seats in business class. These are perfectly comfortable, and while they’re not cutting edge, and they still provide a ton of legroom, decent storage and a comfy lay-flat during the flight.
Sitting down in your seat and you immediately feel the spaciousness around you - there is a ton of room to move around and I had no problem getting in and out of my seat. There are three storage areas in the seat: one small pocket near the entrance that can just barely fit the (admittedly large) complimentary headphones, the decent-sized space next to the table mentioned earlier, and a sizeable two-level shelf further down inside the seat that incorporates space underneath the table.
A handheld device controls the pop-out IFE screen, which is found near a reading light, two standard USB connections (no type C), and an international outlet. Finally, a set of buttons controlled the movement of the seat. You'll also find a set of easy-to-use seat controls near your elbow. You can recline into bed mode with the push of a button or really fine-tune your seat, independently moving the leg rest if you want to lounge upright. There's even an adjustable lumbar support.
No matter which cabin you're in, seats are laid out in a 1-2-1 arrangement, with every seat positioned away from the aisle. These reverse herringbone seats are a favorite among frequent travelers for maximizing both personal space and privacy. Best of all, every passenger has direct access to the aisle.
Couples and companions should gravitate to seat pairs in the center. Just keep in mind that because of how these seats are angled and a small, immovable partition in the center console, you won’t be terribly close to your traveling companion. It can be done, but carrying on a conversation across these seats isn't the easiest – there are certainly better setups in the sky for those traveling in pairs.
Seats along the windows, meanwhile, are ideal for solo travelers. These EVA business class seats lack the doors or additional privacy partitions that are all the rage these days – you won't confuse these for Qatar Q -Suites or JAL’s latest business class – the angle of these seats still offer plenty of privacy from your fellow travelers.
A few minutes later, our flight attendant began passing around welcome items, including a wet towel (with some disinfectant), dark chocolate, and a drink of choice, in this case, a glass of some delicious champagne. Wine enthusiasts should note that EVA is well-known for serving first-class level champagne and spirits to its business class passengers.
There are three lavatories onboard for business class passengers: Two at the very front of the plane and one between the two business class cabins. While fairly basic, they were always spotless. In addition to some helpful amenities like dental kits, mouthwash, and ear plugs at the ready, there was also an assortment of toiletries from Acqua Colonia available to use, from facial mist to body lotion.
Food & Beverage
EVA business class passengers have plenty to choose from – and more than just what's available onboard. Starting 21 days before departure, you can manage your reservation at EVAair.com and select from an even broader list of dinner options. It's akin to Singapore Airlines' famous Book the Cook service.
I sadly made the mistake of booking too proactively - when I saw what was in store for the flight to Japan, I immediately regretted my decision. My spouse had a blast of time enjoying her multi-course meal. Don’t get me wrong, the lunch was fantastic and the selection of teas and coffee was great, but this was one of the very few moments where I wished I didn’t preorder ahead.
Conclusion
It may be showing its age in terms of the aircraft design, but Eva Air sure knows how to treat its business class customers right, even if it was just a 2 hour flight. Sure, the entertainment selection is subpar and the seats on EVA's 777s don't look quite as flashy as they did just five years ago. But that's a small slight in an otherwise outstanding flight: The seat is spacious and comfortable and the service is both proactive and genuine. The dining, drinks, and amenities are all fantastic and rival the best in the world, particularly in the Intra-Asia domain.
