Boeing 747-8 Forward Cabin: Ceiling and Lighting Concept

Boeing's rendering of the forward cabin zone on the 747-8.

The ceiling that made it feel new

The curve running the length of the ceiling is the clearest inheritance from the 787. On earlier 747s the overhead bins met a flat ceiling panel; here the bins are shaped so the eye reads a continuous arch, which makes a cabin of the same physical width feel larger.

Boeing described the effect as being about perceived space rather than actual space - the 747-8's cross-section is the same one the aircraft has had since 1969. The 787-derived details that carry the illusion through the whole cabin are the curved, suspended bins, the larger windows and the LED lighting:

• Windows are 16 percent larger than the 747-400's - the same size as those on the 777 and 767-400ER - so the arch reads against a brighter, airier backdrop.
• LED lighting replaces fluorescent tubes, capable of setting a cabin mood from sunrise to sunset across a flight, with fewer failures and lower maintenance cost.

Reading the render

This is a concept, not a delivered cabin. Boeing used renderings like this to sell the programme; operational 747-8s vary by airline - seat counts, premium-cabin layout, finishes and even galleys differ from operator to operator. The most detailed public layout is Lufthansa's.

For the rest of the cabin, zone by zone, see the 747-8 interior section.