Above: A Cathay Pacific Boeing 777-300ER.

Cathay Pacific announced today that its new “premium economy” class is available for sale for flights departing from April 1, 2012.

The new service class offers bigger seats and a better entertainment system in a quieter, more spacious cabin than traditional economy class. Each such cabin will have about 26 to 34 seats.

The seat pitch is 38 inches, or six inches more than economy, and the seat itself is wider and has a bigger recline. Complementing the seat is a large meal table, a cocktail table, a 10.6-inch TV screen with a noise-cancelling headset, a power outlet, a multipart connector for gadgets, and extra stowage space.

Customers will also get priority check-in at dedicated counters, plus priority boarding, and an increase in baggage allowance from 20kg to 25kg. They’ll also be welcomed with a glass of champagne.

The Hong Kong airline will initially offer premium economy on some flights to/from Sydney, Toronto, Vancouver, and New York. In May some flights to/from London will be added, and in August Adelaide, Los Angeles, Melbourne, and San Francisco.

By year’s end Cathay Pacific will have 48 aircraft installed with the new product comprised of 23 Boeing 777-300ERs, 17 A330-300s, and eight Boeing 747-400s.