Lie-Flat Business-Class Seats Go Mainstream: A Guide and Review
AIR FRANCE
First Class
Air France began to fly the Airbus A380 in October 2009. It currently has eight in service.
First-class seats are on the main deck, which also accommodates 343 economy (Voyageur) seats, placed in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each of the nine fully lie-flat seats is part of an open suite with an overall length of 81” and a seat width of 35”.
Business Class
Business-class seats are on the aircraft’s upper deck, which also has 38 economy plus (Premium Voyageur) seats, and 46 economy (“Voyageur”) seats.
Business-class seats, which are angled, are in a 2-2-2 configuration. They extend to 78” with a 180° recline. Pitch is 61” and each seat is 21” wide.
Read a more detailed review of these seats here.
AMERICAN AIRLINES
Business class in American’s new 777-300ER
American Airlines introduced its new first- and business-class cabins at the beginning of 2013. They are exclusive to American’s Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.
First Class
First-class seats are located, as expected, at the front of the passenger cabin. The fully lie-flat seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each Flagship Suite seat is 29” wide including the armrests, which can be lowered, and is 21” with the armrests up). The fully extended bed measures 80”. The suite itself is 45” wide. Each suite has a large and well-padded ottoman (which becomes part of the bed).
Business Class
Business-class seats on the 777-300ER occupy the second and third cabins of the aircraft and are fully lie flat. The second cabin is sometimes referred to as the mini cabin because it only has two rows, mimicking the first-class cabin in that respect. The 52 business-class seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, just as in first. All business-class seats have direct-aisle access.
The pod’s overall length is 75” (an increase of 15” over the earlier business-class seating) and width is 25” with the armrests down (20” with them up). The pod’s overall width is 44”.
Read a more detailed review of these seats here.
Click here to continue to Page 3 – ANA, Delta, Lufthansa, Qatar, and Swiss
