With more business travellers increasingly demanding new amenities from airlines every day, they cannot afford to leave any stone unturned in ensuring that they get what they want.
While in-flight amenities, service and entertainment available in Business Class are often comparable across airline carriers, the type of seat offered can vary significantly. Business Class seats can be categorised by one of the following descriptions:
Recliner Seats: These seats do not offer the significant recline of the Lie-flat and Flat Bed Seats, but still offer excellent space and comfort.
Angle Lie-Flat Seats: While airlines often market these seats as having 180 degrees of recline, in their fully reclined position they are slightly angled and do not lay completely horizontal. Passengers often find these seats to be extremely comfortable for relaxing and working, but not conducive to sleep when in the fully reclined position because of the awkward angle.
Flat Bed Seats: When fully reclined, these seats are completely horizontal, creating a bed that is fully flat. These seats always receive high accolades for being comfortable both as seats and beds.
Suites: These seats offer the utmost in privacy and comfort. Each suite is essentially its own mini-cabin which includes a fully-flat bed, work station and television.
Business class was originally intended as an intermediate level of service between economy class and first class, but many airlines now offer business class as the highest level of service, having eliminated first class seating.
Business class is distinguished from other travel classes by the quality of seating, food, drinks, ground service and other amenities. Full business class is usually denoted ‘J’ or ‘C’ with schedule flexibility, but can be many other letters depending on circumstances.
However, some will argue on a technicality that the best business class belongs to some particular airlines because they fly them from one long haul to another often times but that may not be true until you try other airlines.
No one but a kid on his way to Disney loves to fly, especially for long distances in coach. Travelers who have ever flown business class or other premium classes have a hard time going back.
As it happens, any judgment on the best business class involves several factors. Sometimes the yardstick for measuring airlines with best business class seats are fully flat beds, something each of the airlines offers. Many also have ample space between seats and easy access to the aisle —configurations that certain airlines offer.
Full flat-bed seats are now the Benchmark standard for long haul Business class airline travel, and for travellers wanting to get the best sleep during the flight, this should be the product type that you seek out.
Angled-flat seats are still provided by many airlines, and whilst they claim that with the incline of an aircraft in-flight the seats will not feel angled, the reality is that these seats can be quite uncomfortable for sleeping passengers reporting that they slowly slide down and rest is hard to come by.
It’s not just the seat, although that’s typically foremost in the equation. It’s also the meals and the drinks – factors some travellers rate above seat comfort – along with the service.
For some shorter flights, airport lounges can even come into play as part of the overall business travel experience. But if we pare it back to the basics of the seat – the physical object you’re likely to be stuck in for eight to 12 hours, or even more – it’s easier to make a call.
Air France is continuing its move up-market and has recently unveilled its new Business class seat, for a completely renewed travel experience. In total, 2,102 seats will be installed between June 2014 and summer 2016 on 44 Boeing 777, the core of Air France’s long-haul fleet.
Every detail has been specially modelled to give the seat its unique design. The passenger is instantly enveloped in its graceful curves into a cocoon-like state of special care.
With a unique design for more comfort and freedom, a fully flat seat bed for perfect sleep, direct aisle access for each passenger and a 16-inch (41 cm) high definition touch screen with over 1,000 hours of entertainment, this real cocoon, with its particularly refined finishing touches (leather upholstery, topstitching) provides an ideal level of comfort and offers the prospect of a perfect sleep.
The new Air France Business class seat was developed around the concept of 3 Fs: Full flat – the seat converts to a fully flat bed – for crossing time zones without fatigue; Full access – direct access to the aisle, regardless of the seat’s location in the cabin and Full privacy – a protected area through the seat’s enveloping curves, providing a true bubble of privacy in the sky.
Specially designed for Air France, this seat was developed in collaboration with Zodiac Aerospace, a world leader in the manufacture of aircraft seats. Its unique design was specially created by designer Mark Collins of Design Investment, specialized in the world of high-end transportation and by the design and branding agency, Brandimage.
Seeking to offer the ultimate in comfort in the sky, Air France engaged customers, company employees, designers and ergonomic experts in the seat’s cooperative design effort.
A 16-inch (41 cm) high definition touch screen with more than 1,000 hours of entertainment. In the Business cabin, customers have a wide touch screen offering a high definition image.
This 16-inch (41 cm) screen offers a unique onboard navigation experience similar to a tablet. With a completely redesigned user interface and available in 12 languages (French, English,Spanish, Brazilian Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, German, Italian, Dutch, Russian and Arabic), choosing an entertainment program from over 1,000 hours of entertainment has never been so easy and intuitive.
At a glance, seats convert into a completely flat bed for maximum comfort with direct aisle access for every passenger and an enveloping structure of curves, providing a feeling of privacy.
Seats feature all of the latest technology: a wide high definition touch screen, a touch screen handset, electrical outlet, USB port and new noise-reduction headphones. There is a padded headboard, an Air France signature feature; an adjustable soft leather headrest; space and multiple storage areas close at hand; a delicate-to-the-touch duvet, a XXL feather down pillow and high quality, down to the finishing: leather, choice fabrics, stitching.
With its ‘Best & Beyond’ programme, long-haul ambition and within the framework of its Transform 2015 plan, Air France is continuing to develop the move upmarket of its entire range of products and services called “Best & Beyond”.
With an investment of over 500 million euros, this project aims to place Air France at the best possible level in terms of products and to make a difference with a caring attitude towards its customers.
Sade Williams
Join BusinessDay whatsapp Channel, to stay up to date
Open In Whatsapp
