Explore the exclusivity, comfort in the air

Luxury travellers have come to realise that a pint taken away from their perks equals nothing, therefore they tend to ask for more from airlines, which have also come to terms with the fact that competition has become keener in the air travel sector.

In a bid to get more wealthy customers to their sides, airlines have started offering passengers everything from on-board apartments to post-boarding limo rentals and private jet access.

The airlines are competing headlong to ensure that when travellers are paying a premium of several thousand dollars a ticket, they can have amenities to justify it. For maximum travel comfort, airlines are employing the services of ergonomists at high rates just to keep the premium travellers on their frequent flyers programmes.

For instance, Lufthansa’s new Business Class seat which is specially created for maximum travel comfort, boasts a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 1.98 metres length. At the press of a button, it converts into a comfortable bed. The seat impresses with the exceptional comfort it offers as a flat bed or as an upright or reclining seat, with its intuitive adjustments, additional storage space and enhanced entertainment system.

“We integrated our customers very closely into the development of our new Business Class so we would be able to offer a product that was totally in line with their wishes and requirements,” says Jens Bischof, member of the Lufthansa German Airlines Board.

Back in 2007, Lufthansa conducted a survey of more than 500 frequent flyers in order to find out their preferences and their requirements of a Business Class seat.

With that as the starting point, the airline moved on to the next phase and developed various concepts with the aid of well-known ergonomics experts, designers and seat manufacturers. In 2010 an eight-week trial was conducted on the Frankfurt-New York-Frankfurt route. The outcome is a seat that meets the most discerning demands as regards seating and sleeping comfort.

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Another novel feature is the innovative seating arrangement in the form of a “V”. Two neighbouring seats are angled towards one another along a central axis. This solution enabled Lufthansa to fulfill one of the main wishes expressed by customers – to sit or lie facing the direction of travel. This seating arrangement also enabled Lufthansa to virtually double the distance between two neighbouring seats at shoulder level, which in future will give Business Class passengers greater privacy. Furthermore, the newly developed concept allows Lufthansa to make optimum use of the space on board.

Special features of the new Business Class seat at a glance include a horizontal sleeping surface measuring 1.98 metres in length; its ergonomically improved cushioning ensures a high degree of comfort in a sitting or horizontal position with more space at shoulder level when lying down thanks to lowerable armrests and a special hollow in the central console. Generous surfaces to put things on and additional storage compartments on the seat itself; no need to stand up: ergonomically optimised, continuous seat-adjustment mechanism when converting the seat into a bed and when making individual adjustments to the seat position.

Inflight entertainment system with larger monitors (15-inch screens as opposed to the previous 10.4-inch screens), while greater distance from the neighbouring seat at shoulder level provides more privacy in the Boeing B747-8.

As for Air France, your trip in the Business cabin is a high-end travel experience, featuring optimal comfort, pleasure and efficiency. Both at the airport and on board, the officials strive to bring you well-being and serenity. In the Business cabin, your seat is designed to provide optimal comfort.

In just a few seconds, it transforms into a spacious bed up to 2 m / 6.5 ft in length, one of the longest on the market. It takes on the shape of your body and guarantees quality sleep. Thanks to its “enveloping” shell, you enjoy privacy throughout your entire flight.

The Business seat also includes an individual screen that lets you enjoy an entertainment lineup with over 500 hours of on-demand programming. A large selection of French and international newspapers is also at your disposal. For your well-being on board, you also have a hypoallergenic feather pillow, a pure wool blanket, a “comfort and well-being” kit that includes toiletries and a Clarins moisturizer.

The Business cabin provides everything you need to work comfortably: a power outlet to plug in your laptop or other electronic devices, a reading lamp that can be oriented so as not to bother or be bothered by your neighbor, noise-cancelling headphones, personal telephone to make calls via satellite, express light meals, and to lunch or dine quickly after takeoff.

Designed by ergonomics experts, this elegant seat has been revamped to offer ideal sleeping conditions: in just a few seconds, it transforms into a bed that is 2 m / 6.5 ft long and 61 cm / 24 in wide, one of the most spacious on the market.

With its user-friendly controls, you can easily find your best position throughout your flight. You can even have your legs outstretched before takeoff, as well as during takeoff and landing.

The seat also includes a new storage space and a removable armrest to facilitate access for passengers with reduced mobility. We are progressively installing the new Business seat on all of our long-haul aircraft. “It is now available on board more than half of our fleet”, the airline says.

The airline and its partner had also said that an investment that included €500m for Air France and €200m for KLM would go a long way in transforming travellers’ experience.

With the planned upgrading of both airlines’ A330 and A380 over the next few years, the Air France-KLM Group would invest a total of over €1bn by 2017 in the upgrading of its products and services for its customers.

SADE WILLIAMS