(DailyExpertNews) — Spacious, packed with gadgets, and with infinite recline angles as they sink into a daybed, there’s a reason business class seats on airplanes are as pricey — and comfortable — as they are.
Now one airline is aiming to revolutionize air luxury by introducing a business class seat that can’t recline.
Finnair’s new Airlounge seats, unveiled Thursday, are super spacious and utterly private, with their wide, 51-inch-high backs that curl around the aisle to form a shallow barrier for passersby.
The seats curl to provide privacy in a 1-2-1 configuration.
finnair
And yet they are not backwards. Passengers will be provided with pillows and an ottoman for comfort, while padding panels can fill a completely flat surface, and mattresses are on hand to set it up like a 78-inch-long bed, which slopes toward the window.
Video promo footage of the new seats, developed by Collins Aerospace, shows a simple control panel in the armrest that offers a flip-up leg rest, alongside lighting options and a do not disturb sign – but no reclining options.
The seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, meaning that everyone has direct access to the aisle. There is a sturdy plastic divider between the center seats that can be lowered for people traveling together.
The seats have padded panels and a mattress to convert into a bed.
finnair
The airline took inspiration from regular living room chairs, it said in a press release, adding that “the seat is designed to maximize your comfort, space and freedom of movement during a long-haul flight.”
The goal was to create “more of a living environment,” said David Kondo of Finnair’s customer experience team.
It will also be typically Finnish: duvets and pillows are a special design by Marimekko, Iittala takes care of the crockery.
The Airlounge seats will be rolled out across Finnair’s A330 and A350 fleets.
finnair
And while the jury is currently out on its comfort rating, the new seat could well be greener — heavy shells and luxury seat mechanics increase fuel economy on airplanes.
The new seats will be rolled out across Finnair’s A330 and A350 fleets, with 28 seats per cabin in the former and up to 43 in the latter.
