Singapore Airlines Suites
No. on each flight: 12
Max. seat width: 90cm
Seat recline: full-flat bed
Full bed length: 1.98m
Designed by French luxury yacht designer Jean-Jacques Coste, Singapore Airlines’ suites are offered aboard the Airbus A380. The seats, upholstered by Poltrona Frau in fine leather, are convertible into a full-sized flat beds. Each suite also includes a 23-inch high-resolution widescreen LCD, with 100 movies, 180 TV programs and 700 music CDs for entertainment. Each seat has in-seat power supplies for laptops and an input for a USB thumb-drive. The suite has office tools available from the entertainment system.
Each suite also comes furnished with a wide and height-adjustable table that can function as a workstation, meeting table or large dining table. Gourmet meals on offer are designed by top international chefs Gordon Ramsay (UK), George Blanc (France), Matt Moran (Australia) and Sam Leong (Singapore). Meals are served on fine bone chinaware, crystal ware and silverware designed by French fashion house Givenchy. Fine wines and Champagne selected by a panel of sommeliers accompany all meals.
American Airlines Next Generation Business Class
No. on each flight: 37
Max. seat width: 58cm
Seat recline: full-flat bed
Full bed length: 1.95m
Offered on all American Airlines’ (AA) Boeing 777 aircraft, business class accommodations include lie-flat seats and personal in-flight entertainment systems with on-demand audio and video. The in-seat entertainment features a touch-screen 10.6-inch tilting monitor. Passengers are provided Bose noise-canceling headphones to reduce engine sounds.
The seat arrangement means each passenger is offset from fellow travelers for added privacy. Seats were designed by Recaro, an aviation seating specialist company headquartered in Germany. Soft foam memory cushions contour to passengers’ bodies and a memory settings return passengers to their preferred positions.
Another defining feature of AA’s business class seats is interlocking tray tables. The tables can be used separately or together to create one large work or dining surface. Power ports are located in the center console between passengers, an advantage over some other airlines that locate the power port on the floor or under the seat.
Cathay Pacific’s Business Class
No. on each flight: varies
Max. seat width: 60cm
Seat recline: full-flat bed
Full bed length: 2m
Cathay Pacific upgraded its previous angled lie-flat seat model after its competitors began offering full-flat beds and enhanced individual privacy. The business class cabin aboard all of Cathay Pacific’s long-haul flights employs a "fishbone" layout that allows unrestricted aisle access from each seat. The use of lighter fabrics and metallic accents are meant to create a feeling of space within the seat partitions. Simple seat controls allow full adjustment, including lumbar support, while a two-way massage function aids blood circulation during flight.
Passengers are in full control of their own living area. The in-flight entertainment system offers audio and video on demand featuring 50 movies, more than 100 TV shows, 160-plus CDs, 22 radio channels and 96 games. A 15-inch TV screen and noise-canceling headset comes with all seats. Each is also equipped with a 110V AC power supply for personal electronic devices and attention has been paid to providing good lighting for working.
Emirates’ Business Class
No. on each flight: 42
Max. seat width: 62cm
Seat recline: full-flat bed
Full bed length: 1.98m
Emirates’ Business Class seats, offered across Emirates’ Boeing 777 and Airbus A330/A340 fleet, feature a 10-zone in-seat massage function. Seats are arranged in 2-3-2 configurations, with large, remote-controlled privacy dividers between each seat. Passengers have 600 channels of entertainment, 40 computer games, satellite telephones, SMS and email at their disposal. The cabin also has a central fax machine. External cameras give live views of take-offs, landings and en route scenery.
A sample six-course business-class dinner would be: cocktails with canapés, terrine de Foie Gras avec des Artichauts, seasonal salad, lamb loin fillet, cheese soufflé with dates, international cheese board, selection of seasonal fruit, coffee and chocolates. For those still hungry, business class travelers also have access to Emirates’ business-class airport lounges with on-site chefs, round-the-clock hot and cold dishes and a full bar. Chauffeur-drive service to and from most airports servicing Emirates is complimentary for business class travelers.