Just like sleeping on a cloud -- or in one
FLAT-BED SEATS | For a price, fliers can arrive rested and ready to go
NEW YORK -- In some ways, Andy Abramson's morning routine is typical: He shaves, brushes his teeth and combs his hair before slipping on slacks and a shirt for a meeting with a client.
But what's not typical is that Abramson's routine is outside his Del Mar, Calif., home. He's preparing for a day of meetings aboard one of several commercial airlines that promises to provide all the comforts of home, including a good night's sleep.
Call it the evolution of first class, or a return to the days when flying was glamorous, but an increasing number of airlines are offering flat-bed seats to business and/or first class international passengers.
Unlike lie-flat seats, which are angled, flat-bed seats recline to a full 180 degrees. The bed dimensions vary: Virgin Atlantic's seat length is 79.5 inches; British Airways is 72 inches in business class and 78 inches in first class.
''I'm 6-foot-tall, and I feel comfortable in it,'' said Abramson, who is CEO of an international marketing company. ''I'm able to sleep flat out without having to curl my toes or bend my knees. Whenever I take a West Coast-London flight, I usually spend half to two-thirds of the flight asleep, more than I get at home. It sure makes it easier if you have to get off the plane and you want to be functional.''
Of course, a bed on an airplane is not a new idea. In the 1930s, Pan Am's Clippers, which took off from the water, had berths that folded down into beds. Post-World War II, the airline's Boeing 377 Stratocruisers offered sleeper seats. In the '80s, Japan Airlines and Philippine Airlines had spiral staircases leading to an upper deck of curtained off beds aboard their 747s. Eventually the beds were eliminated.
But because of deregulation and increased competition, the economics of the airline industry changed, said Dan Petree, dean of the College of Business at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It became much more difficult to allocate space to beds, he said.
''I think now we're seeing attempts by airlines to differentiate their brands, to try to create additional value in terms of the service they provide their customers,'' he said. ''I think that's one of the reasons we are seeing this tendency to pay attention to the relatively high-margin business flier.''
British Airways was the first in 1996 to put in flat-bed seats for first-class passengers, and in 2000 for British Airways' business class, called Club World. Other airlines followed, including South African Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Air Canada, Cathay Pacific and Singapore Airlines. .
U.S. carriers, set back because of financial troubles, are trying to catch up. United Airlines became the first U.S. carrier last month to offer flat-bed seats in international business cabins. Delta is planning to introduce flat-bed seats in business class next year. American is continuing to replace some of its business-class seats with angled lie-flat seats.
The perks of airborne beds go beyond peaceful sleep. Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 has suites with double beds, sliding doors, wardrobes and window blinds. Virgin Atlantic offers business-class passengers ground transportation, in-flight massages and a clubhouse at the airport.
''The private suites we're seeing from airlines like Singapore are essentially condos in the clouds,'' said Robert Buckman, director of airline distribution strategies for Amadeus North America. ''The sleeping arrangements and other amenities go well beyond the lie-flat seating option, but so does the price. These private suites are designed to attract a certain type of luxury or very VIP traveler looking for a very exclusive travel experience.''
Fueling the demand for lie-flat beds is competition for premium passengers, more valuable to an airline than coach passengers. First class/business class international tickets can cost thousands of dollars more.
Over the years, sitting up front became a place for a person with lots of miles who wanted more leg room and free alcohol, said George Hoffer, economics professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. Passengers and companies who spend thousands of dollars wanted to feel like they were getting a lot more for their money.
"I liken the sleeper compartments to in essence trying to recreate what used to be called Pullman class service, ultra-first class service,'' he said. ''Give them more space and hopefully charge them a premium price such that it more than covers the extra space we have given them."
AP