United Airlines has unveiled a new international ‘United Business’ seat – one of the first fully-flat business class products by a US carrier on overseas flights.
 

In a 2x4x2 forward- and rear-facing configuration, the seat is 6’4” (1.89m) and 23’5” wide, and reclines fully 180°.

There are more than 150hrs of viewing to choose from on the 15.4” video screen – three times larger than United’s previous business class monitor – and other amenities include stowage and 110v power points for laptops, an iPod adapter and USB port for charging mobile phones.

The drawback for United is that by offering a larger seat, it can fit fewer on each aircraft type – and yet the price will remain the same. It will fit six First and 26 Business seats on its Boeing 767s (four and six less, respectively); eight and 40 on its 777s (minus four and nine), and 12 and 52 on its 747s (minus two and 21).

“We’re absolutely confident this will stimulate demand for both First and Business – we have no intention to change the pricing structure today,” United Airlines managing director sales EMEA and India, Marcel Fuchs, told ABTN. “Our UK customers will truly appreciate the lie-flat seating and world-class amenities.”

United says it is confident of its decision after feedback from its frequent travellers.

Roll-out of the new Business Class – and revamped First Class Suite 6’6” seats – across the airline’s fleet of 97 widebody 767, 777 and 787s will take some time though.

“For UK routes, we will offer it on our first service from London to Chicago on 31 March – but it will take until the first quarter in 2010 to reconfigure all the aircraft,” said Fuchs.

The updated premium products are currently on two routes, from Washington to Frankfurt and Zurich.

He added: “We’re looking forward to Open Skies, and our new Heathrow-Denver service. We’re here to compete and summer bookings for the route look strong – we see certain pent up demand for the UK customers to go to the US, and indeed I’ve just been in Berlin and it’s the same there, and in France.”