Scandinavian Airlines’ new Business Class cabin, featuring fully reclining seats and video on demand, will be available on all Asian routes by the end of April 2006. Scandinavian Airlines has always been at the forefront of satisfying the business traveller’s needs, including being one of the first airlines in the world to introduce a fully-reclining bed, the EuroSleeper, in the early 1990s.

In 2006, Scandinavian Airlines is upgrading its entire long-haul business class product following extensive market research and studying up-to-date demands from customers. The launch of the new generation flat bed and other features, such as audio/video on demand and wireless internet connection, crowns more than a year of improvements to the SAS business product.

“This is the biggest effort that has been put into business travellers in many years,” said Scandinavian Airlines General Manager Australia New Zealand Lars Sandahl.

“The focus has been on providing customers with comfort as well as good opportunities to work onboard. The modern business traveller seeks the ability to work, relax and sleep onboard,” Sandahl said.

The new Business Class cabin on A340 aircraft flying Asian routes has 46 flat beds. The new flat beds will also be installed on SAS’ A330 aircraft flying trans-Atlantic routes in November/December 2006.

The new ‘second generation’ flat bed responds to customer requests for more space and privacy. The seat also boasts a massage function.

Luxurious armchair for working or relaxing by day, comfortable bed by night

The new SAS Business Flat Bed is the widest in the industry at 20” (51cm) in seat mode and 23” (58.5cm) in bed mode. It reclines 170¡ and has a 61” pitch (155cm between seats - increased from 127cm).

The shape and height of the fixed shell are designed to provide a high level of seclusion without any sense of being shut in.

The flat bed extends to a 188cm long bed in a “lazy Z” position that customer research identified as most people’s preference for sleeping, whether on their back or side.

Clever storage provides for a laptop, personal effects and a bottle of water. Each flat bed has its own variable intensity LED reading light.

Stockholm Design Lab styled the flat beds in typical Scandinavian design, with blue fabric, a two tone grey fixed shell and light brown leather on the armrest and upper trim of the fixed shell. Meal and cocktail tables feature a classic Scandinavian design, including Georg Jensen cutlery, glasses from Orrefors and Royal Copenhagen porcelain.

At 120kg, the multi-density soft foam flat bed is also the lightest in its class - which lowers fuel consumption.
——-