Continental unveils its new lie flat seats

Following delays on its Boeing 787 introduction Continental Airlines has confirmed that the 180-degree lie-flat seat for the BusinessFirst cabin on its long haul aircraft will now be seen initially on its Boeing 777 fleet that primarily serve trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes. Installation will begin from autumn 2009 with the 757s following in 2010.

Now a Heathrow airline, Continental originally planned for the new seats to be unveiled with the arrival of the first Boeing 787. The delay with the Dreamliner programme has allowed BE Aerospace to re-organise its production programme bringing forward the 777 introduction.

The new BusinessFirst seats allow customers to lie completely flat, providing 78" of sleeping space in the fully extended position on its wide-body aircraft. Continental claims its lie-flat seats are one of the widest business class seats in the air, measuring up to 25" when the adjustable armrest is positioned flush with the seat cushion, allowing occupants to sleep more comfortably. Electronic "one-touch" controls will enable passengers to easily move the seats to pre-set upright, cradle and fully extended sleep positions. Additional controls will allow for adjustment tothe seat back, lumbar support and leg and foot rests to the custom position most comfortable.

The lie-flat seats provide more individual storage space for personal items. Laptop power, headset and USB plugs are conveniently tucked above the customer's shoulder. There is additional storage under the ottoman, on a shelf under the monitor and on an amenity storage alcove that provides room for small personal items such as a book or magazine and a water bottle.

Also available at the seat will be iPod connectivity, allowing each customer to view their personal videos and enjoy their music, all while the iPod is charging. BusinessFirst seats on the 787 and 777 aircraft will feature a 15.4" video monitor for customers to enjoy on-demand movies, music and games. Seats on the 757 aircraft will feature 10.6" monitors.

Continental currently operates the Boeing 777 on routes between Newark and Beijing, Delhi, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, London/Heathrow, Mumbai, Paris, Rome, Tel Aviv and Tokyo, and from Houston to London/Heathrow, Paris and Tokyo.

BusinessFirst on the Boeing 757 is currently offered on routes between Newark and Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belfast, Berlin, Birmingham, Bristol, Copenhagen, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Hamburg, Lisbon, London/Gatwick, Madrid, Manchester, Oslo, Paris, Shannon and Stockholm.