British Airways Applies for Business Class Seat Patent

The PriestmanGoode design features a herringbone layout and a 43-inch pitch.

International business-class seats are often known for unparalleled comfort on transcontinental flights and British Airways may be hoping that they’ve upped the ante.

Australian Business Traveler reports British Airways recently received a patent on an aircraft seat design intended for the carrier’s line of international aircraft, including the Boeing Dreamliner and Airbus A380. The patent was filed in January, and was certified by the World Intellectual Property Service on May 21, 2014.

The newly-patented Club World business-class seat would create what’s being called a “herringbone” layout throughout the business cabin, with single seats located on the windows and two seats filling the middle of the aircraft. The patent outlines a space designed by PriestmanGoode that resemble a loveseat, complemented with an ottoman that slides to create a lay-flat seat. Carry-on items would either go in an overhead bin or in a personal slide-out drawer located within the ottoman.

If installed, the seats would feature 43-inches of pitch, in-line with similar business-class configurations. Additional possibilities for the seat designs include large entertainment screens that swivel and tilt for a custom viewing angle, in-seat cocktail stations, and a privacy screen between middle seats for uninterrupted comfort.

[Photo: British Airways/Australian Business Traveler]