HOUSTON,
July 28 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Continental Airlines
(NYSE: CAL) today announced details of a new 180-degree lie-flat seat for the
BusinessFirst cabin on its
Boeing 787, 777 and 757 aircraft. Customers will
begin seeing lie-flats seats on
Boeing 777 aircraft that primarily serve
trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific routes in the fall of 2009, with installation
on Continental's 757-200 fleet beginning in 2010 and on its Boeing 787 fleet
as the aircraft are delivered to Continental.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080728/LAM075A-a )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080728/LAM075A-b )
Unveiled today at the National Business Travel Association International
Convention and Exposition in Los Angeles, the new 180-degree lie-flat seats
are the centerpiece of Continental's award-winning BusinessFirst service that
provides the extra space and fine amenities of traditional international first
class at a business class price.
"Continental continues to invest in its product to make flying more
comfortable for our global customers," said Larry Kellner, chairman and chief
executive officer of Continental Airlines. "We created a brand-new seat
designed to lie completely flat, without compromising functionality or
effective use of cabin space."
Lie-flat Design
Continental's new BusinessFirst seats allow customers to lie completely
flat, reclining 180-degrees and providing 6 1/2 feet (2 meters) of sleeping
space in the fully extended position on its widebody aircraft. The lie-flat
seat is one of the widest business-class seats in the air, measuring up to
25 inches when the adjustable armrest is positioned flush with the seat
cushion, allowing customers to sleep more comfortably. Electronic "one-touch"
controls enable customers to easily move the seats to pre-set upright, cradle
and fully extended sleep positions and additional controls allow customers to
adjust the seat back, lumbar support and leg and foot rests to the custom
position most comfortable for them.
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.
iPod connectivity will also be available at the seat, 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-inch video monitor for customers to enjoy on-demand movies,
music and games. Seats on the 757 aircraft will feature 10.6-inch monitors.
The new BusinessFirst seats also have a six-way adjustable head rest, an
individual overhead reading light and an adjustable seat light allowing a
customer to read in bed without disturbing their neighbor and a privacy shell
that allows for seclusion from other travelers.
Two Years to Design and Perfect
Continental's product marketing team began researching new seat options in
the fall of 2006 when planning BusinessFirst service for the new
787 Dreamliner aircraft. The airline visited with numerous seat manufacturers
worldwide before selecting BE Aerospace, which created five different design
concepts. Concurrently, Continental sought feedback from a focus group of
BusinessFirst frequent flyers that identified and prioritized key needs of
global travelers and worked closely with the airline's project team and the
seat manufacturer to help create the new seat. The important features
requested by the focus group were to install a wider seat that could lay
completely flat and be easy to operate.
Seats are the Centerpiece of Premium Service
BusinessFirst service features an extensive gourmet menu served with
premium wines and champagnes created by Continental's Congress of Chefs and
Sommeliers. International Concierge Service provides individualized pre- and
post-flight services for BusinessFirst customers at 42 airports around the
world. Customers traveling in BusinessFirst may also access any of
Continental's 27 Presidents Clubs and more than 60 airline affiliated lounges
worldwide.
Continental Airlines has won numerous awards for its BusinessFirst
product. The Official Airline Guide has awarded Continental's BusinessFirst
as the Best Executive/Business Class for five consecutive years (2003 - 2007),
and Conde Nast Traveler magazine rated Continental's premium BusinessFirst
service the highest among all U.S. carriers for trans-Atlantic and
trans-Pacific flights 10 years in a row.
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 between Houston and 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.
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