Airbus’ swish Settee Corner concept seat is a business class couch
By David Flynn, April 2 2019
With an increasing number of airlines considering flat-beds in business class for single-aisle jets such as the Airbus A320 family, Airbus itself has revealed a new twist on the concept.
Introducing the business class Settee Corner, in which the passenger reclines rather than the seat.
Making its debut at this week’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, the Settee Corner seat was developed with Geven as a potential seat for Airbus’ long-range A321LR jets, creating a welcoming home-like environment for business travellers on extended journeys.
A standard A321LR cabin layout would permit 12 seats (set at a 32" pitch) with two settees per row – one per passenger, situated on either side of the aisle.
The seat itself, located immediately next to the aisle, is adapted from a sturdy but lightweight economy design, and it’s fixed in place – there's not an inch of recline.
But the aisle-adjacent seat isn't intended to be used for very long.
Passengers would take their place in the seat only during taxi, take-off and landing – but for the rest of the flight, they’re free to sprawl across the bench, just as they might do on their favourite couch at home.
A padded section at the front of the settee flips up to boost the useable space for sleeping or sprawling.
The corner nook also opens to reveal a stowage bin.
There’s plenty of space to stretch out if you’re sitting by the window and perhaps taking in a movie…
… but the most comfortable position is nestling into the settee and along the contour of the seat itself.
The single-aisle settee is one of several developments which Airbus is showcasing at Hamburg’s annual airline industry seatfest, along with XL-sized overhead luggage bins which offer 40% more space for carry-on bags, and will first be flown by American Airlines on its latest A321neo jets.
The Airspace XL bins not only accommodate larger bags – up top 24” x 16” x 10” – but allow bags to be loaded on their sides rather than placed face down, with room for four bags instead of three per overhead bin.
David Flynn travelled to Hamburg at his own expense.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
19 Aug 2011
Total posts 168
In concept a little like BA's patented sofa concept for Club World, described in a previous post. However, it really doesn't look that comfortable. Either upright at the aisle, leaning back a little in front of the screen (which appears a little close), or go foetal on the sofa.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 602
Yes I agree. Looks very hard and uncomfortable. Not everyone sleeps in fetal position and even then it looks quite narrow around the area for you shoulders. I'd prefer the SQ style bed over this
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
20 Mar 2014
Total posts 133
wow that looks awesome! also looks like the rejected BA designes...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 Oct 2011
Total posts 471
No airline will order it - will hugely reduce yield in J.
Qantas - Platinum One
18 Jan 2011
Total posts 84
This looks incredibly uncomfortable
Emirates Airlines - Skywards
30 Nov 2015
Total posts 743
Wow, I don't like that concept at all.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 149
It’d be good to see a picture with a body on it, otherwise it just looks like a contortionists fantasy at best.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
06 Oct 2017
Total posts 37
Don't tell CASA about the overhead bins with 40% more space ;-)
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1090
It would be interesting to know how much space this alternative uses in comparison with the existing lie-flat seats airlines such as AA and B6 use on their A321s.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2018
Total posts 13
Looks pretty uncomfortable for a plus sized person like me. might be difficult for travelers w/ claustrophobia
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
26 Apr 2016
Total posts 24
The TV screen is at a weird angle at best. And the lounge configuration is just silly. Quite a lot of wasted space that is banking on the assumption that every flyer wants to automatically recline.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2018
Total posts 13
Agree on the TV angle - it seems to me that the telly is docked in a corner of an otherwise larger user area, which also, from the image supplied, limits the desktop/table space, which isn't very user friendly/beneficial
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
14 Mar 2017
Total posts 158
A business seat for short hall that takes the place of two seats and you can't actually stretch out while watching the TV?
It's never going to fly.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 387
It doesn't match how most of us sleep. One wonders which designer came up with such an impractical idea.
08 May 2020
Total posts 35
I like the idea, but maybe needs more work.
Potentially room for innovation if airlines move the overhead bins and incorporate it into the seat design. The extra height could means more options. For example, leg space and suitcase space interleaved.
qf
10 Jun 2015
Total posts 9
I am not sure about your claim of AA being the first to fly those new oversized overhead bins - I am quite sure BA has them installed on one or two of the neos that just arrived or on one or two of the refitted ones. I am 100% sure I flew recently with these overhead lockers on a BA plane.
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