Safran Seats unveiled is latest business class seats developed in conjunction with launch partner Air New Zealand at Aircraft Interior Expo, Hamburg this week.

The UK manufacturer says the seats have been designed to offer customers “the best sleep in the sky”.

Some features of the Visa concept came from a company-wide innovation initiative Safran ran called Sapient after the acclaimed book by Yuval Noah Harari that explains how humans innovate through collaboration.

The new seats are due to enter in service in 2024 with a retrofit of its current 787-9 fleet and as it takes delivery the first of two of the superjumbo aircraft from manufacturer Boeing.

Air New Zealand said the concept was to create a ‘home away from home’ experience. The seats offer an 82 inch lie-flat pitch and front of cabin version allows a couple two colleagues to sit face-to-face either side of a large retractable table.

The carrier said “in co-creation with Safran Seats, this seat is specifically designed for 787 aircraft with no compromise, maximizing the available space in this aircraft type”.

Kerry Reeves Air, head of aircraft programmes, said: “We really encouraged Safran to think differently and push the boundaries with what we can do with the Business Premier seat to optimise the configuration and customer experience.

“Working virtually throughout Covid added another layer of complexity. Without being able to travel to the Safran site to validate our ideas and concepts, we paralleled the mock-up build both in New Zealand at our innovation lab and at Safran to ensure we had a common design interpretation and valid feedback on the engineering development of the layout and features.

Vincent Mascré, chief executive of Safran Seats, added: “We are pleased to provide Air New Zealand with a product that meets their needs to offer choice and a product dedicated to ultra-long haul flight.

“These seats are the fruit of incredible work between our companies and it will allow a better journey for all their passengers. The creation of this seat displays the remarkable capabilities between Air New Zealand and the experienced Safran Seats teams based in United Kingdom“.

They seats offer two choices within the business premier cabin. The Business Premier seat offers a comfortable and private “nest” and if traveling with a companion, the middle row allows customers to open their nest and share their experience.

An alternative herringbone configuration of the cabin creates an equal experience for all passengers and ensures a better sleep with the head of passengers being far from the aisle.

A private environment for the passenger with high shells combined with adjustable aisle and centre dividers contributes to a restful flight.

Passengers are offered plenty of personal stowage areas that are certified for Taxi, Take off and Landing (TTL) as well as multiple surfaces including an electrically assisted large single piece meal table.

Over and above the many traditional features, this suite takes flight wireless charging and with an active backrest offering the passenger another way to manage their personal comfort, certified for variable TTL positions.