The Airline That Introduced Lie-Flat Seats To The World

British Airways is the airline most closely associated with one of the biggest turning points in modern premium travel, given the shift from a reclining business-class seat to a proper bed. In March 2000, British Airways rolled out its new Club World product on routes from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York, and the product that was designed for that specific route by design partner Tangerine is universally seen as the first fully flat bed in business class ever offered in the skies. This mattered because it fundamentally changed what travelers learned to expect from the cabin.