Emirates Airline has raised the stakes in the fiercely-contested premium traveller segment with the launch of its new generation lie-flat Business Class seats on 09 August 2006.

This investment is a new milestone in a series of recent inflight product enhancements for the award-winning airline, and it is a move expected to win the thumbs-up from more travellers on long-haul flights.

Passengers flying Emirates' new Boeing 777-300ER between Dubai and London Gatwick today, will be the first to sample this new Business Class offering. By year's end, another six Emirates jets will be operating with this new Business Class product.All of Emirates' new long-range Boeing 777 aircraft on order will be fitted with lie-flat seats in Business Class, and the airline will also retrofit its current fleet of 12 777-300 aircraft by early 2008.

Tim Clark, President Emirates Airline said: "In the highly competitive segment for premium travellers, Emirates has a clear lead with a superior all-round product.

"Our premium customers enjoy complimentary chauffeur drive service, dedicated lounge facilities at major hub airports worldwide, and unmatched inflight entertainment and service onboard a young and modern fleet. The new Business Class seats we are introducing on our Boeing fleet, together with our flat-bed 'SkyCruiser' privacy seats in First Class, will strengthen Emirates' appeal to premium travellers seeking that extra luxury and comfort, particularly on long-haul flights."

Emirates' new Business Class will offer the latest in inflight amenities and comfort, with the lie-flat seat boasting an in-seat massage function, large privacy dividers, and handheld controls. Like fellow travellers onboard, business class passengers can enjoy more than 600 channels of entertainment from the airline's industry-leading 'ice' (Information, Communication, Entertainment) system, and that too on a generous 19-inch screen.

Designed to Emirates' exacting standards and specifications, the new generation Business Class seat was put together in record time. A team of engineers from the airline worked closely with B/E Aerospace, the US-based manufacturer of high-end seat products, on an intensive programme that saw the product fast-tracked from the drawing board to installation in just one year when the process typically takes twice the time. The airline is also evaluating various top-of-range business class product options for the rest of its fleet.

Dubai-based Emirates currently operates a fleet of 95 modern jets to over 80 cities in 57 countries. The fast-growing airline receives delivery of one new wide-bodied aircraft per month on average, and has announced plans to start services to Beijing, Tunis and Bangalore in the coming months.

Photo: Emirates' new generation lie-flat Business Class seats, feature a 10-zone in-seat massage function, large privacy dividers, handheld controls and 19-inch personal entertainment screens.