Airlines are increasingly focusing on luxury seating options, with KLM introducing new lie-flat business-class seats featuring privacy doors and large touch screens. However, these seats have not yet received safety certification from aviation authorities, resulting in their being left empty on the inaugural flights despite the marketing push for high-end travelers.

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https://www.wsj.com/business/airlines/airlines-are-installing-new-luxury-seats-but-no-one-is-allowed-to-sit-in-them-14e2878c

Airlines Are Installing New Luxury Seats, but No One Is Allowed to Sit in Them

Lie-flat seats in private pods face long waits for safety certifications

Alison Sider

and

Benjamin Katz

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Airlines such as Lufthansa are rolling out luxurious seats and pods to fly passengers in comfort and style.Joanna Plucinska/Reuters

Dutch airline KLM has been preparing for a new and more-luxe business-class experience, featuring 34 lie-flat seats equipped with privacy doors and 19-inch touch screens.

But there’s a problem. The seats, which the carrier is marketing to high-end fliers on a brand new long-haul jet, haven’t yet been certified by aviation authorities. So when it launches its inaugural flight featuring the seats in September, they will be empty.

Airlines Are Installing New Luxury Seats, but No One Is Allowed to Sit in Them

Airlines Are Installing New Luxury Seats, but No One Is Allowed to Sit in Them

Lie-flat seats in private pods face long waits for safety certifications

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