Passengers in the 'super throne' seats can recline into a lying position and nap partially above two fellow travellers


First or business class cabins may one day reach new heights with this radical design which features elevated seats that fold into beds.

Passengers who are in the so-called ‘super throne’ suites, which are enclosed or open, can recline into a lying position and nap partially above two fellow travellers, who are in traditional seats at floor level.

One photo from Formation Design, the brainchild of the premium cabin concept, shows a passenger snoozing in an enclosed suite that has a sliding door and glass window.

This premium cabin seating concept from Atlanta-based Formation Design includes several 'super throne' seats as private suites

Passengers who are seated in one of the elevated suites will nap partially above two fellow travellers, who are in seats at a lower level

The premium lie-flat seat concept is aimed at increasing cabin space efficiency while improving every passenger’s living space

Formation Design said its premium cabin concept has seat counts that are higher than traditional first or business class sections

The Atlanta-based firm said it is looking for airlines or seat manufacturers to license and co-develop the concept.

Split-level seating in premium cabins has been proposed in the past, but it hasn’t taken off just yet.

Formation Design said its concept, shortlisted for the 2016 Crystal Cabin Award, has seat counts that are higher than traditional first or business class cabins.

It would have larger beds thanks to the use of vertical cabin space and, depending on the aircraft, almost every seat would have direct aisle access.

This rendering shows the centre seat cluster with both of the premium suites in the seated mode with the centre privacy divider lowered

This view shows the centre seat cluster with the seat on the right folded into a lie-flat bed and the centre privacy divider raised

In this rendering, both of the suites in the centre seat cluster are in the lie-flat position with the centre privacy divider lowered

One diagram shows what the concept would look like if it were incorporated into a premium cabin on board a Boeing 777.

Of the 32 seats, eight would be forward-facing ‘throne’ seats, measuring 30in by 80in, while the remaining 24 would be slightly smaller and forward or rearward facing.

All but four of the seats would have direct access to the aisle, unlike the configuration on a Airbus A330 or A340, where every seat would have access to an aisle, according to designs.

The cabin would have larger beds thanks to the use of vertical space and almost every seat would have direct aisle access

In addition to a lie-flat bed, each suite would have a large high-definition TV screen, storage space for hand luggage and a reading light

On a Boeing 777, there would be 32 seats in total, including eight 'super throne' suites, and all but four would have direct aisle access

Using a Boeing 777 aircraft as an example, this cabin layout from Formation Design has 11 lie-flat suites 46 lie-flat standard suites

On the two Airbus aircraft, four of the 32 seats would be elevated ‘throne’ seats and every seat would have direct aisle access.

Those four seats would have stowage compartments large enough for a roller bag, said Formation Design.