Copa launches lie-flat business class on new Boeing 737 MAX jets
By David Flynn, September 19 2018
Central American airline Copa has rolled out lie-flat seats on its new Boeing 737 MAX jets, making it the latest member in a small but growing clique to fit fully-flat seats into a single-aisle jet.
Copa has signed up for 71 of the next-generation Boeing 737 MAX jets, the first of which takes wing this week from Panama City to popular US destinations such as Miami and San Francisco.
Passengers in the pointy end of what the Star Alliance member is branding as its Dreams premium cabin will be able to set any of the 16 business class seats into a fully lie-flat mode.
Arranged in a 2-2 layout, the new business class seats have an international-grade 60 inch pitch (the same as you'd get on a Qantas Boeing 747) and feature a 16 inch touchscreen plus the now-mandatory AC and USB power outlets, along with added storage space around the seat.
In other words, this is pretty much on-trend for the next wave of Boeing 737 business class seats and could provide some clues as to what we might see when Virgin Australia unveils its much-touted 'Perth product' for Boeing 737 jets making transcontinental flights.
Copa has adopted the same lie-flat business class seat design as seen on Philippine Airlines' new A321neo jets, which now fly between Brisbane and Manila.
FlyDubai has also fitted lie-flat business class seats to its own Boeing 737 MAX jets, while Singapore Airlines' regional arm SilkAir will get lie-flat business class across its single-aisle Boeing 737 jets from 2020.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 371
And competitor Airbus has A321neos flying from Manila to Sydney (about five days a week, as weekends use the A333s) and Brisbane with Philippine Airlines that have lie flat 2 + 2 in J, as David or Chris have previously featured.
In time, competition is likely to mean that this becomes pretty much standard for flights above two hours.
QF's B738s are ageing with 19 of the B738s (of a fleet of 71) already more than 15.0 years old, and quite a few of those above 16 years. Median fleet age is 10.5 years.
17 Sep 2015
Total posts 371
Interesting that Copa went for 16 J seats in the new lie flat configuration.
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 1208
I doubt VA will install this type of seat on all of their 737s. It will probably be reserved for the MAX10s which will take over much of the trans-continental flying from the A330s. It is possible that VA may choose to swap more of the MAX8s on order to MAX10s so they can offer these features on other longer services such as MEL-DRW, SYD-DPS etc.
02 Dec 2016
Total posts 91
Agree with pretty much everything you said here. I wouldn't be surprised to see more Max10s ordered. If VA are to compete with QFs A330s then they need lie flat where ever they're up against them. Now that QF and NZ are partners across the ditch, VA need to offer lie flat (and a better economy product) to NZ as well.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
Those seats looks suspiciously like united's long haul J seat
09 Jun 2015
Total posts 2
Interesting fact that at one time Continental (now merged with United) owned 51% of Copa. At that time Copa's logo and livery were aligned to Continental (and the merged United retained Continental's tail logo on its planes). I believe United still owns a small percentage of Copa and assume there is still cooperation at different levels.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
13 Jan 2015
Total posts 580
ah yes I forgot that continental were majority shareholders but I haven't heard anything about it for the past decade and haven't put any thought into it until now
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 162
Now if some designer somewhere could come up with lie-flat J/C seats for NB aircraft, but each seat having aisle access without stepping over their neighbour. I guess the only way would be BA-style with alternating forward/rearward facing pairs - mixed opinions.
Air Canada - Aeroplan
24 Jul 2013
Total posts 3
What about the F seats on the AA 321 transcon fleet?
24 Aug 2018
Total posts 5
@JKH: The Thompson Vantage Solo is/will be lay flat with aisle access:
16 Nov 2011
Total posts 580
Even BA style you need to step over someone to get out from the window.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
23 Sep 2017
Total posts 162
I’m pretty sure their newest J/C seating to date has aisle access for every pax.
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