All Nippon Airways has unveiled what it claims is the world's largest business class seat for mid-sized aircraft, featuring individual privacy doors and flexible seating configurations that transform from upright chairs to sofa-like lounges. Olivia Palamountain reports

All Nippon Airways (ANA) has launched "THE Room FX", a seat that features privacy doors and sofa-like configurations for its Boeing 787-9 fleet, marking first refresh of mid-sized aircraft business class in a decade. The new seat will begin rolling out on major long-haul international routes from 2026.

Created in partnership with French seat manufacturer Safran and British design company Acumen, the seat builds upon ANA's existing "THE Room" concept used on larger Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, adapting the design for the more compact 787 cabin.

"ANA is dedicated to providing the highest level of customer experience and is investing in the future of the most advanced and comfortable travel with the new 'THE Room FX' seat," says Tomoji Ishii, executive vice president of customer experience at ANA. "This seat represents our commitment to exceeding expectations and shaping the future of luxury flight."   The seat's standout feature is its pre-reclining function, allowing the backrest to transform into a sofa-like configuration where passengers can relax in various positions similar to lounging at home. Adjustable leg rests enable further conversion into a flat bed, creating personalised space tailored to individual preferences.

Despite offering significantly more space than current Boeing 787-9 business class seats, the new design maintains comparable weight through engineering advances including thinner privacy doors, backrests and seat dividers. The space optimisation uses an alternating front and rear-facing seat arrangement with curved lines in the backrest area.Victoria Foy, president and chief executive of Safran Seats, describes the collaboration as representing "a step-change in comfort, versatility, and design for the Boeing 787-9". She says: "By combining our engineering expertise with ANA's commitment to passenger excellence and Acumen's creative vision, we are setting new benchmarks in the world of premium air travel."

Additional features include monitors 1.4 times larger than current installations, enhanced storage space, USB-C ports, wireless charging facilities and Bluetooth audio connectivity. The "FX" designation stands for "Future Experience", reflecting the seat's flexible passenger experience concept.The announcement comes as airlines increasingly compete on premium cabin experiences, with business class representing a crucial revenue source for long-haul operations. ANA's investment in seat technology reflects growing demand for privacy and flexibility among business travellers willing to pay premium fares.