PALM SPRINGS -- Continental Airlines is set to introduce its first newly configured Boeing 777-200ER with its BusinessFirst flat-bed seat by the end of October.Brian Roland, engineering project manager for Continental Airlines, says 777 Ship 13 (N78013), which is currently being modfied, will be the first to feature the new 50-seat business class cabin.
Each BusinessFirst seat will feature a Panasonic designed eXport jack, allowing passengers to play content stored on Apple iPods and iPhones on the seat back screen. Panasonic announced today at the World Airline Entertainment Association Conference and Exposition that it is partnering with Apple accessory maker Griffin to offer the eXport in-flight video cable in retail stores. Previously, the Panasonic cable was only available to passengers as property of the airlines.
In addition to Continental, Panasonic has secured about a dozen customers for the eXport jack system, including Singapore Airlines, Avianca, Swiss International Airlines and United Airlines.
The seat, which is made by B/E Aerospace, features a full 180-degree, 6'6" (198.1 cm) lie-flat seat, as well as Panasonic IFE system with hand controller and US compatible power plug.
The airline also plans to feature introduce the flat-bed seat on its Boeing 787 aircraft, along with its existing 767-400ER, 767-200 and 757-200 fleets.
The installation of the new seats on the 777-200ER fleet is expected to be completed by August 2011, with the existing fleet a year later.
Continental operates a fleet of 20 777s and holds orders for an additional eight.
Photo Credit Continental Airlines (top)
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