How airlines install reclining business seats on narrow-body aircraft

• Airlines are increasingly using Airbus A321neo family aircraft for transatlantic flights.
• These single-aisle aircraft provide efficient long-haul flights for routes to Europe.
• JetBlue, La Compagnie and Iberia offer lie-flat business class on these narrow-body planes.

More and more airlines are flying single-aisle Airbus A321neo aircraft across the Atlantic Ocean.

The planes are a popular choice because of their favorable long-distance economics. They can efficiently fly routes that may not have the demand to fill a widebody and still be profitable for airlines.

Because the planes can cross oceans – with the longest-range variant, the A321XLR, capable of flying up to 11 hours non-stop – many airlines have equipped them with lie-flat business class to optimize comfort (and revenue) .

I’ve seen three examples of these transatlantic premium Airbus cabins: JetBlue Airways, French boutique airline La Compagnie, and Spanish flag carrier Iberia.

Iberia is nice, but it and La Compagnie lack a favorite perk among flyers, while JetBlue offers the most amenity-rich business experience.