Japan’s Largest Airline Has a Bold New Vision for Its Business-Class Seats

While most airlines are focused on fitting more passengers into less space, Japan’s largest carrier is heading in the other direction—at least in business class. All Nippon Airways (ANA) has officially unveiled “The Room FX,” its next-generation business-class seat, slated to debut on its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet in 2026.

The new seats build on the success of The Room (FX stands for Future Experience), which debuted on select Boeing 777-300ERs in 2019 and is widely considered one of the world’s best business-class products. However, this new iteration introduces a sofa-style layout, enhanced tech, and a clear emphasis on space over squeezing in more seats.

ANA is touting The Room FX as “the world’s largest seat in its class on a mid-sized aircraft.” Each seat is 41.5 inches at its widest and the total bed length is 76.5 inches. What’s particularly notable about the seats is that they don’t recline into a bed, like most lie-flat business-class seats. Here, the backrest is pre-reclined (similar to the business class on Finnair), which the airline says allows “passengers to relax in a variety of positions similar to lounging on a living room sofa.” An adjustable leg rest pops up to turn the seat into a bed.

The 787s will be outfitted with 48 The Room FX suites, arranged in a one-two-one configuration and spread across two cabins, with seats alternating between forward and rear-facing.

Courtesy of All Nippon Airways (ANA)

“This design optimizes the Boeing 787’s cabin, creating a spatial experience comparable to a larger aircraft and achieving a world-class comfort level,” ANA said in a press release.

Where other airlines might cram as many as 30 business-class seats between the first and second set of cabin doors on the Dreamliner, ANA is limiting that number to 24 in each cabin. In doing so, the airline is prioritizing passenger comfort, even if it means flying fewer premium passengers. It’s a rare move in a market that usually favors density over spaciousness.

The suites feature high sidewalls and sliding doors that cocoon each passenger in a self-contained space. Other features include a spacious side console with hidden storage compartments, a 24-inch 4K entertainment screen, Bluetooth audio, wireless charging, and USB-A, USB-C, and AC power outlets.

Courtesy of All Nippon Airways (ANA)

The initial rollout will see ANA’s existing Dreamliners retrofitted with the new cabins, with the rest to follow on future deliveries. (The airline currently has 35 787s, with another 28 on order.) The airline plans to deploy the product on long-haul routes connecting Tokyo to North America, Europe, and Australia.

In addition to the new business-class cabins, ANA also shared plans for its revamped economy seats and premium economy recliners earlier this year; they will appear on the refreshed 787s as well. The economy seats will feature an adjustable headrest, a 13.3-inch touchscreen seatback entertainment center, and AC, USB, and USB-C power outlets. Meanwhile, the premium economy seats will also include privacy wings, leg rests, footrests, and a 15.6-inch screen. They’ll be arranged in three-three-three and two-three-two configurations, with 33 and 40 inches of pitch, respectively.