I paid $2,650 to fly in Finnair's new business-class pods that don't recline. It was the best sleep I've ever had on a plane.

Paul OswellMar 4, 2023, 17:24 IST

The author paid $2,650 for a Finnair business class AirLounge ticket from London to Bangkok.Paul Oswell

I flew from London to Bangkok via Helsinki in Finnair's new business class AirLounge seat.
I paid $2,650 and enjoyed ample legroom and lots of privacy — and a seat that didn't recline.

This winter, I decided to escape cold London to soak up some sun in Thailand.

The author is a travel writer who often flies to Thailand.Paul Oswell

The AirLounge seat doesn't recline at all. Instead, you can sit upright or cross-legged since it's so wide, or lie flat by making use of a function I'd never seen on a plane before.

Finnair's new AirLounge seat.Paul Oswell

The AirLounge seat doesn't recline at all. Instead, you can sit upright or cross-legged since it's so wide, or lie flat by making use of a function I'd never seen on a plane before.

My journey with Finnair and business class began at London's Heathrow Airport, where I checked in and went straight to the Cathay Pacific Lounge.

The lounge was virtually empty.Paul Oswell

For my first leg of the trip to Helsinki, I flew in Finnair's regular business-class seat.

The author thought that the traditional Finnair business-class seats were perfectly comfortable.Paul Oswell

Three hours later, we landed in Helsinki, about 45 minutes after our scheduled arrival.

Snowy conditions set us back in Helsinki.Paul Oswell

I found my way to my pre-selected seat, 1A. It was positioned on its own by the window; the cabin had a one-two-one seat formation.

The cabin felt very spacious for the author.Paul Oswell

An amenity kit was waiting for me with toiletries.

A few extras in the amenity bag.Paul Oswell

The Air Lounge also had plenty of storage options.

There was lots of room to store belongings in an AirLounge seat.Paul Oswell

The AirLounge came with good-quality headphones, and a compartment to store them.

The audio-visual system was neatly contained.Paul Oswell

I thought the video screen was great for in-flight entertainment and information.

Movies and in-flight info were available at the touch of a button.Paul Oswell

I also had a table for working and eating.

The table has room for laptops and dinner trays.Paul Oswell

A control panel was discreet and easy to use.

Extra controls were available at the touch of a button.Paul Oswell

A full dinner menu was given to me when I boarded.

Dinner was served about two hours after take off.Paul Oswell

I thought the food quality was excellent.

Dinner onboard Finnair.Paul Oswell

After dinner, it was time to sleep and see how the AirLounge compared to more traditional seats.

The blanket on the AirLounge seat.Paul Oswell

Even without a reclining function, it was a relief to find myself sleeping soundly.

I slept right through to morning.Paul Oswell

I woke up with just a couple of hours until our final destination.

Breakfast awaited before we touched downPaul Oswell

I arrived feeling well-rested, well-fed, and like I would recommend the AirLounge to anyone traveling on a route where it's available.

The sun was rising as we made our descent.Paul Oswell

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I paid $2,650 to fly in Finnair's new business-class pods that don't recline. It was the best sleep I've ever had on a plane.

This winter, I decided to escape cold London to soak up some sun in Thailand.

The AirLounge seat doesn't recline at all. Instead, you can sit upright or cross-legged since it's so wide, or lie flat by making use of a function I'd never seen on a plane before.

My journey with Finnair and business class began at London's Heathrow Airport, where I checked in and went straight to the Cathay Pacific Lounge.

For my first leg of the trip to Helsinki, I flew in Finnair's regular business-class seat.

Three hours later, we landed in Helsinki, about 45 minutes after our scheduled arrival.

I found my way to my pre-selected seat, 1A. It was positioned on its own by the window; the cabin had a one-two-one seat formation.

An amenity kit was waiting for me with toiletries.

The Air Lounge also had plenty of storage options.

The AirLounge came with good-quality headphones, and a compartment to store them.

I thought the video screen was great for in-flight entertainment and information.

I also had a table for working and eating.

A control panel was discreet and easy to use.

A full dinner menu was given to me when I boarded.

I thought the food quality was excellent.

After dinner, it was time to sleep and see how the AirLounge compared to more traditional seats.

Even without a reclining function, it was a relief to find myself sleeping soundly.

I woke up with just a couple of hours until our final destination.

I arrived feeling well-rested, well-fed, and like I would recommend the AirLounge to anyone traveling on a route where it's available.