Which airline, which manufacturer, which frame offers the widest 1st class seats?
Have a look at Douglas DC-10 , as offered in
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...s/dc10sec2.pdf page 17. They offer 54 inch seat pairs and 31 inch aisles.
On MD-11
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...s/md11sec2.pdf page 13 you will find 57 inch seat pairs (specified as 2 21,5 inch seatbacks of 43 inches and 14 inches for 8 inch centre armrest, 2 3 inch side rests) with 26,5 inch aisles.
Looks like Mcdonnell figured out 1st Class prefers wider seats, less space wasted to aisles
Boeing 787 : See
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...ps/787sec2.pdf page 9. You can get 57 inch seat pairs into a Dreamliner, too, if you accept 22 inch for aisles. Boeing, however, specifies 21 inch seatbacks - presumably 15 inches for armrests.
Boeing 767 : See
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...ps/767sec2.pdf page 25. You can get 2 57 inch seat pairs and a solo 29 inch seat in by leaving 21 inch aisles.
You don´t even need a widebody. Regarding the Boeing 737, see:
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...ps/737sec2.pdf , page 56. Still 57 inch seatpairs - and seatbacks are specified as 22,0 inch each.
Boeing 777 has 1st class seats no wider than 787: 3 57 inch pairs, specified as 2 21' seatbacks like 787 and 15' for 8' centre armrest, 3,5' side armrests. All the extra space goes to make aisles 29' wide. See
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...s/777rsec2.pdf page 13.
Boeing 747: See
http://www.boeing.com/commercial/air...s/7474sec2.pdf page 29. The same 57 inch seat pairs. Extra space goes to make aisles 34 inch wide.
Airbus A380 See
http://www.content.airbusworld.com/S...LT/AC_A380.pdf page 31. Still the same 57 inch seats - all extra space goes to 38 inch aisles.
Are there any better seats around?
Boeing is the only one to show 4 abreast in their 787 description - specifying 30' aisles. They do not specify seat width, but it computes as about 39'.
But 4 abreast 1st Class is pretty popular actually on many A340 and B777 operators. And JAL has 3 abreast Skysleeper Solo on 777.
But from pictures, the aisles and armrests look big. Which airline actually offers the widest beds, as opposed to space spent elsewhere?
Cathay Pacific and Singapore just announced new seats, and boast of the width. What are they actually like, and how do they compare?