British Airways was the first airline to introduce fully flat beds in business class on long-haul flights. It launched the innovation with its Club World product in 1999.
The airline's new business-class seat converted into a completely flat bed, a significant change from the angled or deeply reclining seats then common in premium cabins. British Airways initially introduced the product on selected routes before expanding it across its long-haul network.
The innovation reflected intensifying competition between airlines for corporate travelers. A fully flat sleeping surface had previously been associated mainly with first class, so making it available in business class changed passenger expectations and influenced cabin design throughout the industry.
Later airlines developed different layouts, including direct aisle access, enclosed suites, and reverse-herringbone seating. Those later designs should not be confused with the original claim: British Airways is credited with being first to offer a fully flat business-class bed, not necessarily with having the widest or most private modern business seat.