The design, patented by Virgin Atlantic in February, comprises a back-rest that is shaped and upholstered like a seat when it is in the upright position, but pivots to create a flat mattress in the sleeping position.
According to the blueprint, some of the beds will be at least 2.16m, longer than BA's flat-beds and suitable for customers over six feet tall.
The beds will begin to be installed in the Upper Class cabins of Virgin's jets within a few weeks, and are expected to be launched with a major PR offensive. A through-the-line marketing drive will follow later in the year, once most of the cabins have been converted.
Virgin Atlantic uses Rainey Kelly Campbell Roalfe/Y&R for its advertising, Start Design for its direct marketing, and Manning Gottlieb OMD for media planning and buying.
The Branson empire has been smarting since BA scuppered the launch of Virgin's first flat-bed offer three years ago by bringing out its own Club World version a week earlier. BA's £200m investment in its Club World offer paid off - it has effectively cornered the flat-bed market.
A Virgin spokeswoman would not confirm or deny the plans. She said the airline is always patenting technologies and considering new options.
COMMENT
Until BA introduced its flat-bed as part of a £200m Club World overhaul in 2000, Virgin Atlantic was winning the hearts and minds of premium passengers.
But BA's offering has proven a huge success, with clever advertising and personal recommendation.
Virgin Atlantic, now back in the black, is ready to take the battle to BA again. With the consumer stuck in one place for hours at a time, the key to victory lies in the product experience.
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