A new, longer business class flat bed was unveiled by British Airways today as part of a £100m overhaul of its Club World service.

The new bed, which is 25% wider, features an extension that will take it to almost two metres (6ft 6in) long.

Other changes to the Club World cabin include greater privacy, more storage space, audio and video on demand and a new look.

A revised kitchen will allow passengers to help themselves to chilled savoury snacks, sweet items and drinks between meals. Hot snacks will be introduced early next year.

The enhanced in-flight entertainment system will allow travellers to pause, stop, fast-forward or rewind up to 100 films and TV programmes, and play games on larger, 10-inch digital screens.

Unveiling the new product in London today, BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: "British Airways set the industry benchmark with the launch of the first flat bed for business customers in 2000. Our new Club World flat bed re-establishes our position as market leader."

He added that BA's business and first class cabins were the most profitable segment of its business, and that the airline was increasing its Club World capacity by 8%, moving from 38 to 52 seats on some of its Boeing 747 aircraft.

The rollout of the new Club World will take up to 18 months, with the first aircraft being in service with the new look at the end of this month. The enhancements will be available across BA's fleet of 57 747s and 43 Boeing 777s.

Regarding general aviation matters, Mr Walsh said that a third, short runway at Heathrow airport around the middle of the next decade was absolutely essential.

He added: "We are slipping behind in terms of infrastructure. We are behind airports such at Frankfurt Amsterdam, Madrid and Munich in terms of runway capacity. We can't keep slipping further down the league table."

He felt that Heathrow could meet the environmental targets necessary for the creation of an extra runway.

Mr Walsh also said today that BA planned to move into Heathrow's new Terminal 5 in good time to get everything ready for the operational opening of the terminal in March 2008.

He went on: "It will be fantastic terminal and very much better than anything else that exists at Heathrow."