Flying off on holiday to the Maldives could be even more luxurious thanks to a newly launched airline that will offer every passenger a lie-flat seat.

This week saw Beond – pronounced “beyond” – show off its aircraft at a series of events. When scheduled flights begin from November, every customer on board the narrow-body planes will be able to recline until they’re almost horizontal.

The operator has labelled itself “the world’s first premium leisure airline” and doesn’t use the term business class, stating its service is aimed at holidaying travellers – it’s based in the Maldives, which saw 1.6 million visitors in 2022, and where tourism is the single largest industry.

Tero Taskila, founder and chief executive of Beond, was previously boss of Estonian Air, and said while the airline is offering a “niche product” it is “targeting people who are seeking luxury experiences in travel.”

The plane, an Airbus A319, has been configured to fit just 44 passengers – far fewer than the maximum capacity of 156. Additional planes, with the lie-flat seating and capacity under the usual level, are expected to join the fleet in late 2023 and early 2024.