We folded the passenger seat completely flat (it will recline to an airplane sleeper-seat level of recumbence) and, after removing both bike tires (these fit neatly in the front trunk), we were able to gingerly pass an adult-size racing bike into the cockpit.

FORBES: Test Drives

But he said the consumer-spending-slowdown and credit squeeze were expected to leave passenger numbers and group profits flat this year.

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In fact, passenger car sales in China were flat in February, which is a story for another day.

FORBES: Beyond Beijing: The Recovery in U.S. Autos

First quarter passenger car sales in China may have been flat, but that does not seem to have dampened the enthusiasm for the Beijing Auto Show, which opened earlier this week.

FORBES: The Beijing Auto Show 2012

For Delta, which eliminated international first class years ago, the new herringbone layout yields 48 business-class seats on the Boeing 747, 17 fewer in the same amount of space as the older design, which didn't have horizontal flat beds and direct aisle access for every passenger.

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See, it still has small jump seats behind driver and passenger (suitable for pre-adolescent children only), but these fold flat and the back window pops open, hatchback style.

FORBES: Test Drives

With two seats facing each other, one passenger would take the top bunk and the other would fold the two seats into one lie-flat surface.

WSJ: Remedy the Squeeze in Airplanes' Coach Cabins

November passenger revenue per available seat mile fell by 2% and, as a result, will be flat compared with a year earlier, US Airways said.

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