Qantas’s new premium economy seats will be available on routes from London from next April and will cost from around £1,800 return.

Tickets for the new class went on sale yesterday for trips on the London to Sydney route via Singapore and Bangkok from 2 April 2008 and on London to Melbourne via Singapore and Hong Kong from 17 May 2008.

The seats, designed by famed car seat maker Recaro, are 19.5 inches wide and have up to 40 inch seat pitch.

Qantas executive general manager, John Borghetti, said the seats would first appear on the airline’s Boeing 747-400 fleet in a 2-4-2 configuration.

"Our service will also include priority check-in, dedicated cabin crew, an additional hand baggage allowance, and priority boarding and disembarkation," he said.

The airline’s Airbus A380’s, due to take off in late 2008, will also include premium economy class.