It may not seem like it from your tiny seat next to the lavatories, but international airlines are fighting a fierce battle to offer the best seats in the business. The airlines are turning to everything from fully flat seats to onboard chefs and showers to win the allegiance of the one percent that are key to keeping air carriers profitable. The seats on these latest planes are incredibly complex machines that cost a fortune to design, develop, test, and build — some cost over half a million each for airlines to purchase. In this week's New Yorker, David Owen takes a look at the battle being waged in first and business class cabins — it's a fascinating read even if you can't dream of ever having a seat up front.