Swiss International Air Lines' new fully flat business class seats have just been voted "Europe's Leading Airline Business Class", and it's easy to see why the Star Alliance airline won the gong with this uniquely clever staggered layout.

Swiss' business class has direct aisle access for just about everyone, an attractive and chic blond wood and dark checked fabric aesthetic, and fully flat business class beds.

Remember: fully flat business class beds are almost invariably better than lie-flat seats in many airlines' business class cabins.

Swiss is keen to take Europe-bound Star Alliance passengers via Hong Kong and Bangkok to its Zurich hub, and with every intercontinental plane in its fleet upgraded to the new business class, it can guarantee the new seats on every flight.

With fully flat seats (despite the interesting-looking angle above) and above-average inflight service, Swiss is a great choice for the savvy business traveller.

The only people who don't have direct aisle access are a few passengers who pick seats on the left hand side -- which is actually ideal for business class passengers travelling with a plus one.

Take a look at the cabin layout for how the staggered configuration works. On the left hand side of the plane you'll find either one or two seats. So if you're travelling alone, make sure you pick one of the A seats that doesn't have a B seat next to it.

In the middle, seats D and G alternate so the feet of passengers behind tuck under the tables of the row in front. These are great seats to pick if you're not fussed about a window seat and you want direct aisle access.

Let's face it -- who doesn't want direct aisle access so there's no clambering over anyone else in the middle of the night?

But business class passengers travelling solo are best to pick K seats over on the right hand side. These are all solo seats, with nobody next to you. So your window seat is also an aisle seat.

Swiss' long-haul flights are on Airbus A330 or A340 planes, and we're pretty sure that they don't fly this close to mountain peaks on a regular basis.