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After suffering a major decline during the recession six years ago, luxury air travel is taking off again as legacy carriers introduce extravagant 'apartments in the sky' and more first class seats to lure wealthy travellers.

And it appears a new age of aviation glamour has arrived with a recent study revealing a sharp increase in the number of first class seats on flights in the wake of the economic downturn.

An analysis by aviation data company OAG shows a 34 per cent jump in first class seats on planes departing in 2014 compared with 2009, when many analysts predicted the end of first class seating.

Etihad Airways' fleet of Airbus A380 aircraft boast first class apartments that offer plenty of privacy for wealthy travellers

Lap of luxury: Etihad Airways' £12,500 high-end suite, known as The Residence, is sold out for the first ten flights

Comfort: Singapore Airlines is spending £200m to overhaul its first class cabins on its fleet of Boeing 777 aircraft

According to the study, the total number of first class seats has increased by 34 per cent, with huge growth in Asia

According to the study, which was carried out for the Financial Times, there has been a resurgence in Europe, where the number of first class seats in 2014 has doubled in the last decade.

There were approximately one million in 2005 and the number has rebounded to more than two million after a sharp decline between 2005 and 2009, the study found.

In Asia alone, the growth of first class seating has been enormous – from 8.5 million seats in 2005 to 12.6 million in 2009 and 26.7 million this year. 

Personal space: These first class seats feature a wall that can be raised for additional privacy

Each first class apartment on Etihad's A380 fleet is equipped with a 24-inch TV and a wide armchair and ottoman which open into a bed

China and the Middle East have seen the biggest gains, while there have been cutbacks in Europe, according to the study.

Emirates, for example, has increased its first class seats by 32 per cent as British Airways has cut its capacity by 23 per cent.

Worldwide, there are more than 86 million first class seats on all flights, up from 57.5 million in 2005 and 64.1 million in 2009.

Seats in British Airways' first class cabins fold into a fully flat bed that measures nearly seven feet in length

British Airways has cut its first class cabin capacity by 23 per cent since 2009, according to a recent study

First class is experiencing a renaissance as airlines launch the most luxurious cabins ever seen and well-to-do passengers are eager to splash thousands of pounds to fly in the lap of luxury.

The Residence, a three-room flat with a Savoy-trained butler and in-flight chef on Etihad Airways' new Airbus A380 fleet, is the most opulent of them all.

Despite the £12,500 price tag for a one-way flight in The Residence, the super-rich are snapping up tickets. Earlier this month, the Gulf carrier announced that it has sold out for the initial ten flights between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow Airport.

Despite the £12,500 price tag for a one-way flight in Etihad Airways' The Residence, the super-rich are snapping up tickets

First of its kind: The Residence boasts a double bedroom, living room and an en-suite shower room

Modern travel: A look inside the first class cabin, which is divided into 'apartments'

For those who find the one-way price of The Residence too steep, they can opt for a First Apartment in the first class section.

Etihad's First Apartments may not come with a personal concierge or chef, but they do offer privacy in a much smaller space.

The compartments are upholstered with Poltrona Frau leather with a wide armchair and ottoman which opens into a bed measuring 81 inches.

And each one is equipped with an adjustable 24-inch flat screen TV, a vanity cabinet with lighting and space for personal effects, a chilled mini-bar and a wardrobe.

Worldwide, there are more than 86 million first class seats on all flights, up from 57.5 million in 2005 and 64.1 million in 2009

In response to growing competition from the east, Air France launched its new first class cabin, La Premiere, two months ago

First class travellers are treated to fine dining and plenty of booze while relaxing in spacious cabins

Airlines are pushing the boundaries and spending heavily on new cabins amid rising demand and growing competition, and it's a situation that no one could have predicted when the recession hit.

In response to growing competition from the east, Air France launched its new first class cabin, La Premiere, two months ago.

Nigel Goode, director of PriestmanGoode, which has designed first class cabins for Qatar Airways, Swiss, Lufthansa and Air France, told the Financial Times: 'Everyone thinks first class must be diminishing, but it's quite incredible how more and more airlines are renewing their first class offer and having more first class seats on board. There is quite a resurgence.'