SIT back, relax and select from the on-board video and audio entertainment, with a screen mounted on the rear of the seat in front of you.

You could be forgiven for thinking you are flying with that at your disposal but it is available without leaving the ground.

The aircraft-style package to help you pass the time on your journey is among the latest creature comforts provided by West Midlands-based coach tour operator Parrys International on the new addition to its fleet in its Diamond Class offering.

The vehicle was given its inaugural run-out for a weekend trip to London to the musical Jersey Boys, which included an overnight stay at London’s Hilton Waldorf hotel.

Having drinks and free headphones brought to you at your seat reinforced the feeling of an in-flight style experience on the journey to the capital and there was plenty to choose from in terms of entertainment to while away a couple of hours.

Movies and TV programmes were there at the push of the touch screen menus, together with a selection of music to suit all tastes, as well as audio comedy.

If you wanted to check the progress of the trip, the screen could show where you were on a road map or, indeed, the road ahead on a camera mounted at the front of the coach - again very flight-like.

The coach also has aeroplane-style fold-down tables so you have somewhere to put down your drinks or food.

Another innovation on the vehicle is separate ladies and gents loos, something you do not even get on a plane and believed by Parrys to be a world first for a touring coach.

Parrys’ Diamond Class travels farther afield than the UK, which is where the upgraded coach will come into its own. For the longer trips, which range from the French Riviera to Spain and Gibraltar, as well as Tuscany and Poland, there will be a maximum of 34 luxury seats.

For those extended trips, too, there is a lounge area towards the rear of the vehicle, which can seat up to six people in spacious leather seats with a table and wide screen entertainment.

Those seats can be booked for a small supplement on short UK tours but are kept free for the longer trips.

You need not worry, either, about getting your smart clothes crumpled, as there is a suit carrying space to hang them up en route.

A fully fitted kitchen with an ice machine and coffee bar includes a microwave so passengers can eat or drink on their journeys.

On the coach’s initial trip to London for Jersey Boys, things went like clockwork, from dropping us near the theatre about three hours before the show - ample time to have a meal - before taking in the vibrant musical tracing the story of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons at the Prince Edward Theatre.

After the show we were picked up by the coach and taken to check in at the 5-star Hilton Waldorf, a slice of London history in its own right, with tours of the hotel available for visitors to learn more about it.

The hotel is five minutes’ walk from Covent Garden so you can choose whether to dine in or explore nearby eateries.

For those keen to keep fit, there is a gym and an indoor pool at the hotel.

Top London attractions within a mile radius include the London Eye and Trafalgar Square, not mention many nearby theatres, which Parrys regularly ferries show-goers to.

Following a good night’s sleep, a full English breakfast - or continental if you prefer - was included as part of the tour package and there was still time to see a bit more of London before the afternoon flight - sorry - coach journey back to the West Midlands.

For more information about tours available from Parrys International, go to parrys-international.co.uk, email info@parrys-international.co.uk or call 01922 414576.