British Airways is elevating their First Class experience with a brand new seat and elegant design features which reflect modern British luxury travel. British Airways is the only European carrier offering First Class from London to the U.S.
On Monday (November 25, 2024), British Airways unveiled a brand new First Class product, reflecting modern British luxury travel. Working with expert designers and world-class manufacturers, the carrier has introduced a modern luxury seat which champions the best of British manufacturing. The new, wider and longer seats have been thoughtfully designed to provide a modern luxury hotel feel. First Class guests will also enjoy a 32-inch TV screen, buddy dining, and optimal space and privacy, as well as personal luggage space. The new First Class cabin is part of British Airways’ Airbus A380 retrofit plans, which is expected to take to the skies in 2026.
In Monday’s announcement, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming, said,
“We’re incredibly proud to launch the next era of First that pushes the boundaries of comfort, luxury and modernity, taking into consideration customer preferences and expectations to the finest detail.
“This coupled with our incredible colleagues delivering a world-class service, following the launch of our First Service Specialists scheme, as well as the many benefits of flying First such as First Wing entry, access to our award-winning lounges including our Concorde Room and priority boarding, means we truly believe we offer a winning combination in delivering an extraordinary experience for our customers.”
The new First seat has been beautifully curated by expert designers and manufacturers across Great Britain and Ireland, including London, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Kilkeel and Dublin. Guests will appreciate an ultra-wide width of 35.5 inches, a bed length of 79 inches, a multi-purpose ottoman and elegant stowable table, as well as a 32 inch 4K TV screen and adjustable mood lighting, including options such as ‘relax’, ‘dine’ and ‘cinema.’ Additionally, the seat can be adjusted with the touch of a button and is located within a 60 inch curved wall for ultimate privacy.
British Airways' New Airbus A380 First Class Cabin Design - Courtesy British Airways
For customers traveling together in the center of the cabin, the divider slides open to create a shared lounge space, while the stowable tables mean that guests can enjoy ‘buddy dining’ in their seat with their travel companion. First Class customers will also be able to wheel their luggage into their personal space, making it even easier to settle in before their flight.
The First Class suite features window blinds, which are activated by buttons on the internal control panel for all three windows per seat, while the soft paneling inside the seat helps with acoustics and absorbing sound. Guests can also use the seat’s new 'do not disturb' functionality on its wireless control tablet, which notifies cabin crew that they wish to maximize their rest. For the First Class cabin refresh, British Airways worked with Collins Aerospace, an RTX company, to create the seat, following a successful previous collaboration on the carrier’s Club Suite and short-haul aircraft seats earlier this year.
British Airways is the only European airline offering a First Class product from the UK across the Atlantic. First Class guests will also enjoy access to lounges, fast-track security, use of the First Wing at London Heathrow, and elevated onboard service. The carrier continues to invest in the overall guest experience, and has already rolled out over 120 initiatives as part of their £7.0 billion transformation.
Source: British Airways