British Airways unveils their new luxurious extra length first-class seat, inspired by Concorde
British Airways new cabin forms part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans, expected to take to the skies in mid-2026.
Designed to provide customers with a modern luxury hotel feel, the seat also combines home comforts and elegant British touches.
The new features include a wider and longer seat, a 32-inch TV screen, buddy dining, optimal sense of space and privacy, and a personal luggage space.
The seat has been curated by designers and world-class manufacturers from all corners of Great Britain and Ireland, including London, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Kilkeel and Dublin.
The new seat is ultra-wide at 93cm, with a bed length of 2 meters, and features a multi-purpose ottoman and elegant stowable table, a 32-inch 4K TV screen, adjustable mood lighting including scenes such as “relax”, “dine” and “cinema” modes.
The seat can be adjusted with the touch of a button to find the perfect level of comfort and is located within a cocooned 152cm curved wall for ultimate privacy.
For customers travelling together in the centre of the cabin, the divider slides open to create a shared lounge space, and the stowable tables mean customers can enjoy “buddy dining” in the seat with their travel companion.
The elegant curves throughout the cabin take inspiration from British Airways’ Concorde wings, giving a natural flow to the space and creating a welcoming environment.
Customers can now simply wheel their luggage into their personal luggage space, making it easier to settle in before their flight.
Elsewhere, the suite features an ambient light and design that subtly references the airline’s speedmarque and further nods to Concorde.
The suite features window blinds, activated by buttons on the internal control panel for all three windows per seat. The soft panelling inside the seat also helps with acoustics and absorbing sound, which adds to the sense of being in a cocooned, private space.
Customers can also use the seat’s brand-new ‘do not disturb’ functionality on its wireless control tablet, which notifies crew if they wish to maximise their rest on board.
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 the launch of our First Service Specialists scheme, as well as the many benefits of flying first-class 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.”
British Airways is continuing to invest in its overall customer experience and has already rolled out over 120 initiatives as part of its £7billion (R160 billion) transformation focus, from brand-new short-haul seats, free Wi-Fi messaging on board to refreshing its lounges across its global network.
IOL Travel