Out of nowhere British Airways announces new First Class: first class never dies and will fly on A380s

Surprise, British Airways last night announced the imminent launch of the new first class cabin, a evolution of the current cabin, which in recent years had seen, unlike business class, only a minor facelift.

British Airways' New First Class

It is, as mentioned, a evolution of the current product, it is not a change in philosophy, but as when the new model of a car comes out you can recognize the elements of the previous version, but updated to new market trends.

It will be a real Suite. BA's first class already has doors, but the new first class will offer a much higher barrier that will provide maximum privacy, in line with what are the latest trends.

We are not talking about the best First Class in the world, But not even the worst, it is certainly a remarkable evolution.

When British Airways' new first class will arrive.

The new cabin is part of the A380 retrofit plans of the airline, which are expected to take flight in mid-2026. A year later, today the announcement that talked about extending the life of the A380 In the fleet in BA.

Carefully designed to offer guests a modern luxury hotel atmosphere, new features include a wider and longer seat, a 32-inch TV screen,

The new seat is ultra-wide (more than 92 cm), with a bed length of 2 meters, and features a multi-purpose ottoman, a stylish folding table, a 32-inch 4K TV screen, and adjustable lighting according to the time of flight: "relax," "dine," and "cinema."

The seat can be adjusted at the touch of a button to find the perfect position, and is located within a curved wall over 1.5m high that provides maximum privacy without making the room too full.

The airline also introduced the fully rectangular bed following customer feedback that replicates all the comforts of a home environment.

For customers traveling as a couple in the center of the cabin, the divider opens to create a shared lounge space, while folding tables allow customers to enjoy "dining together" on the seat with their travel companion.

Elegant curves throughout the cabin are inspired by the wings of British Airways' Concorde, giving a natural flow to the space and creating a welcoming environment. Customers can now simply carry their luggage into their personal space, making pre-flight accommodation even easier.

The suite has blackout curtains, activated by buttons on the interior control panel for all three windows. Soft panels inside the seat also contribute to acoustics and sound absorption, Increasing the feeling of being in a private and protected space.

Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer of British Airways, said, "We are incredibly proud to launch the next era of First that pushes the boundaries of comfort, luxury, and modernity by taking into account customer preferences and expectations down to the smallest detail.

Service for first class passengers also changes

"This, combined with the fact that our incredible colleagues provide world-class service, following the launch of our First Service Specialists program, as well as the many benefits of flying First, such as entry into the First Wing, access to our award-winning lounges, including our Concorde Room. and priority boarding, means that we truly believe we offer a winning combination in providing an extraordinary experience for our customers."

Comprehensive refurbishment of A380s

It won't just be First Class that will change aboard the A380s; it will be the whole plane. Today the plane is outfitted with the old, and trebly, Club World cabins, the decision to outsource the new seats to Collins Aerospace, which is the same manufacturer of the new Club Wolrd Suites

In conclusion

Four European airlines offer first class, BA wins easy in its press release boasting that it is the only carrier to offer "first" between London and the United States. The thing I like best about this announcement is the confirmation that BA's A380s will be flying for a long time to come, also because it would not make sense to invest millions to renew a giant for only a couple of years.

• A380
• first class