British Airways has unveiled its highly-anticipated new business class seat, Club Suite, and confirmed it will arrive on the airline’s first A350 in July.
The newly-branded Club Suite offers direct-aisle access and a suite door for greater privacy. The flat-bed seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration. Boasting 40% more storage, the seat includes a vanity unit and mirror, Wi-Fi, 18.5-inch IFE screen, and PC/USB power.
The A350 aircraft features reduced noise levels, high ceilings and ambient lighting, complementing the time of day and outside light, all designed to promote wellbeing in the air. Passengers should feel rested thanks to higher levels of humidity and refreshed air as the cabin pressure is equivalent to an altitude of just 6,000 ft. Moreover, the A350 significantly reduces CO2 emissions with 25% lower fuel burn.
As well as a new 56-seat Club World cabin, the three-cabin A350 will feature the latest World Traveller Plus cabin, which offers 56 seats, with new furnishings including a new plush pillow and warm quilt, new amenity kits, and an enhanced service and improved dining experience. The World Traveller economy cabin offers 219 seats. Passengers will also benefit from high-speed Wi-Fi, allowing them to browse the internet on their personal electronic devices.
The airline, which is marking its centenary this year, will roll out the new suites in a carefully managed programme designed to minimise disruption to customers. During phase one, the first A350 aircraft will operate some short-haul flights between London and Madrid to allow the airline’s teams to perfect their customer service delivery and familiarise cabin crew with the aircraft layout.
In phase two, from 1 October 2019, the aircraft will launch long-haul flights. During this period another three A350 aircraft will join the British Airways fleet and two Boeing 777 aircraft will also be retrofitted with the new cabin.
At the start of 2020, phase three will begin, which will see British Airways rolling out its Club Suite on further long-haul aircraft across the network.
Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “The arrival of our first A350 featuring our new Club Suite is one of the most exciting developments in our £6.5 billion investment programme.
“Each new suite has direct aisle access and comes with a personal door – design features which were incorporated as a direct result of the feedback we’ve had from our customers. We’ve worked hard to ensure every aspect of the Club World experience from the lounges we’ve refreshed, to the new gourmet menus from Do&Co on flights from Heathrow, and the luxurious bedding we’ve introduced from The White Company exudes the very British style and quality customers expect from us.”
He added: “At British Airways we have one of Europe’s largest long-haul fleets and most far-reaching global networks, so it will take some time to make the cabin available to everybody. We hope that as more customers have the chance to experience it, they’ll enjoy travelling in it as much as we’ve enjoyed designing it.”
