British Airways – a member of International Airlines Group (a Corporate Partner of the FTE Digital, Innovation & Startup Hub) – has unveiled its brand-new First seat, combining elegant design with expert British craftsmanship. The new cabin forms part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans, expected to take to the skies in mid-2026.
The airline’s new First has been carefully designed to provide the feel of a modern luxury hotel, alongside home comforts and thoughtful British touches at 35,000ft. The seat has been curated by designers and manufacturers from all corners of Great Britain and Ireland, including London, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Kilkeel and Dublin.
The new seat is ultra-wide (36.5 inches), with a bed length of 79 inches, and features a multi-purpose ottoman and stowable table, a 32-inch 4K TV screen, and adjustable mood lighting including scenes such as ‘relax’, ‘dine’ and ‘cinema’. The seat can be adjusted with the touch of a button to find the perfect level of comfort and is located within a cocooned 60-inch curved wall for ultimate privacy, while still providing a spacious environment.
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 suite features an ambient light with an eyecatching design that subtly references the airline’s ‘speedmarque’. It 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 onboard.
“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,” said Calum Laming, Chief Customer Officer, British Airways. “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 airline listened to colleagues and customers to help shape design elements and specific features to suit preferences, such as the carefully placed stowage with usability and purpose in mind. The airline also introduced its fully rectangular bed following customer feedback that replicates all the comforts of a home environment.
British Airways also worked closely with manufacturer, Collins Aerospace RTX business, to create the First seat, following its involvement in carefully crafting British Airways’ Club Suite and short-haul aircraft seats earlier this year.
The airline is continuing to invest in its overall customer experience and has already rolled out over 120 initiatives as part of its £7 billion transformation focus, from brand-new short-haul seats and free WiFi messaging onboard to refreshing its lounges across its global network.
