British Airways held an exclusive event in London on Monday, November 25 to unveil its highly anticipated new First Class seat, destined to appear on the Airbus A380. I was one of a small group of journalists invited to look at—and sit in—the new suite, or at least an exquisitely detailed mock-up of it at the company’s Heathrow headquarters.
The new First Class suite for British Airways.
It’s a combination of luxurious comfort and slick technology, with everything from a 4K TV and wireless charging surfaces to a flip-out phone stand and smoothly sliding automated panels.
When you first see the new suite, which stands 5 feet tall, it looks like a modernist vehicle-within-a-vehicle, looking solid, complete and utterly private.
The corners are curved, making it look friendly rather than foreboding, and the curves are inspired by the wings of the BA Concorde. The wall height gives total privacy (so you no longer need to nip to the toilet to change into your pyjamas).
Not least that’s because there’s a sliding panel which works as a door, gliding open or closed at the touch of a button.
The center seats in the new BA First Class.
The first-class seats will be arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration, and if you and someone else choose the middle two, you make up for the lack of window view with another sliding panel. This sits between the two seats and although it doesn’t create a double-bed situation, it means you can walk between the two suites and, since there’s an adjustable ottoman opposite the seat, opt for buddy dining. Up to four people can dine together across the two seats.
Comfort at 35,000 feet: the new BA First suite.
Place your phone on the surface next to the seat and it charges. Pull out a small extra doohickey, and it flips up to become a neat phone holder. There are no overhead bins over the suite, but an external door opens to reveal a cupboard you can just wheel a case into—as well finding your sleep suit in a pocket on the wall.
Trying out the new First Class BA suite.
The seat itself is extremely comfortable. At 36.5 inches wide and 79 inches long, it’s the widest and longest for BA First Class yet. Once you’ve plonked yourself down, you can adjust the mood lighting, choosing between “Relax”, “Dine” or “Cinema”, for instance. The screen (for those cinema moments) is a 32-inch 4K screen
The new suite will sit on the lower deck of the A380, where First Class is now, because the height of the suite makes it too tall for the upper deck with its acutely curved roof.
The sting in the tail is that the new seat won’t be available soon: the A380 retrofit will also see new Club World suites, and are expected to take to the skies in the middle of 2026. First impressions are very promising.
