Last night at their media Christmas party, BA revealed the new First class seat for the A380s which had previously been announced. So what can we expect?
I spent a lot of time trialling the seat and speaking with the staff so if you have any questions please ask in the comments and hopefully my first hand knowledge will be able to help answer your questions.
In this post:
The design
BA says that they wanted to provide a “modern luxury hotel feel.” To achieve this, they worked alongside expert designers and world-class manufacturers, using the best of British craftsmanship.
The curves throughout the cabin take inspiration from British Airways’ Concorde wings, to give a feeling of natural flow to the space and creating a welcoming environment. The light also has an eye-catching design that subtly references the airline’s speedmarque and further nods to Concorde.
The seat
As you would expect the latest first product is a suite with doors and a 60-inch outer curved wall. The new seat is ultra-wide at 36.5 inches, with a bed length of 79 inches.
This is a huge upgrade from the current 22″ and 78″ on the A380. It almost feels like a small sofa and in our opinion is one of the best things about the new seat. It certainly should make sleeping feel almost like a bed and be much better for side sleepers. The bed will be fully rectangular like a normal bed when it is flat.
The suite features a multi-purpose ottoman which can be used for buddy dining as well as resting your feet. This is great news since buddy dining was taken away on the newer seats.
There is more good news as the leg rest is now independently operated. Currently, you have a dial, which means you can only go from sitting to sunbed to flat with degrees in between rather than being able to adjust the seat to your exact requirements. Now, you will be able to sit upright with your legs raised. The seat can be adjusted before take-off and moves 6″ backwards and forwards.
There is also a large wood finish stowable table and adjustable mood lighting with scenes such as ‘relax’, ‘dine’ and ‘cinema’.
One of the best new features is that the centre seats can be transformed into a double cabin which BA describe as a “shared lounge space”. It does not go as far as Qatar’s business class next-gen suite as there are no double beds and the space is not as open, but it is a definite improvement.
The large divider in the center simply slides open, meaning that you can actually move between the two center seats, which are great if you want to do buddy dining as you won’t need to walk around the cabin to do so.
The suite features window blinds, activated by buttons on the internal control panel for all three windows per seat. This is similar to the current design and a feature that looks very smart and is unique to BA.
The soft panelling inside the seat also helps with acoustics and absorbs sound. The brand-new ‘do not disturb’ function on the wireless control tablet notifies the crew if the passengers want to maximize their rest on board.
Storage
Another new feature is the elimination of overhead storage due to the individual wardrobes. This creates a more open feel in the cabin and means that you don’t have to lift heavy bags into the overhead locker. I really enjoy this feature, although I can see it causing a big headache as I often see people with way more hand luggage than is allowed. I have a convertible backpack as my hand luggage on many trips, and this is an awkward shape to fit into the existing wardrobes. Hopefully, these have more capacity.
The storage by the seat has been improved as well. It is a bit sparse on the current A380, and it is nice to have items put away before takeoff and during the flight so they don’t get lost. This has a whole cabinet of different storage options for everything from your headphones to amenity kit. There is also a mini bar with water and a glass.
As well as this area there is also storage for other items such as a smaller bag in a lower cabinet.
And a rather nice red leather pull-out drawer for anything important.
Technology
The suite has the latest technology you would expect to find such as wireless charging, USB A and C ports, Bluetooth paring for your own headphones/earphones and an individual air vent. There is a large wireless tablet that you can control everything from as well as the normal buttons which can be moved from the stand on the right hand side to a purpose built stand not he left hand side for easy access.
It will be interesting how responsive the tablet is as I find this an issue on other airlines with similar technology. Everything is easily accessible, which is also an improvement from trying to plug things into a storage area where larger plugs may not fit.
There is a large 32-inch 4K TV screen and the ability to set a “cinema” mode for the lighting.
When will the new seats be in service?
The A380 will start to be refitted in Q1 2026 and it will take around 12-18 months for it to be completed. The first aircraft should be in service by mid-2026.
The refit will also include a complete refit of all the cabins and fitting of the Club Suites. This should also improve the reliability issues BA have been experiencing with the A380s since Covid.
What configuration will they be in?
The seats will remain downstairs on the A380 in a 1-2-1 configuration. There will be 12 seats instead of the current 14. The good news is that they have no plans to reduce the number of crew members when they remove two seats from the cabin, this should make for an even better experience.
Will they retrofit other aircraft?
No, the airline says that there is no plan to retrofit other aircraft with the new seats. Most of the other aircraft, with the exception of the old B777s, have a modern First product, and suites have been installed on some of the B777-300s.
The seats will only be on the A380 and the B777X when it is eventually delivered.
Is anything else changing in First?
BA said that they will change some of the other first offerings as well, such as the amenity kit and pajamas, at some point, but no decisions have been made yet.
The verdict
With American Airlines stopping their international First class product shortly, it means that British Airways is the only carrier direct from the UK to offer a First product across the Atlantic. So given that this is where most of their seats are and there is little competition, have they gone far enough with the new design?
Are these seats groundbreaking? No. Pretty much all the technology has been seen before, even in business class on some airlines. The new wardrobes, while a welcome addition are similar to what is there now on the A380. The mini bar is similar to that on Emirates. Is it a great upgrade to the current seat? Yes. The seat is much wider, it has doors which most of BA First class does not and it dramatically improves on the personal storage space on the A380 which is lacking apart from the wardrobe. The opening up of the middle seats is also a welcome addition for passengers travelling together or families.
15 comments
I didnt see a seat belt on the ottoman so are you sure about buddy dining?
I recall a BA staff member telling me at the launch of the current “old” Club seats that the adjustable foot stool could be used as a buddy seat – until I pointed out the attached label that declared clearly ” not to be used as a seat”!! So dont believe all that BA tell you. They are as you would expect, poorly briefed!
I can assure you that this seat has been designed for buddy dining. There is a seatbelt on the footrest and I even trailed the buddy dining with one of the BA staff members.
Off topic but would be interested to hear if there was any mention on the food service in club on later flights that has seen so much coverage.
Back on topic I like the look of the seat but it’s a long wait. And wonder how durable seat will be given colour.
I asked this question and was told that the Christmas menu replaces the brunch menu this Friday and they are yet to decide this January menu. Reading between the lines I think we have seen the back of it and it wont be back in its current form.
Thanks for the great detailed review/information on the new seat. Every aspect of the seats is a step up from current (latest) First seat. However, I am curious about the quality of the materials used surrounding the seat – will they last the wear and tear of use – especially those spaces for bags? Are they easily cleanable? I see that the ” wall” around the seat with lots of notches and beige/cream white – this will surely make it difficult to clean if incorrect material is used.
Any plans to change the current headset? I find the current one to be bulky and uncomfortable after long period of use.
Sadly, I just find that the roll out is taking too long – by the time this seat arrives, it’ll be already a dated product while other major airlines would have moved forward with the next revolution.
Hopefully with the reduction of 2 seats, this will not lead to a reduction of available seats for redemption/upgrade.
Cheers!
Thanks Mike.
Material wise it felt very premium to me. The issue is, too often airlines design seats with a wipe clean attitude in mind which isn’t optimal for comfort. BA have not done that with this seat, instead they have gone with very comfortable materials, similar to those you are likely to have at home. That Is why I think this could potentially be one of the most comfortable seats in the sky.
As for cleaning, you are right, this remains to be seen and I see foresee this being a challenge for BA.
No news on the headphones I’m afraid.
We’re just over two years away from the majority of the A380 fleet being installed with these seats (if they are on time) which I don’t think is too bad. When you consider how old the current F seat is still operating on some aircraft.
Really good review Eugene. Whilst I’m pleased this is indeed an upgrade, why oh why do BA always miss the opportunities. One the first A380s they didn’t have much time to see what the competition would do so messed up with putting F downstairs. So now STILL the club world keep the massive bathrooms and F get the phone box to change in. There’s no excuse this time. 🤦🏻♂️
Thanks, Gordy.
I think it really is dependant on the way you look at things.
For me, BA aren’t focusing on First as a priority and given many airlines are reducing it or even removing it, its great to see them refresh the offering and showing their commitment for the future.
Their First Class really is just something I think they have to offer to appease long term loyal and important clients. If they removed it totally they would lose too much revenue so I just look at things in the sense that their first class isn’t meant to compete. It’s just meant to be good enough which I think it is.
It’s almost in a category of its own but I think this hits the sweet spot with BA so I dont think they even tried to compete with he big boys.
I hope that makes sense but it’s just my take.
Presumably, given the investment in the new cabin and the time it will take for the roll-out to be completed, this shows BA commitment to continuing with the A380 for quite some time? This is good news, but are there not widely reported reliability issues with the A380, in particular the availability of spare parts?
(On the question of the first class toilets, having just flown on BA First return LHR/Sydney, the standard size of the toilets-making it very difficult indeed to change in- was the one surprising and disappointing element.)
Good point and one I raised with staff at the event. They told me that due to all cabins being updated, this should reduce the downtime the plane is currently experiencing. I’m not so sure on this but If they are right, thats great!
My preference would also to be upstairs with the large toilets but those flying in business class are unusually lucky to have these as part of their cabin. Swings and roundabouts I guess.
Completely take your point. All I mean is that despite what they may be trying to fit on to, THEY are calling it First Class, and with that, comes certain expectations. This doesn’t do much to quash that horrid saying “BA F, the best J in the sky”. I just want so much better for them 🙂, but yes, the commercial’s make sense I guess
Haha that saying has come up a lot recently.
Having sat in the seat its a very strong improvement so when you get to trial it, I am sure you’ll be happy. Also I’m not sure if you saw but they are dropping two seats but keeping the same amount of crew so service levels should be upped too.
They must improve the phone-box toilets. Cathay had a better offering 15 years ago.
And buddy dining is one of the worst innovations for peace and solitude. I’d hoped they’d kill it off.
You’re the first person to voice that youre not happy with the buddy dining option.
If it helps, the walls are 5 feet tall so you shouldn’t see this happen, albeit your complaint might be noise related.
Nice they are appealing to the very few First paying clients and upgraded staff for free. To get back to the Favourite airline, they desperately need to improve Club class. Recently travelled First to San Francisco, all good including food on existing seats. Also travelled Club back from Sydney, Club suite which is good but too short on the bed. At 6’2″, you cannot lie totally flat on the 6′ bed. Food was terrible, like school dinners on both sectors, to Singapore the Fillet steak was like rubber & over cooked, onwards to London the Fish again was overcooked & veg choice was poor. Need to up their game and improve the food options.