Inside British Airways Brand-New First Class Cabin

British Airways has unveiled its brand-new First seat, combining elegant design with expert British craftsmanship, reflective of modern British luxury travel. 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 beautifully curated by expert designers and world-class manufacturers from all corners of Great Britain and Ireland, including London, Glasgow, West Yorkshire, Kilkeel and Dublin. 

The new seat is ultra-wide (36.5inches), with a bed length of 79inches, and features a multi-purpose ottoman and elegant stowable table, a 32-inch 4K TV screen, 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, whilst 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 elegant curves throughout the cabin take inspiration from British Airways’ Concorde wings, giving a natural flow to the space and creating a welcoming environment. Customers can now simply wheel their luggage into their personal luggage space, making it even easier to settle in before their flight.  

Elsewhere, the suite features an ambient light with an eye-catching design that subtly references the airline’s speedmarque and further nods to Concorde. The suite 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 on board. 

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 useability and purpose in mind. The airline also introduced its fully rectangular bed following customer feedback that replicates all the comforts of a home environment.  

The airline also worked closely with world-class 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.  

British Airways is the only European carrier from the UK to offer a First product across the Atlantic. Customers travelling in First can experience the airline’s most luxurious way to travel, from a stylish seat, exclusive access to lounges, fast-track security, use of the First Wing at Heathrow and excellent service on board. The airline offers the most premium experience for travellers from the moment they book to when they land in their destination.  

The airline is continuing to invest in its overall customer experience and has already rolled out over 120 initiatives as part of its £7billion transformation focus, from brand-new short-haul seats, free Wi-Fi messaging on board to refreshing its lounges across its global network.