British Airways has unveiled a new Concorde-inspired first class suite that will feature on Airbus A380 flights starting in 2026.
The British flag carrier described the new first class suites as “reflective of modern British luxury travel” that combine “elegant design features” wrapped in a “game changing” product.
British Airways said on November 25, 2024, that it wanted passengers to experience a “modern luxury hotel feel” alongside “home comforts and thoughtful British touches”.
Clearly proud of its new design, British Airways celebrated the collaborative nature of the project with designers and manufacturers from all corners of Great Britain and Ireland involved.
Among BA’s collaborators was Collins Aerospace RTX business which created the “First seat”, following its involvement developing British Airways’ Club Suite and short-haul aircraft seats earlier this year.
BA also worked with companies such Tangerine Design Consultancy from London, luxury leather makers Muirhead from Glasgow and Botany Weaving from Dublin.
The first class suite details
The new seat is ultra-wide (36.5inches), with a bed length of 79 inches, and features a multi-purpose ottoman and 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 center 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.
Inspiration from Concorde can also be found with curves throughout the cabin inspired by the iconic supersonic aircraft’s design and a suite light that also subtly references the jet.
The airline also introduced its fully rectangular bed following customer feedback that “replicates all the comforts of a home environment”.
Customers can also wheel their bags into their personal luggage space and control window blinds, activated by buttons on the internal control panel for all three windows per seat.
What British Airways says
“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 British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming.
Laming added: “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 new cabin forms part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans, expected to take to the skies in mid-2026.
According to British Airways, the carrier is the only European operator to offer first class from London to the US.