British Airways unveils new first class cabin

[djfuzz]

British Airways unveils new $176 million first class

Financially troubled British Airways has flown in the face of current airline trends by spending $176 million on its new first-class product.

The airline unveils its first class improvements at a time when other carriers, including Qantas, are drastically reducing the number of first class seats in their aircraft and focusing on increasing economy class traffic.

BA says the new first class design is inspired by classic British luxury car brands Aston Martin and Jaguar. Actress Rachel Weisz was on board to promote the launch of the design.

The first class seats fold into a lie-flat bed, with 60 per cent more room at the shoulders. Other new features include a leather-bound writing desk that converts into a dining table, a USB port, electronic blinds and a personal wardrobe.

Looks quite decent, an improvement on the standard first class seat design - seems similar, if possibly more spacious, than the QF 380 suites (the basic design actually seems like a hybrid between the old first seats and the QF suites). I like the trimmings, like the little lamp, window blinds and leather desk.

Also some more photos at this FT thread:

New First seat: First Review - FlyerTalk Forums

 

[Dave Noble]

Looks better than the current BA First seats but doesn't look that impressive

 

[NYCguy]

It's a little disappointing really. There's nothing revolutionary here; as djfuzz commented, it certainly does look like a hybrid between the current F offering and QF's suite on the 380.

It's certainly not the excellent CX F suite, or even the occasionally-maligned (and somewhat unjustly, IMO) SQ R suite.

 

[Dave Noble]

It's certainly not the excellent CX F suite, or even the occasionally-maligned (and somewhat unjustly, IMO) SQ R suite.

Or the excellent EK Suite

 

[NYCguy]

Or the excellent EK Suite

Haven't tried that one yet, but all that brass (if it is really brass) is a little... Well, let's just say, it's not to my taste.

 

[Flying Fox]

I quite like it. I like the colours and in what they have done with the windows/window shades. I think it looks very elegant. Reminds me of a private club where ppl sit around smoking cigars.

I'd be happy to fly it any day.

 

[simongr]

I would like to see some images that are not 90% black but it does look good.

I just now need to rack up some points again and get back into F

 

[samh004]

I quite like it. I like the colours and in what they have done with the windows/window shades. I think it looks very elegant. Reminds me of a private club where ppl sit around smoking cigars.

I'd be happy to fly it any day.

I was trying to think of the word, but elegant certainly sums it up.

Not amazing, but it looks decent enough. They probably wont get it installed before they go broke though

 

[Flying Fox]

I think that BA are introducing this product at a good time. They are starting the work at the bottom of the cycle when F & to a lesser extent J travel is in low demand. When load factors pick up in F, they will have a new product across the fleet to meet that demand.

I think QF is out of step with reducing F now. When F demand returns, they will be left short and 2yrs behind the demand when trying to refit aircraft.

 

[Dave Noble]

I think that BA are introducing this product at a good time. They are starting the work at the bottom of the cycle when F & to a lesser extent J travel is in low demand. When load factors pick up in F, they will have a new product across the fleet to meet that demand.

I think QF is out of step with reducing F now. When F demand returns, they will be left short and 2yrs behind the demand when trying to refit aircraft.

This is making a big assumption that there will be a big growth in desire for 1st class. Many airlines have dropped 1st class altogether and I am not aware of any that have dropped it reintroducing it. I would suggest that as business classes increase in providing fully flat "bed" seating, the demand for 1st will drop

Dave

 

[samh004]

This is making a big assumption that there will be a big growth in desire for 1st class. Many airlines have dropped 1st class altogether and I am not aware of any that have dropped it reintroducing it. I would suggest that as business classes increase in providing fully flat "bed" seating, the demand for 1st will drop

Dave

So business has become first, but at a lower price. So how do you reinvent first to make it seem that much better?

 

[Flying Fox]

This is making a big assumption that there will be a big growth in desire for 1st class. Many airlines have dropped 1st class altogether and I am not aware of any that have dropped it reintroducing it. I would suggest that as business classes increase in providing fully flat "bed" seating, the demand for 1st will drop.

Point taken but I see it as a point of product differentiation. Couple that with the fact that it takes years to get a new product into aircraft. So I see it as a calculated risk and that F demand will return when the GFC ends globally.

 

[jamesatfish]

So business has become first, but at a lower price. So how do you reinvent first to make it seem that much better?

First isn't just about hard product - it's about the ground and in-flight service, the food & booze selection, the small cabin, the improved passenger / crew ratio, the way issues are addressed in-flight and after arrival - the whole package.

With the advances in Business hard product (especially on QF's A380s, where the lie-flat seat in Business is as good as the First seat on the 747s), the way to differentiate between Business and First is by improving the soft product benefits of the premium class.

Airlines (including Qantas) are hopefully still realising that there are some travellers who are willing to pay a premium for the exclusivity and extra services of the F cabin, rather than doing away with it altogether and going for Y/Y+/J aircraft configs. I feel quite strongly about this as I'm one of those people who will spend my own money to fly First as it makes the flights really something special - sure Business would provide the same 'sensible' benefits (space to work, a comfy bed, sufficient quality and quantity of food & booze to transition between the two), but it's just not the same.

To see Qantas scrapping options to fly First on their aircraft means looking at other carriers who have committed to keeping the product - and to see BA committing money to revamping their First offering is a refreshing choice.

Back on topic, has anyone seen a roll-out schedule for this new BA First? Have a few BA 777 flights booked in First later this year and am keen to give it a try.

 

[samh004]

First isn't just about hard product - it's about the ground and in-flight service, the food & booze selection, the small cabin, the improved passenger / crew ratio, the way issues are addressed in-flight and after arrival - the whole package.

Oh I knew that, I’m just thinking they might need to refine both the soft and hard products to make it a better sell.

 

[Hawkeye]

Back on topic, has anyone seen a roll-out schedule for this new BA First? Have a few BA 777 flights booked in First later this year and am keen to give it a try.

Per the Business Traveller article EXCLUSIVE: Business Traveller reviews the new BA First seat - Business Traveller it's going to take 2 years for the entire fleet to be upgraded. Beyond that info, I suspect it's anybody's guess what the exact roll-out schedule will be.

A single 777 will have the new version for the first 90 days to meet CAA requirements.

The roll out
The new seat is being introduced on a B777 aircraft which will initially fly on London Heathrow to New York, but may well fly other sectors. If you want to experience it before anyone else, then you will need a fair amount of inside knowledge and luck because it will only be on this one aircraft for the next 90 days – the length of time it has to fly before gaining CAA approval. The plan is for all the B777 aircraft which have First on board to be fitted with the new First cabin, and then the B747-400 fleet will follow, with a total time of around two years. Each B777 refit takes 10 days, and only occurs when the aircraft goes for a full maintenance break. In total 73 aircraft will be refitted, and the new B777-300ER aircraft which will be coming this year will also come fitted with the new First (and a new IFE system – Thales, but that’s another story).