BA debuts new first class

A wider bed features as part of a £100 million redesigned first class by British Airways.

The new First took off on Wednesday on a Boeing 777 bound for Chicago.

The redesigned suite features an enhanced bed - wider with a new ‘intelligent’ mattress and 400-thread Egyptian cotton bed linen.

Each suite has a personal wardrobe, a leather-bound writing desk that converts into a dining table, a new 15” in-flight entertainment screen and a buddy seat to enable customers to dine together.  

Lighting and electronic blinds can be modified to reflect mood and time of day.

Passengers have “precision control” over their seat position thanks to an innovative seat control unit that replaces the switches, allowing them to activate the bed position and pneumatic panels to support the head and lumbar positions.

The new key features include:

• A 60% wider bed at the shoulders
• Personal wardrobe
• Personal electronic blinds
• A 15” in-flight entertainment screen
• USB port, RCA jack and noise-cancelling headsets
• Fully integrated ambient and mood lighting
• Anya Hindmarch washbag and amenities by D.R. Harris & Co.
• Leather bound writing table

BA head of customer experience Mark Hassell said: “We have contemporised First and created an intimate private jet experience onboard.

“We have resisted gadgets and gimmicks and focused instead on simplicity and quality.

“Every feature has been carefully considered and researched to ensure we are giving our customers what they want.”

A new premium service style has been developed for cabin crew to ensure world-class service for customers who can eat, sleep and work when they want to.