A new $8 billion British Airways revamp will see the carrier undergo over 600 modernization initiatives covering every corner of the business as it commits to “delivering a world class customer experience”.
British Airways announced the new billion-dollar investment on March 5, 2024, at its first ‘In the Skies’ showcase event in London.
Highlights of the transformation include new short-haul seats and Airbus A380 first class suites, plus a huge upgrade to its website and app.
“We’re on a journey to a better BA for our people and for our customers, underpinned by a transformation program that will see us invest £7bn over the next two years to revolutionize our business,” Sean Doyle, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said.
Seats and suites
New short-haul seats and cabin interiors will feature on the next generation of British Airways’ Airbus A320neo and A321neos, with eight aircraft set to arrive from May 2024.
Both British Airways short-haul economy class seats (Euro Traveller) and business class areas (Club Europe) on the Airbus planes will be made in the United Kingdom and will reflect a “modern yet classic British interior”.
The business class seats will also feature a bespoke leather tray in the empty seat between the aisle and window seat and come fitted with charging points.
The re-designed cabins onboard the A320neo and A321neos will also be fitted with extra-large bins for overhead luggage.
British Airways will also introduce a brand new and exclusive first class suite which is expected to debut at the end of 2025 into early 2026 as part of its A380 aircraft refurbishment.
Website, app and Wi-Fi
British Airways announced a multi-million-dollar investment in its website and app at the showcase event with initial changes set to roll out at the end of 2024.
New services will include letting customers self-serve if they wish and making changes to their journeys online rather than needing to call one of the airline’s customer care centers to alter their plans.
From April 3,2024, British Airways Executive Club Members will be able to send messages free of charge on a single device using the airline’s Wi-Fi regardless of what cabin they are travelling in.
Customer care teams on the ground will also be able to connect with cabin crew colleagues across more than 300 flights a day, allowing staff to solve any unexpected issues before a flight lands.
Lounge upgrades and staffing
British Airways will relocate and upgrade its lounge to a larger space at Dubai International Airport (DXB) later this year.
The new lounge will be the first to feature British Airways’ new design concept, followed by the opening of its Miami lounge in 2025.
The airline also announced refurbishments at lounges in Lagos and Seattle, which followed recent improvements at LHR terminals 5 and 3, and at Edinburgh Airport (EDI).
British Airways is also creating around 350 new roles at LHR to improve customer experience at its home and hub airport, and is investing in new equipment, such as baggage tugs and towing vehicles.
Doyle added: “We’re going to take delivery of new aircraft, introduce new cabins, elevate our customer care, focus on operational performance and address our environmental impact by reducing our emissions and creating a culture of sustainability. We’re also heavily investing in the development of a new ba.com website and app and are laser-focused on transforming our business and fixing any pain points for our customers.”
4 comments
Let’s hope they decide to retrofit the already delivered NEOs with the new seats and cabin. Having a consistent cabin across their shorthaul network will help in the long term – improved passenger experience and quicker / easier boarding process. We’ll have to wait and see what the plan is for Gatwick, as Euroflyer are operating CEOs for the foreseeable future.
It would be great if BA got on the front foot regarding cabin baggage. They know which flights will be operating with a NEO with the new cabin (although there could be a last minute aircraft change), so take steps in the email sequence and app to educate people how to load cases into the new bins. The app could contain a mandatory must-watch video and notification prior to boarding reminding passengers.
We all hate the faff & kerfuffle involved with excessive amounts of cabin luggage. The more passengers that get it right in storing their cases, the more valuable minutes saved in getting the aircraft ready for an on-time departure.
Matt Klimt laid out the issue with the new seats; no AC outlets for properly charging devices. BA has some now, sporadically here & there. The new seats will eliminate them all. A 7 billion pound downgrade.
“Let’s hope they decide to retrofit the already delivered NEOs with the new seats and cabin.”
Very unlikely to happen. Some have only recently been delivered.
I’m not one of those people who needs to power my laptop during a short haul flight though. Who needs to do that? USB-C is enough to keep a MacBook Air or similar ticking over. No-one should be stepping on a plane so unprepared that they *need* a power socket!
I’m really excited about the new BA revamp! The new seats and A380 first class suites look absolutely fantastic. It seems like they are finally prioritizing passenger comfort, which is great to see. Can’t wait to experience it on my next flight!