British Airways has revealed its new business class cabin, the Club Suite, as part of a £6.5bn investment programme. The first passengers to experience the upgraded seats will be on the short two-hour flight between Heathrow and Madrid, despite the cabin being designed for long-haul travel.
The Club Suite replaces the airline's long-standing herringbone layout, where passengers faced alternately forward and back. The new arrangement features a flat-bed seat in a 1-2-1 configuration, giving every traveller direct access to the aisle without climbing over a fellow passenger. Each suite also includes a closing door for enhanced privacy.
The new cabin will debut on British Airways' first Airbus A350, expected to be delivered in June 2019 and entering service the following month. Amenities include wifi, at-seat power, 18-inch high-definition inflight entertainment screens, and 40 per cent more storage space than the current Club World product.
Alex Cruz, chairman and chief executive of British Airways, said: “The arrival of our first A350 featuring our new Club Suite is one of the most exciting developments in our £6.5bn investment programme.” He added: “It will take some time to make the cabin available to everybody.”
The initial A350 will operate between Heathrow and Madrid to allow crews to gain experience, before entering long-haul service on the Heathrow-Toronto route on 1 October. Further A350s will be deployed on the Heathrow-Dubai link, while two Boeing 777s will be retrofitted with the new cabin later this year. From 2020, the Club Suite will be extended to other long-haul aircraft. The A350's Club World cabin will have 56 suites, matching the number in World Traveller Plus, with 219 seats in economy.
