British Airways has revealed a new business class product called Club Suite, which will be featured on the first of its A350 aircraft due for delivery this July.
Each Club Suite offers direct aisle access in a 1-2-1 configuration and a privacy door. They feature 40 per cent more storage than previous business class products, including a vanity unit and mirror, wifi, 18.5-inch entertainment screens with high-definition gate-to-gate programming and PC/USB power points.
Airbus’s A350 model offers reduced in-cabin noise levels, high ceilings and ambient lighting designed to mimic the time of day and outside light. In addition, the aircraft uses 25 per cent less fuel burn to reduce CO2 emissions.
As well as the 56-suite Club World cabin, BA’s A350 will include the latest 56 World Traveller Plus seats and 219 in the World Traveller economy cabin.
BA, which is celebrating its centenary this year, says it will roll out the Club Suite “in a carefully managed programme” to limit disruption to passengers.
During the initial phase, the first A350 will operate some flights on the London-Madrid route “to allow the airline’s teams to perfect their customer service” and familiarise cabin crew with the new layout.
Then from 1 October, the aircraft will be added to long-haul routes, with three further A350s entering the fleet along with two Boeing 777s that will be retrofitted with the new cabin.
More aircraft will be retrofitted from 2020.
CEO and chairman Alex Cruz commented: “The arrival of our first A350 featuring out new Club Suite is one of the most exciting developments in our £6.5 billion investment programme.
“We’ve worked hard to ensure every aspect of the Club World experience, from the lounges we’ve refreshed to the new gourmet menus from Do&Co on flights from Heathrow and the luxurious bedding we’ve introduced from The White Company exudes the very British style and quality customers expect from us.
“At British Airways we have one of Europe’s largest long-haul fleets and most far-reaching global networks, so it will take some time to make the cabin available to everybody. We hope that as more customers have the chance to experience it, they’ll enjoy travelling in it as much as we’ve enjoyed designing it.”
ba.com