AIR WE GO
Top UK airline launches new ‘luxury’ seats for all passengers in Economy
Watch as the Sun's Head of Travel, Lisa Minot, tests out the new short-haul seats
BRITISH Airways is rolling out more than 600 new modernisation initiatives as part of a huge £7billion transformation plan.
The UK's flag carrier airline will be investing in new short-haul seats, a new website, mobile app and free onboard messaging, as well as a new "First Suite" on flights between the UK and US.
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British Airways will also be investing in cutting-edge technology, AI and machine learning systems to help its flights depart on time.
While most airlines are seemingly doing all they can to make economy class seats the last place a passenger would want to sit, British Airways appears to be bucking that trend.
New short-haul seats and cabin interiors Euro will be rolled out on eight Airbus A320neo and A321neos aircrafts for all of the airline's passengers later this year.
Club Europe seats will see the return of the bespoke leather tray that used to sit between the aisle seat and the window seat.
Read More on British Airways
Both Club Europe and Euro Traveller seats will also be fitted with USB-A and USB-C charging ports.
The brand-new herringbone-patterned seats have been made from Scottish leather, and will also come equipped with adjustable headrests too.
Extra-large bins for overhead luggage will also be fitted into the re-designed cabins.
British Airways is also set to introduce a brand-new First Suite on flights operating between the UK and the US.
Most read in News Travel
Part of the airline's A380 aircraft refurbishment, the new First Suite will debut at the end of 2025.
WiFi AND FREE ONBOARD MESSAGING
From April 3, British Airways Executive Club Members should be able to send messages for free using the airline's WiFi.
The free messaging service will be available on every WiFi-enabled aircraft within two weeks of the rollout date.
Any passenger can sign up to become a British Airways Executive Club member on the airline's website for free.
British Airways is also introducing a WiFi-enabled inflight customer care solution, which means members of cabin crew will be able to liaise with staff on the ground - even at 35,000ft.
The new technology has been designed to give crews the ability to solve any unexpected issues before a flight lands, which should help aid passengers on delayed or cancelled flights.
NEW WEBSITE
The UK airline will also be overhauling its "digital user experience" with a new website and mobile app.
The new website, which is already undergoing BETA testing, will let customers make changes to their journeys online - avoiding the need to call the airline's customer care centre.
On the new website, passengers who've had their British Airways flight cancelled will be able to book a new flight, with another carrier, on the website.
Passengers will also be able to claim food and drink vouchers on the website, providing if their flight is delayed.
Initial changes to the website should be rolled out by the end of the year.
The airline is also investing £750m in its IT infrastructure to move 700 systems and thousands of servers to the cloud by early next year.
Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO, said: "We’re on a journey to a better BA for our people and for our customers, underpinned by a transformation programme that will see us invest £7bn over the next two years to revolutionise our business."
"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 website and app and are laser-focused on transforming our business and fixing any pain points for our customers."
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Earlier this year, the Sun became the first media outlet invited inside the airline’s new security-restricted nerve centre.
Meanwhile, Sun Online Travel recently visited the secret "Jedi" zone at Heathrow Airport - and it only gets used on icy days.
Hand luggage rules for UK airlines
We've rounded up how much hand luggage you can take on UK airlines when booking their most basic fare.
Ryanair
One personal bag measuring no more than 40cm x 20cm x 25cm
EasyJet
One personal bag measuring no larger than 45cm x 36cm x 20cm
Jet2
One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm x 25cm weighing up to 10kg
TUI
One personal item that its underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 55cm x 40cm x 20cm weighing up to 10kg
British Airways
One personal bag no larger than 40cm x 30cm x 15cm and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 45cm 25cm weighing up to 23kg
Virgin Atlantic
One personal item that fits underneath the seat in front and one cabin bag no larger than 56cm x 36cm x 23cm weighing up to 10kg
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