Changes to cut jets’ seating capacity, with bulk of reductions at the economy class cabins’ expense
Published Tue, Oct 6, 2026 · 09:08 AM
[LONDON] British Airways will introduce what it called the world’s biggest business class on its upgraded double decker Airbus A380 jets, targeting premium passengers as airlines rush to cash in on upscale travel.
International Consolidated Airlines Group-owned British Airways will update its fleet of 12 A380s with a new business class cabin spanning the entire upper deck of the aircraft, the airline said at an event in London on Monday (Oct 5).
The first upgraded A380 is due to enter service in the coming months.
The carrier said it will also upgrade its first class seating with dividers that fold away, enabling the conversion of middle seats into larger combined cabins for passengers travelling together.
The changes will reduce the overall number of seats on the A380 by 11 per cent, from 469 seats to 417, with the bulk of the reduction coming at the expense of the economy class cabin.
Economy berths will be reduced by about 30 per cent to 215 seats.
“This is the largest single investment that any airline has ever made in reconfiguring an aircraft stretching from nose to tail and touching every single aspect of the experience on board,” British Airways chief executive officer Sean Doyle said.
Retrofitting one aircraft takes about 100 days, he said, and the first upgraded A380 is due to enter service in coming months.
The decision to spend millions on transforming its fleet of A380s makes British Airways an industry outlier when rivals around the world are phasing out the four-engine behemoth for smaller, more fuel-efficient twin-engine jets.
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However, slot constraints at London’s Heathrow Airport mean that the carrier cannot as easily replace the superjumbo with smaller aircraft.
US and European carriers have been pouring money into first- and business-class seating to target well-heeled passengers, who represent a resilient source of revenue at a time when the war in Iran has caused jet fuel prices to soar, driving up operating costs.
Air France-KLM’s La Première recently won an award for the world’s best first class in Skytrax’s annual airline rankings and has plans to expand the service to more US cities.
Across the Atlantic, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines Holdings have generated the majority of the industry’s profitability by catering to premium customers.
British Airways first unveiled its plans for the new A380 first class seating in November 2024, and had planned to launch the product in the middle of 2026. BLOOMBERG
