*****Since this article was published Business Traveller has learned that British Airways will also be fitting the new World Traveller seat on to selected B777 aircraft based at Heathrow. For more information on this click here.*****
British Airways has released images of the revamped B777 interiors which will serve the carrier’s routes from Gatwick airport.
As previously reported, the refurbished aircraft will feature ten-across seating in World Traveller, with the new economy seating offering larger IFE screens (ten inches compared to the current six inches) which feature “gesture control to navigate the interface like using a tablet”.
Other features include six-way headrests with “adjustable ears”, and moveable middle arm rests which the carrier says are “particularly useful for customers travelling with children”.
New World Traveller Plus seats also feature larger IFE screens (12 inches compared to the current six inches), as well as new leg and footrests, “an improved fully adjustable six-way headrest”, and “a cocktail table at the front and in-arm tray tables”.
There are USB ports at every seat, and World Traveller Plus seats have sockets for UK, US and EU plugs.
BA also said that “Bespoke lighting has been fitted in every cabin and can be set to reflect the time of day, helping to lull travellers to sleep at night and wake them in the morning so customers arrive feeling fresher and the effect of jet-lag is lessened”.
A total of ten Gatwick-based B777s will be fitted with the new seating – six three-class aircraft which will be completed by this winter, and four four-class B777s scheduled to be refitted by summer 2019.
Note that on the three-class aircraft the World Traveller Plus cabin will be doubled from 24 to 52 seats, and the Club World cabin will be reduced from 40 to 32 seats.
On the four-class B777s 12 additional World Traveller Plus seats will be added.
In terms of additional World Traveller seating, on the three-class aircraft economy seating will increase from 216 to 252 seats, while on the four-class B777s World Traveller seat count will increase from 124 to 136.
The first routes to feature the refurbished aircraft will be Punta Cana, Cancun and Kingston, with a total of 22 long-haul routes set to see the aircraft over time.
Commenting on the news Sean Doyle, British Airways’ director of network and alliances, said:
“We are one of the very few global airlines that offers a choice of four cabins for customers to travel in and World Traveller Plus appeals to a broad mix of both leisure and business travellers.
“In response to demand we’re increasing the size of the cabin so we can offer more of these popular seats to our customers, while keeping the cabin intimate and retaining the expert, attentive service that our travellers love.”
Note that BA’s B777 fleet at Heathrow will be fitted with the new World Traveller seat from autumn 2019.
