British Airways received their first Airbus A350-1000 to much fanfare, and most of it was largely deserved. Now, it’s the turn of the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner.
For both aircraft, the airline unveiled its first “new” business class seat in almost 20 years, complete with a privacy door and the latest electronics, amid improved amenities across all cabins. Plus, the A350 and 787 are part of the new generation of planes bringing jet lag reducing cabins, with more natural air pressure, larger windows and a much quieter flying experience.
But for luxury travel fans, the British Airways A350 was missing something big: first class.
Even if you don’t typically find yourself in that end of the plane, you care because an aircraft without first class simply can’t work on some of the airlines most important premium routes, so if you want to fly it in any cabin, you can kiss that chance goodbye living in New York, Los Angeles or Hong Kong. Enter: the 787-10.
The British Airways 787-10
British Airways has confirmed that the Boeing 787-10, the longest version of the Dreamliner, built in Charleston, South Carolina USA will offer the latest first class seat, similar to the current setup found on the British Airways Boeing 787-9. In addition, business class will feature the brand new Club Suite with privacy door. This combo, put together, makes it the most compelling aircraft the airline will have in the sky, at least until the 777X.
When Will The BA 787-10 Fly?
The first British Airways 787-10 arrived at London Heathrow in July 2020, and will service Atlanta initially on cargo only flights, before accepting passengers shortly thereafter. The second aircraft has also now arrived, giving BA two 787-10 deliveries to date.
787 First Class, But No Doors
Unfortunately, no doors, will be added to British Airways First Class on the 787-10, due to cabin width, but with just 8 seats and much greater bed width and length, it’ll be a very welcomed experience. By almost any passenger measure, the British Airways 787-9 first class seat offers greater privacy than the previous version on all other aircraft, in addition to improved electronics and comforts.
The door in the new business class “Club Suite” cabin is a great novelty, but this is first class, and it’s a superior seat with a different league of soft touch experiences, worth the upgrade for anyone who can swing it.
And since there’s first, mainline cities can expect to see this modern plane, and soon. We’ll always take a brand new plane with improved cabin pressure and lower noise over an old bird. With the newest generation Club Suite on board, business isn’t a bad consolation prize, either.
787-10 Premium Economy And Economy
Premium economy – known at British Airways as World Traveller Plus will be of the latest generation and economy – known as World Traveller will follow suit, with power ports and extra large screen, all virtually identical to what’s on board the Airbus A350. Economy features a 10” HD screen, 17” seat width and 31” of pitch – aka legroom. Premium, or World Traveller Plus will offer a 12” screen with a sizeable 18.7” of seat width, and up to 38” legroom.
Will The 787-10 Be British Airways Best Aircraft?
British Airways retrofitted a series of Boeing 777 aircraft featuring both first and business class which are already flying, but those feature the older – arguably quite antiquated – version of British Airways first class, without any remarkable improvements. Plus, those birds are up to 20 years old, and don’t offer the same modern cabin amenities and better air pressure you find on the newer 787 Dreamliner or Airbus A350.
When you tally in the best current British Airways first class seat, with its exceptionally good new business class “Club Suite”, premium economy and new generation economy seat, plus the latest connectivity and entertainment this is without a doubt the plane to look out for from British Airways in 2020.
Basically, it should be the best experience British Airways currently offers in every cabin, not just some.
Seeing the airline take a positive step with the Airbus A350 was fantastic, but knowing that so many more passengers will get to experience the airline on its best footing gives reason to be pretty excited about flying in the next year, and beyond. As lovely as the 747 is, the Queen feels just a bit tired now.
Very exciting! Don’t forget, the 789 also flies to IAD. 🙂
Love the 787 dreamliner. I am a flight attendant and its simply the best.
Need to know about BA executive class membership formalities.
No idea why the 787 would get F but the A350 doesn’t. The 350 is longer and wider. And in my humble opinion, BA F is just a novelty. It’s kind of difficult to justify F when J is so similar and has a door(for if you’re traveling alone). Besides the enhanced dining, slightly wider bed, and more attention, F on BA just seems to be for the heck of it. But feel free to correct me on anything, I admit I have never flown BA long haul
You have failed to tell that the engines are faulty on being 787 10.
No notice yet when fault repaires.
Also 777x has engine problems aswell
Not all engines just those manufactured by Rolls Royce. GE engines are the best in the world.
The 787-10 will be quite limited in where it can fly. Not just down to the shorter range it has to the -9 but mainly due to BA’s decision to not fit the 787-10 with cabin crew rest areas unlike the 787-8/9.
BA have made this flawed decision before – originally the 747-400 ‘lite’ variant was not fitted with cabin crew bunks as it was only going to fly LON-east coast US. Ditto the RR engined 777-200’s.
BA discovered later that this was a bad decision. If the 747 on, say, the HKG went tech and the only replacement was the 747 with no crew rest, it could not operate the service unless eight flat bed seats were secured for the crew to rest. Ditto the 777-200 RR. At great cost it was decided to retrofit both the 747 Lite and 777-200RR with crew rest. Two F seats were removed in order to install a rest facility on the 777.
The 787-10 will have the same issue. BA have said it will operate shorter sectors but they will totally lose the ability to sub an aircraft in the event of disruption.
Far too tight in economy, where the majority of the passengers will travel. Will be interesting to see how these aircraft last compared to a 767 or similar.
I totally agree with your assessment but for one additional reason – unlike the A350, Boeing took the bold decision with the 787 to reimagine where the cabin air actually comes from and eliminated the 60’s era bleed air set up. With all the toxic air syndrome news these days that was a smart move and one Airbus may regret not taking.
I’m hoping the 787-10 will serve the LHR-BNA route by April 2020. Currently ops 787-9 in summer, but reduced to a 787-8 in winter.
Whilst the first batch of A350 deliveries will continue to arrive in a 3 class configuration, BA have stated the second batch will be in a 4 class configuration.
This makes total sense as many of these were ordered as B744 replacements.
No they haven’t.
All current A350 orders are 3 class
Not sure that having an F class will make the 787-10 a better plane than the A350, as it is widely aknowledged, for any airlines, that the 787 is awfully uncomfortable in coach with a 3-3-3 configuration, that is the most common.
If having to fly coach on routes served by the 787 I’ll better look for another airline.
If only the dreamliner was more quiet.
It doesnt matter if they had concorde again. BA customer service still stinks and they are so far behind thr lukes of qatar that even if i had the entire aircraft to myself i woyldnt fly with BA
“The door in the new business class “Club Suite” cabin is a great novelty, but this is first class is by far a superior seat and soft touch experience,”
Edit much?
Very late reply here, but just flew the BA A350 in Premium Economy and it’s truly an appalling hard product downgrade from virtually every other aircraft in the fleet in that cabin. The 8-across layout on the A350 PE cabin gives a seat width similar to 9-across coach on a 777, and vastly less comfortable than the 7-across PE layout the 787. In addition the massive 56-seat cabin means service is slow, with meal choices and drinks running out for the back rows while the flight attendants on the A350 made no secret of how much they dislike working on it due to the very cramped 2-galley layout. The lavs are also stupidly tony, more like the new mini-bathrooms in recent densities A320-Neos. Overall I felt it was a huge downgrade in comfort in every cabin except J.
The ageing 744 I flew on the return was a vastly better experience in PE. No comparison.
The 787-10 will be a far better aircraft in every cabin but coach, and that cabin will be relatively small. Thankfully the lack of crew rest areas seems to indicate they intend these birds for east coast North American routes probably to replace most of the 772s and complement the 77Ws. Can’t wait to fly them.
Well well, BA has just emailed with an aircraft/seat change for an upcoming flight next September LHR > SEA. It’s now gone from 744 to 781! No crew rest?
Obviously i’m happy coz i’ve got my seat!
I’m not finding any award seats in F in the new suites. Has BA been holding the new suites for revenue only? If so… Any data to suggest when these will be released for award space?
Praying that these new Club Suites replace the current 787-9 which routes Doha and LHR. I’d have thought they would, given Qatar Airways has some QSuites offerings on this same route. BA should try and meet rivals where possible.
Looks like it’s delayed again. Pushed back in schedule to end of March