BA leak details new-look A380

Thirteen years after the first British Airways A380 took flight, the superjumbo is set for a nose-to-tail transformation – and a seatmap leaked by the airline gives us the best idea of what to expect from this multi-million dollar makeover.

In a nod to the global uptick in premium travel, BA will expand the size of its premium economy and business class cabins.

The upper deck Club World business class will in fact be the largest of any A380, with a staggering 110 suites.

By comparison, the superjumbos of Emirates, Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines top out at just under 80 business class seats.

In the final tally, almost half of the A380 will be given over to premium seating – testament to British Airways’ belief that the future belongs to high flyers with more money to spend and a greater willingness to spend it.

And with all twelve superjumbos going under the knife, it’s a clear sign BA intends to keep its A380s flying well into the next decade and perhaps the 2040s.

All 12 of BA's A380s are undergoing a tip-to-tail transformation.

British Airways’ leaked A380 plans

A seatmap for the revamped A380 was accidentally posted on – and then quickly removed from – the BA website.

Here’s how the four travel classes are split across the double-decker jet.

First class remains at the start of the lower deck, squashing early speculation that BA would follow Singapore Airlines in relocating its best passengers to the front of the upper deck.

However, the leaked seatmap shows the current 14 seats will be trimmed to 12 of the all-new First suites.

British Airways' new A380 first class.

Club World business class will stretch across the entire upper deck (which is currently shared with premium economy and economy), rather than being split as it is now between both decks.

This will put 110 of the newer Club Suites (up from 97 business class berths today) up top.

The world's largest A380 business class cabin will occupy the entire upper deck.

World Traveller Plus premium economy will move from the upper deck to the lower deck, with 84 updated recliners – a hefty increase from the first-gen A380’s 55 seats – nestled directly behind first class.

BA team-members shared this sneak peek at the revamped premium economy on social media.

World Traveller economy occupies the rest of the lower deck, with 215 seats (down from the original count of 303 seats).

The refurbished birds will also be fitted with Starlink satellite Wi-Fi for gate-to-gate connectivity that’ll be free and fast; passengers on other airlines running Starlink report speeds of 100-200Mbps.

BA’s new A380 first class

The spruced-up superjumbos will launch what BA terms “a game-changing” first class suite, which is also earmarked to crown 18 Boeing 777-9 jets – the delivery of which is now expected to begin in 2028.

This bespoke design centres on an ultra-wide 36.5" seat facing an almost-as-big 32" 4K screen, wrapped within a 60"-high curved wall with sliding doors for privacy, with a 79" bed that’s “fully rectangular” rather than tapered.

British Airways' new A380 first class.

Soft sound-absorbent material lines the inside of each suite, adding to the sense of being cocooned in your own space.

British Airways' new A380 first class.

The middle seats go beyond a conventional divider: for passengers travelling together, the centre panel moves completely out of the way to create a shared lounge space, with the option of ‘table for two’ dining if one passenger sits on the ottoman.

British Airways' new A380 first class.

The in-suite wardrobe allows room for a compact cabin bag – just as well, because BA is removing all overhead bins in the first class cabin to emphasise the sense of space – while drawers provide storage for small personal items.

Mod cons include AC, USB-C and USB-A power outlets along with wireless device charging and a touchscreen controller for all seat settings and inflight entertainment, as well as a handy Do Not Disturb indicator.

British Airways' new A380 first class.

The adjustable mood lighting comes with pre-set scenes such as relax, dine and cinema.

BA’s new A380 business class

The biggest win for Executive Traveller readers is that this refit will see the dated and crowded dormitory-style Club World seats ripped out...

Out: the cramped crowded Club World business class seats.

... and replaced by the doored Club Suites which are already flying on all BA Airbus A350s as well as many Boeing 777s and 787s.

In: the modern Club Suites, perhaps with a refresh of their own...

That means greater privacy, direct aisle access, increased at-seat storage and more personal space.

The Club Suites are a solid business class proposition.

However, given that the Club Suite debuted in 2019, there’s speculation the seat will be revamped for the A380.

This could add the latest features such as USB-C and wireless charging, HD video screens and Bluetooth audio streaming, while also incorporating BA’s new-look cabin design.

Also read: How British Airways created the world’s first business class bed

BA’s new A380 premium economy

On the main deck, an upsized premium economy cabin will contain British Airways’ fresh take on World Traveller Plus premium economy.

BA's current World Traveller Plus premium economy seat.

Having first been revealed for the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the standout feature are in-vogue privacy wings extending from either side of the headrest.

BA's latest 787-9 World Traveller Plus premium economy seat.

They’re not just for privacy from your neighbour, of course – these wings also make an ideal place to rest your head when napping or sleeping, ideally with a small pillow in place.

Also added: a deep pocket built into the side of each seat, which will be very handy for storing a tablet, laptop, book, magazine or even a thin amenity kit during the flight.

BA's latest 787-9 World Traveller Plus premium economy seat.

The headrests themselves are finished in leather and combine with refreshed upholstery to give the ageing seats and cabin a bit of a lift.

While the video screen remains on the modest side, it’s not known if premium economy flyers can look forward to seeing USB-C power outlets alongside the existing USB-A sockets.

BA’s A380 refurb timetable

So when this will all happen?

When British Airways announced its new A380 First suites in late 2024, the Oneworld member said “the new cabin forms part of the airline’s A380 retrofit plans, expected to take to the skies in mid-2026.”

At the time of writing there’s been no update on this timeline, and UK blog Head for Points notes that five A380s have recently undergone an intensive “D Check” – a heavy maintenance program performed every six years, during which the aircraft is almost disassembled so that every system and component can be inspected.

“As you can imagine, D Checks are a good opportunity to completely overhaul onboard cabins,” the site explains.

Five BA A380s have already undergone an intensive D Check but emerged in their original config.

“The aircraft is already grounded, which saves you time and money. A D Check also involves removing all cabin fittings so that a full inspection of the fuselage and other critical parts can be carried out.”

“This was, I believe, the original plan when British Airways unveiled the new First Class seat to be installed on the A380. The timing dovetailed neatly with the timetable for the aircraft to fly to Manila for their heavy maintenance.”

“Clearly with five aircraft back already and still sporting the old cabins, that hasn’t happened... Like virtually every other airline, British Airways has been affected by widespread delays to seat manufacturing which continue to plague the industry.” 

Also read: Visiting New York? This BA Concorde tour is a must-do