British Airways plans 106-seat business class on Airbus A380s

British Airways is building what it calls the world’s “largest” business class cabin and eliminating dozens of coach class seats, the starkest example of how airlines are betting their futures on big-spending travelers.

The changes are part of a massive overhaul of British Airways’ fleet and its ground services, including lounges at its London Heathrow hub.

Here’s what changes:

• British Airways will equip its Airbus A380, the world’s largest airliner, with a monstrous cabin of 106 business class seats, compared to 97 business class seats currently.
• First class will also be refreshed and will include 12 suites, compared to 14 in the current A380 configuration.
• Premium economy class will increase from 55 to 84 seats.
• The number of standard economy seats will drop from 303 to just 215.

Airlines have spent years and hundreds of millions of dollars expanding their most expensive seats, capitalizing on demand for roomier options and travelers’ appetite for more luxurious travel.

Joint venture partner of British Airways, American airlineslast month launched a 70-seat business class on its largest Boeing aircraft.

These more expensive seats are expensive. Even extra legroom when traveling across the Atlantic can cost more than $200 per trip, with surcharges of more than $1,000 for premium economy seats after purchase.

Prices may be even higher if selected when booking. Premium seats regularly cost $5,000 and even well over $10,000 on longer flights.

Deliveries of new planes have even been delayed because some of the new seats are so elaborate that carriers are waiting for parts or federal certification.

British Airways’ redesign of the cabins of its 12 A380s is also a bet on wide-bodies, which many carriers have retired in recent years, opting for smaller, more fuel-efficient planes. Airbus delivered the latest A380 to the plane’s largest user, Emirates, in late 2021.