The first of 18 British Airways refitted Boeing 747s complete with refreshed interior and new in-flight entertainment system has taken to the skies from Heathrow to New York JFK.The revamped jumbos will operate on selected flights to New York JFK, Chicago, Lagos, Dubai, Boston, Riyadh and Kuwait, with further routes planned for summer 2016.
The aircraft are fitted with Panasonic’s next generation eX3 entertainment system, which give passengers a choice of over 1,300 hours of entertainment including over 130 movies and 400 TV shows on larger, hi-resolution screens, capable of tablet similar touch and swipe gestures.
As part of the upgrade, customers in World Traveller Plus have access to a universal power socket at every seat, capable of accepting plugs from the UK, US and Europe and their own USB socket to power phones and tablets.
Richard D’Cruze, British Airways’ in-flight entertainment and technology manager, said: “We know that in-flight entertainment is really important to our customers – being able to relax and watch a film or listen to music helps customers to pass the time enjoyably – so by installing this state-of-the-art equipment we will be able to deliver even more programming on board.”
New seat foams and covers are installed in World Traveller and World Traveller Plus along with new carpets and curtains to reflect the new aircraft colour pallet.
Kathryn Doyle, British Airways’ aircraft cabin interiors manager, said: “Our customers love our new aircraft, but the 747s hold a special place in their heart, so we’re delighted to have been able to revamp these aircraft. They’ll look and feel like new now, with enhanced comfort, technology and design.”
