British Airways will spend $161 million on upgrading its near 10-year-old first-class cabins in an effort to match the standards of luxury on offer at Asian and Middle Eastern competitors.
The revamp of the company’s Boeing Co. 777 and 747 aircraft began this week, incorporating concepts from consultants who have previously designed leather-rich interiors for carmakers Jaguar and Aston Martin, BA spokeswoman Amanda Allan said yesterday in a phone interview. The refit will take two years to complete.
“You have to keep investing in your product,” Allan said. “Premium travel is competitive. There are excellent airlines out there and you have to keep ahead of them. It’s all about us being ready when the economic downturn starts to lift.”
BA’s first-class passengers range from top executives to celebrities who choose to pay more for the greater privacy and space, Allan said.
