October 1, 2026 — British Airways (BA) launches a refresh of its long-haul First cabin at London Heathrow today, and it has restarted fitting free Starlink Wi-Fi to its Airbus A350 fleet after a pause.
First class refresh
- Launch: October 1, 2026, starting at London Heathrow.
- What changes: New serviceware and glassware from British luxury brands, new bedding, pajamas and amenity kits, and an updated menu with new grill dishes and salads. Afternoon Tea stays.
- Last update: 2019.
- Coming later: BA has 24 Boeing 777-9s on order, with deliveries expected from 2027.
Starlink back on track
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Why it paused | Certification and technical requirements |
| A350s equipped | 6 of 18 A350-1000s (G-XWBC, G-XWBD, G-XWBH, G-XWBJ, G-XWBL, G-XWBM) |
| Other aircraft | 11 Boeing 787-8s |
| Price | Free for all passengers in every cabin, with no airline-imposed data caps |
| A350 completion | TBA |
What it means for non-revs
- No change to seats or schedules. These are product upgrades, so standby chances on BA are unaffected.
- Free Wi-Fi for everyone on board. Starlink is free in every cabin, so standby and staff-travel passengers on equipped aircraft get the same fast connection. Look up the registration before you fly if Wi-Fi matters to you.
- If you land a First seat on a staff ticket, expect the new bedding, amenities and menu from today on flights out of Heathrow.
Sources
- Aviation A2Z — British Airways Set to Unveil Biggest First Class Upgrade in Years With New Luxury Experience
- AeroXplorer — British Airways Restarts Starlink Installation on Airbus A350 Fleet With Free High-Speed Wi-Fi for Passengers
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