Air update
G-TNED has taken off on a journey of comfort and progress for British Airways passengers.
Meet the flag carrier’s newest Airbus A321neo jet – the gleaming future of short-haul trips as part of its £7billion transformation plan.
Why so? Box-fresh registration G-TNED, which was delivered from the Airbus factory in Hamburg just three weeks ago, features BA’S new look for 2024 and beyond, and with a very British Isles flavour.
The new seats – in deep navy with eye-catching touches of red and white – are made by Collins Aerospace in Northern Ireland, featuring Scottish leather from Muirhead who are based in Bridge of Weir, Renfrewshire.
For the cabin, there are bulkhead features by Manchester’s Airline Services Interiors and also from across the Irish Sea, curtains and carpets by Botany Weaving of Dublin.
G-TNED is of course just one plane out of a fleet of 240-plus but it’s a welcome upgrade as BA does have a legacy of old equipment.
Some short-haul aircraft are ‘teenagers’ and on long-haul you can be on jets that are well into their twenties.
So what’s it like? I flew to Rome in Club Europe (business) and back in
economy and – new plane smell aside – I was really impressed with the seats’ premium feel, comfy headrest and appearance, plus the handy USB-A & USB-C charging ports. Wi-fi and free Whatsapp messaging will follow in the coming months.
It’s the same seat in business class
but the pitch is a more generous 31-30in (the middle seat has a posh leather tray rather than a passenger) compared to 29in in economy.
There were no complaints from me as regards legroom at the ‘back of the bus’. This is a lovely seat for a short-haul flight with just the right firmness. The A321 is quiet too. I was sat by an engine both ways and, apart from take-off and landing, it was barely discernible. Extra-large overhead bins seemed to swallow a lot of cabin bags.
No surprise that the service by the attentive cabin crew remains the typical BA polished and friendly, and they serve a mighty fine cuppa as always. We landed early on both flights.
As BA’S Chief Customer Officer Calum Laming said on board before take-off at Heathrow Terminal 5: “It really is a British seat.”
British yes, but we look to our friends in Germany for seven more of these excellent state-of-the-art, fuel-efficient jets arriving soon.
britishairways.com airbus.com