British Airways completes 747 cabin refresh

All refreshed 747s have Panasonic’s next gen eX3 entertainment system

British Airways has completed the major makeover of 18 of the airline’s iconic Boeing 747s.

The refit gives the 747s the look and feel of BA’s newest aircraft.

Each 747 now features a refreshed interior and state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system – and 16 extra seats for Club World passengers.

British Airways announced the plans for the refit in September 2014.

The refit means the aircraft cabin interiors are similar in look and feel to the airline’s newest aircraft. New carpets, seat covers and mood lighting have been fitted to match the colour pallet of the airline’s new A380 and 787s.

Passengers in World Traveller Plus now have access to a universal power socket at every seat. The sockets accept plugs from the UK, US and Europe.

World Traveller passengers also have their own personal USB socket to power phones and tablets.

Across all 18 aircraft the 11 month refit has involved:

  • 61 miles of wiring for the new Panasonic eX3 in-flight entertainment system
  • Enough new carpets to cover 34 tennis courts
  • Nearly six miles of new LED lights
  • 4,500 light fittings
  • Fabric changes to 4,950 seats

In-flight entertainment

All eighteen refreshed aircraft have also been fitted with Panasonic’s next generation eX3 entertainment system.

This gives passengers a choice of over 1,300 hours of entertainment including more than 130 movies and 400 TV programmes on larger, hi-resolution screens.

The screens are capable of touch and swipe gestures, giving the system the familiar feel of using a tablet.

The system from Panasonic is lightweight and helps to reduce the amount of fuel used by the 747s.

Routes

The revamped Boeing 747s now operate on selected flights to New York JFK, Chicago, Johannesburg, Dubai, Boston, Riyadh, Kuwait, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Washington DC.

Troy Warfield, British Airways’ director of customer experience:

“We have recently taken delivery of our 12th A380 super jumbo and have now have 13 Dreamliners in our fleet, however the iconic Boeing 747s remain an important part of our fleet, that many of our customers love.

“We know customers who fly the revamped 747s really appreciate the improved interiors, with their mood lighting, better seating and new state-of-the-art in-flight entertainment system, making their flight just fly by.

“Our engineers have made these amazing aircraft look and feel like new, with enhanced comfort, cutting edge technology and cool, clean design.”

N.B. Image credit: British Airways

Internet links

British Airways (BA)

Panasonic Avionics