British Airways First

In 2010, British Airways re-launched their flagship First Suite. BA brought Davis Associates into their team, to help ensure that this premier long haul product delivers the optimum passenger experience.

Good ergonomics is essential for good seat design.   Davis Associates' user insights research enabled BA’s design team to develop solutions which:

• maximise the usable space for the passenger and their dining guest
• ensure all passengers can comfortably view the IFE at a given screen size
• address likely areas of high wear and tear on the seat

In-Flight Entertainment (IFE) is a core part of the passenger experience. Through our research, British Airways gained critical insights into the relationship between IFE screen size and position.   This informed the design of the seat structure and seat adjustment mechanism.

At the prototype stage, we designed and delivered passenger experience trials, with representative participants who are accustomed to travelling on a first class seat.   These enabled BA to see, before full production started, how passengers will react to the experience of using the seat’s touch-points and controls. BA also gained valuable insights into the areas of the seat that may become damaged with use.