Premium Economy privacy takes wing, including at British Airways

You might call it ‘the COVID effect’ but winged privacy is having a serious moment in Premium Economy cabins, as a growing list of operators including American Airlines, All Nippon Airways, Eva Air and LATAM adopt recliners with this delightful feature.

British Airways, too, is getting in on the action. Two months ago, it quietly revealed that privacy wings are coming to Premium Economy seating on board its Boeing 787-9 twinjets.

“Our first 787-9 to be refurbished with the Club Suite has just been completed by our brilliant engineers in Cardiff and here is a sneak peak of our World Traveller Plus (premium economy) cabin which has new bigger privacy wings on the seats…,” British Airways director of marketing Hamish McVey teased on LinkedIn, whilst sharing images of the first retrofitted 787-9.

On first blush, the images appear to show a customized version of the increasingly popular RECARO R5 recliner, which is understood to be already flying in Premium Economy on oneworld alliance partner American’s A321XLR twinjets. (American has also upped the ante for Premium Economy aboard its new 787-9P twinjets.)

However, it’s also possible that BA has maintained a sizable amount of the existing RECARO Premium Economy seating platform on the 787-9 and simply retrofitted key new features, including the wings and a refreshed CMF (color, materials and finish) to the 2-3-2-configured seats.

AvGeeks and journalists are torn on the issue. We’re waiting to see if new USB-C outlets break cover.

Regardless, the wings are substantial in size, giving passengers a mini-pod experience.

Travelers flying in pairs may have a few gripes about this design given that easy conversation will now be a little more difficult.

Contrast the new 787-9 World Traveller Plus cabin to the Premium Economy seats on board BA’s Airbus A350-1000 twinjets, which boast a more open and airy feel.

Here’s a look at the PE seatbacks on the A350-1000.

Overall, however, passengers value their privacy. And given that we’re now smack dab in the middle of a vicious flu season, one can understand the draw of privacy ears and wings for seats.

RECARO developed these features for its Premium Economy and economy class seats before COVID. But during the pandemic, interest grew as passengers craved distance and separation — and yes, a small barrier between their potentially coughing seat mate.

“[N]ow it’s there in every seat program for Premium Economy,” RECARO Aircraft Seating CEO Dr. Mark Hiller confided to RGN in 2024 of the privacy feature.

That’s not to say that British Airways’ current Premium Economy product — sans wings — isn’t still relevant. In 2025, your author flew Premium Economy aboard a BA A350-1000 and a pre-refitted 787-9 and was reminded of why World Traveller Plus remains such an enduring product.

The deep and generous recline offered in World Traveller Plus enabled this tall human to create a comfortable, near zero-g experience on both flights. How? I rolled up the quilted blanket and placed both it and the large pillow under my legs to create elevation while exploiting the full 8″ recline, and I used the footrest for further support.

As opposed to fixed backrest shell seats, the ability to recline backwards is an important attribute of RECARO’s entire premium economy line (as well as its US domestic first class product, which is starting to break cover for long-haul Premium Economy).

“In terms of really having an efficient and comfortable product, we think we have the optimal solution there. This is also proven by Emirates, which has our premium economy seat,” RECARO’s Dr. Hiller told RGN.

The addition of privacy wings, however, does take RECARO’s Premium Economy products up a serious notch.

British Airways’ McVey seems to agree, assuring on LinkedIn that winged privacy will make the experience “even better for our customers.”

One wonders if we should expect to see more wings retrofitted to un-winged legacy RECARO Premium Economy seating platforms in the world fleet in time, including the PL3530.

Perhaps on more aircraft types within British Airways’ fleet to boot?

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