British Airways is trying something new at its First Lounge: the airline is installing sleep pods at London Heathrow and New York JFK in a bid to reclaim its premium positioning in the post-pandemic era.

The Sleep Pods will be at the Forty Winks Lounge — **The sleep pods will be in the newly revamped First Lounge that has been renamed the Forty Winks Lounge. Image courtesy of RestWorks**

Heathrow T5 First Lounge will debut the unique pods this coming week with T5’s Concorde Room and JFK’s T7 first-class lounge to follow. Renamed the ‘Forty Winks’ zone, passengers need not book ahead to enjoy its comforts; instead, they will just turn up at the lounge to see if any pods are available.

How the pods work

Once travellers settle into the pod they can swing down the privacy screen and recline into a ‘zero gravity position’ which designer RestWorks says “elevates the feet and reduces pressure on the cardiac system.” The seat’s contour also helps to “relax the muscles of the lower back with a slight bend of the knees.”

To help passengers sleep even better, each pod contains two internal compartments for stowing travel wallets, smartphones and the like.

The sleep pods work to reduce pressure and relax the muscles — **The pods will not only help you sleep; they would also work to relax your muscles and reduce cardiac pressure. Image courtesy of Restworks**

RestWorks promotes these as ‘napping pods’ which come fitted with a 20-minute power nap timer. At the touch of a button, a guided relaxation session or a soundtrack of specifically composed sleep music will play through internal Bose speakers. At the end of the nap, the pod wakes its occupant “with a gentle but effective combination of light, sound, and vibration.”

BA lounge staff will complement this with what’s described as “a full concierge service” of hot towels and a wake-up drink.

British Airways’ Premium flight path

The pods are part of British Airways’ blueprint to reset its flight path as a premium airline under new CEO Sean Doyle.

“Over the course of the pandemic, we are innovating and we are doing everything we can to make sure that when the customers come back to us, we are ready and they will have a great experience,” says Doyle.