British Airways unveils new ‘Forty Winks’ lounge at Heathrow that features free power-nap sleep pods
- The pods are available in British Airways’ Galleries First Lounge in Terminal 5
- They’re described as ‘world’s first chair designed exclusively for power napping’
- Passengers can set them for a desired duration or a programmed 20-minute nap
British Airways is pulling out a few extra stops to give its top-tier passengers a dreamy start to their trip.
It has unveiled a new ‘Forty Winks’ nap lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5 that features power nap ‘sleep pods’.
The pods are available in British Airways’ Galleries First Lounge, which is currently open to all lounge-eligible customers, including those travelling in Club World (business class).
British Airways new ‘Forty Winks’ nap lounge at Heathrow and its sleep pods
The airline will then be adding the pods to its Concorde Room at Terminal 5, which is only accessible to first-class ticket holders, and New York’s JFK Terminal 7 when global travel restrictions ease and these lounges reopen.
Introduced in partnership with Restworks, British Airways says the ‘Forty Winks’ lounge ‘allows customers in need of some pre-flight shuteye the chance to power nap in a dedicated EnergyPod’.
British Airways says that the ‘Forty Winks’ lounge is complimentary and operates on a self-service basis, so customers do not need to pre-book.
There are seven pods available and the airline explains that customers can use the ‘Your Menu’ lounge app to check if a pod is available in real-time. This information will also be available on a screen outside the Forty Winks entrance.
As part of its ‘ongoing commitment to keep customers and colleagues safe’, British Airways says Dettol hand sanitiser stations will be positioned in the nap lounges and Dettol antibacterial wipes will be used to keep the pod surfaces clean after each use.’
To use the pods, passengers can set the timer on the EnergyPod to the desired duration or use the one-touch start button for a pre-programmed 20-minute nap.
The pods are available in British Airways’ Galleries First Lounge, pictured, which is currently open to all lounge-eligible customers
British Airways explains: ‘The EnergyPod reclines to elevate the feet and promote relaxation.
‘The adjustable privacy visor can be swivelled into place to block out distractions.
‘Complimentary audio content for use while in the lounge and travelling can be downloaded via the Restworks Mobile app.’
The airline adds: ‘The EnergyPod is the world’s first chair designed exclusively for power napping. With its unique combination of gravity-neutral positioning and privacy visor, the EnergyPod is the premiere nap pod for short rest in the workplace.
‘By providing nap pods for rest in its First and Concorde lounges, British Airways is supporting customer wellbeing and helping beat jetlag while on the move.’
When open, Concorde Room customers will be able to book an EnergyPod via dedicated hosts, request a time they would like to be woken and choose a hot beverage to enjoy after their rest. Water and hot towels will be provided to add to the ‘refreshing awakening experience’.
The pods will be added to the Concorde Room at London Heathrow Terminal 5, pictured, when it reopens
Tom Stevens, British Airways director of brand and customer experience, said: ‘We can’t wait to welcome our customers back after a very difficult year, and we’re always looking for new ideas to support our customers’ health and wellbeing pre-flight.
‘In late 2019, we carried out a survey of over 100,000 lounge guests asking what they would like to see featured in our lounges. Sleep pods were right at the top of their list.
‘Our Forty Winks nap lounges will offer a dedicated rejuvenation space for customers as they return to the skies, all self-serviced via the “Your Menu” lounge app. Beating jetlag and catching a snooze on the go has never been easier!’
Christopher Lindholst, Restworks’ global managing director, said: ‘Being able to rest while travelling is an important way to stay healthy and energised, and what better way to use your dwell time than to catch up on some sleep.
‘We are excited British Airways is making this important investment in customer wellbeing.’
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