Showing posts with label British Airways. Show all posts
Showing posts with label British Airways. Show all posts

18 March, 2024

British Airways is embarking on a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport

Photo British Airways
British Airways is embarking on a multi-million-pound investment programme to overhaul its ground support equipment at Heathrow Airport, as part of its commitment to reducing emissions both in the air and on the ground. The airline will gradually be replacing its ground vehicles at Heathrow, such as vans and cars, cargo transporters and passenger steps, moving towards hybrid or electric alternatives where available. Already, more than 90% of British Airways’ vehicles and ground equipment at Heathrow are either zero emissions electrical equipment when being used or driven, (hybrids) or are operating on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel. 

Improvements include:  

Replacing more than 750 pieces of ground equipment, including fuel bowsers from fossil fuel to HVO. HVO is an interim measure whilst the airline gradually transitions to zero-emissions (when being used or driven) or hybrid equipment. Supplied by the airline’s current sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supplier, Phillips 66, the use of HVO is anticipated to save more than 6,000 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to traditional diesel fuel, the equivalent of more than 8,000 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK*.  
Replacing all diesel passenger aircraft steps with electric alternatives. This aims to reduce fuel consumption by more than 370 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, based on previous diesel usage, which is the equivalent of more than 500 round-trip economy passenger journeys between London Heathrow and JFK*. Many of the electric steps will be in full service by the end of the year. 
Phasing out its fleet of 20 diesel-powered vehicles which support the loading and unloading of cargo containers onto aircraft, replacing them with Hybrid Electric models.  
Introducing 135 new electric baggage tugs, accounting for 40% of our tugs, to transport customer's luggage. This improved battery and charging technology utilises highly efficient lithium-ion battery technology, requiring less energy and producing 30% less C02 when in use compared to traditional lead acid batteries. We are working closely with our supply chain in order to recycle as many battery components as possible at the end of life. 
Gradually phasing out all 38 diesel passenger buses over the next two years, with 23 expected to be fully electric and the remaining 15 operating on HVO fuel, with a large charging park at Heathrow now in the early stages of development. The use of these vehicles is expected to save 800 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year, helping to reduce negative air quality impacts around the Heathrow area. 
Tom Moran, British Airways’ Director of Heathrow, said: “At British Airways, we are committed to reaching net zero emissions by 2050 or sooner and our focus isn’t just about reducing emissions in the air, but on the ground too. This major investment into our vehicles at Heathrow is our largest investment in more sustainable airport ground operations to date and is part of our wider environmental objective to minimise emissions from our airside ground operation. We’re proud of the work we are doing in this space and are excited to continue improving the running of our ground operations at Heathrow.” 

14 March, 2024

British Airways to recall and update some of new uniform

British Airways uniform not quite up to standard.....
Five months after launching a new uniform, the UK's leading airline, British Airways has admitted its new threads may need to be revised!

The airline has issued an update that some items of the new uniform have not "fared as well and might need some alterations." and the new designs by Ozwald Boateng, “are not quite hitting the mark”. 

This follows months of complaints and criticisms from staff posted on social media and staff messageboards. In addition, comments from customers have also been less than flattering in the whole with many failing to warm to the design. 

At the time, Ozwald Boateng OBE said: “Designing this uniform was a vast and painstaking undertaking and went far beyond clothes. It was about creating an energetic shift internally. One of my main objectives was to create something that spoke to, and for, the airline’s colleagues. Something that inspired and empowered them, encouraged them to conduct their roles with pride and most importantly to ensure that they felt seen and heard. Although the airline has a strong heritage, it was imperative to support in creating a fresh narrative of change and transcendence, while remaining timeless.”

Aerotime reports that the airline has asked some uniform suppliers to work on new blouses and shirts and supply sample remedies for the originals that were so thin they were almost transparent when worn by cabin crew. The carrier has also already updated some items that had already been approved. 



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05 March, 2024

Major changes for British Airways as part of a £7bn transformation plan...

New British Airways seats.
The UK's leading legacy carrier British Airways has announced an array of new initiatives as part of its £7bn transformation plan.  

The airline's Chairman and CEO Sean Doyle outlined his modernisation plan at a recent showcase that will see the airline try to regain its former reputation of delivering a world-class customer experience. The new plan will also see the company modernizing its crumpled IT systems, work on sustainability issues and drive up on-time performance.  

Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO, commented:  “We’re on a journey to a better BA for our people and for our customers, underpinned by a transformation programme that will see us invest £7bn over the next two years to revolutionise our business".

Doyle continued: “We’re going to take delivery of new aircraft, introduce new cabins, elevate our customer care, focus on operational performance and address our environmental impact by reducing our emissions and creating a culture of sustainability. We’re also heavily investing in the development of a new ba.com website and app and are laser-focused on transforming our business and fixing any pain points for our customers.”  

Long gone are the days of 'The World's favourite airline' when BA was a global brand epitomising quality, style and premium levels of service. A series of strikes, high-profile data breaches, massive IT failures, in-flight service cuts, staff morale issues and mismanagement have all taken their toll on the carrier.  


Ba.com and app 


British Airways has confirmed plans to overhaul its digital user experience with a new ba . com website and mobile app which it says will offer deeper personalisation. The new website is already in BETA testing mode with platforms designed to offer a range of new services, including allowing customers to self-serve if they wish, taking control of and making changes to their journeys online, in keeping with other major airlines' websites and systems. BA says the initial changes will start to roll out by the end of the year.

WiFi enhancements for customers 


In-flight WiFi is increasingly popular with passengers, with many seeing it as a prerequisite in their choice of airline, therefore, from 3rd April, British Airways Executive Club Members will start to be able to send messages free of charge on a single device using the airline’s WiFi - whatever cabin they’re travelling in. The service will be available on every WiFi-enabled aircraft within two weeks of the rollout date*. 

The free messaging pass will allow British Airways Executive Club members to use messaging-type online applications, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger and Teams Chat
The free messaging pass will allow British Airways Executive Club members to use messaging-type online applications, such as WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger and Teams Chat - without images, videos or attachments, text only.

*WiFi is available on all of the airline’s Gatwick fleet and more than 80 per cent of British Airways’ Heathrow fleet, rolling out to 100 per cent by the end of 2025.

The airline has also become the first to offer a WiFi-enabled inflight customer care solution to solve issues in the moment – even at 35,000ft. Created especially for British Airways by Microsoft, customer care teams on the ground are now able to connect with cabin crew colleagues across more than 300 flights a day. The functionality allows the crew to help solve any unexpected issues before a flight lands at one of the airline’s more than 200 destinations. 

AI implementation 


BA said it plans to invest £100m in AI & machine learning, automation all the way through the company. It says these moves will drive improvements from bookings to baggage handling and help to revolutionise its operation, speed up departures and respond to disruption.

Innovative new tools are helping to predict delays (prompting pre-emptive action to reduce disruption) and analyse real-time weather, aircraft capacity and customer connections data to help teams make better decisions. Since the introduction of the systems, alongside a number of new processes and ways of working, the airline has seen improvement to its on-time departures.   

The airline is also investing £750m in its IT infrastructure to move 700 systems and thousands of servers to the cloud by early next year.   

British Airways has also started to create around 350 roles at its home base, London Heathrow which will, it hopes, improve the level of services customers experience. The airline is investing in new equipment, such as baggage tugs and towing vehicles.


New lounge design concept 


London Heathrow Terminal 3 lounge.
BA is all set to open another brand-new lounge in Dubai, which is relocating to a new larger space at Dubai Airport later this year. This lounge will be the first to feature British Airways’ new lounge design concept, followed by the opening of its Miami lounge in 2025. The new Dubai lounge will replace the existing lounge facility at the airport, offering more space and more features for its premium customers. BA will also complete lounge refreshes in Lagos and Seattle, these follow recent lounge refurbishments at Heathrow Terminals 5 and 3, as well as Edinburgh.  

New cabins and seats 


New short-haul seats and cabin interiors will feature on the next generation of British Airways’ Airbus A320neo and A321neos, with eight aircraft set to arrive from May this year.

New short-haul seats and cabin interiors will feature on the next generation of British Airways’ Airbus A320neo and A321neos, with eight aircraft set to arrive from May this year. The airline is working with the best of British suppliers from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland, with the new short-haul Euro Traveller and Club Europe seats reflecting a modern yet classic British interior. The re-designed cabins will also be fitted with extra-large overhead bins for luggage. 


New short-haul seats


Club Europe seats will see the return of the bespoke leather tray that sits between the aisle and window seat. All Club Europe seats will also be fitted with USB-A & USB-C power (60W) backrest-mounted charging ports, while the Euro Traveller seats will be fitted with USB-A & USB-C (15W) backrest-mounted charging ports.

Investment in First  


British Airways is the only European carrier to offer First Class between the UK and US and the carrier seeks to capitalize on this with the introduction of a brand-new and exclusive First suite. BA believes the new seat will come into service at the end of 2025 into early 2026 as part of its Airbus A380 aircraft refurbishment.  

The Heathrow - New York JFK route has, for many years been the airline's most lucrative route, it is also the 8th busiest route in the world with nearly 3.9 million seats on offer last year. Between April 2018 and 2019, BA earned over $1.15 billion from this route alone. 

New Routes 

29 February, 2024

British Airways partners with Franklin Barbecue to bring a taste of Texas to the air.....

Customers will be able to enjoy the airline's themed menu on flights between Austin and London from 1 to 31 March 2024. Limited edition 5oz bottles of Franklin Barbecue's Original BBQ sauce will be gifted to customers flying from Austin to London Heathrow in Club World throughout March (subject to availability).
British Airways has partnered with Austin's renowned barbecue joint, Franklin Barbecue, to produce limited edition bottles of their Original BBQ sauce, aptly labelled BA-B-Q sauce (see what we did there), to gift Club World customers flying from Austin to London throughout March.

Customers flying from Austin during the anniversary month will also enjoy a Texas-inspired barbecue menu on board. The menu will showcase the rich and savoury taste of Austin's barbecue tradition, offering customers a culinary treat that pays homage to the city's renowned barbecue culture and brings the essence of this vibrant city to the skies.


"We're excited to celebrate a decade of connecting Austin and London," said Calum Laming, British Airways' Chief Customer Officer. "At British Airways we're committed to providing an exceptional and original experience for our customers and we're always looking for new ways to do that. Bringing the flavours of Austin to the skies with this special menu is one way of us celebrating this remarkable city and expressing gratitude for the support we've received over the past 10 years. And we can't wait for customers to enjoy our limited edition bottles of Franklin Barbecue's Original BBQ sauce."

15 February, 2024

British Airways invests in new predictive automated maintenance reporting system


A cutting-edge engineering system that uses real-time data to predict aircraft maintenance issues is helping British Airways reduce delays and save the use of more than 900,000 pieces of paper a year.

The E-Logs platform will provide live performance information about all of the airline’s 270 jets, allowing the airline to immediately spot potential problems and proactively fix them and reduce downtime.

It is replacing a costly and time-consuming paper-based system with an entirely automated process that makes it much easier for pilots and cabin crew to log issues.

Andy Best, Chief Technical Officer at British Airways, said:  “We’re using the latest technology to help ensure we continue delivering a consistently high standard of service for our customers – always with a focus on safety.

Our investment in innovative tools like this, means we can support our teams to identify and put solutions in place ahead of time. By replacing time-consuming manual processes with digital technology we are constantly improving the reliability of our aircraft fleet and as a result our customers’ experience.” 

Aircraft technical logs are a regulatory requirement that have historically been paper-based.


Flight and cabin crew would log any faults in writing and these are then transcribed and transferred to maintenance teams, which carry out any required work and again update the aircraft maintenance log in writing.

The E-Logs system, which will see a number of specialist iPads placed on every aircraft, will replace the paper-based system entirely and allows the immediate transfer of data from the aircraft to engineers within seconds - before the aircraft arrives at its destination.

This means engineers can pre-order any required parts and resolve issues more quickly on arrival, reducing the amount of time planes are out of action.

The technology also allows BA to predict faults and pre-emptively correct them before they become an issue that might take an aircraft offline.

The system forms part of BA’s £7bn transformation investment over the next two years. This is the biggest ever investment in the business to revolutionise how teams work, rolling-out the very latest technology to boost the customer experience. 

This includes cutting-edge machine learning, automation and AI across the operation, driving improvements from bookings to baggage handling and helping cut cancellations and delays. 

The tools being used are revolutionising how the airline works, replacing time-consuming manual processes with tech-based solutions to ensure that the right information is in the right place at the right time.  





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14 February, 2024

A taste of love in the skies..... BA's Valentine Menu

British Airways is bringing romance to the skies this Valentine’s Day with love-themed desserts, complimentary heart chocolates, hours of rom-coms available through the airline’s ‘Love is in the air’ inflight entertainment category, as well as romantic gift ideas from its High Life Shop.

In addition British Airways Holidays has launched a range of city break offers from £142pp to celebrate the most romantic date of the year (the 14th day of the second month). Customers can choose from a range of options including Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Turin, Edinburgh, Nice, Prague, Stockholm, and Verona*. 

Whether flying short-haul or long-haul, every customer travelling on 14 February from Heathrow and Gatwick will feel the love with a complimentary heart shaped chocolate upon boarding. Customers in First and Club can enjoy the following desserts:

Valentine’s themed desserts

  • White chocolate mousse heart with passion fruit and mango: A red chocolate-coated heart with a white chocolate, mango and passion fruit mousse, complemented by fresh berries, exclusively for those travelling in First.
  • Chocolate and raspberry mousse: An indulgent chocolate and raspberry mousse with a gingerbread crumble, complete with a chocolate heart on top, for those travelling in Club World and Club Europe (long and short-haul business class).
  • Raspberry and rosewater Valentine’s macaron: As part of the Club Europe (short-haul business class) afternoon tea, customers can enjoy a raspberry macaron with a rosewater and raspberry filling, back by popular demand following its debut last year.

Long-haul: Rom-com inflight entertainment

British Airways has re-launched its popular ‘Love is in the air’ category on its inflight entertainment. Customers looking to soak up the romance on long-haul flights can watch a range of rom-com classics, including Marry Me, Along Came Polly and Music and Lyrics amongst others.

Anti-Valentine’s advocates need not worry though, as thrillers such as Birds of Prey, Nocturnal Animals and The Meg are being added for a limited time.

13 February, 2024

British Airways brings a little romance to the air with Valentine treats!

British Airways is bringing romance to the skies this Valentine’s Day with love-themed desserts, complimentary heart chocolates, hours of rom-coms available through the airline’s ‘Love is in the air’ inflight entertainment category, as well as romantic gift ideas from its High Life Shop.

In addition British Airways Holidays has launched a range of city break offers from £142pp to celebrate the most romantic date of the year (the 14th day of the second month). Customers can choose from a range of options including Paris, Copenhagen, Dublin, Turin, Edinburgh, Nice, Prague, Stockholm, and Verona*. 

Whether flying short-haul or long-haul, every customer travelling on 14 February from Heathrow and Gatwick will feel the love with a complimentary heart shaped chocolate upon boarding. Customers in First and Club can enjoy the following desserts:

Valentine’s themed desserts

  • White chocolate mousse heart with passion fruit and mango: A red chocolate-coated heart with a white chocolate, mango and passion fruit mousse, complemented by fresh berries, exclusively for those travelling in First.
  • Chocolate and raspberry mousse: An indulgent chocolate and raspberry mousse with a gingerbread crumble, complete with a chocolate heart on top, for those travelling in Club World and Club Europe (long and short-haul business class).
  • Raspberry and rosewater Valentine’s macaron: As part of the Club Europe (short-haul business class) afternoon tea, customers can enjoy a raspberry macaron with a rosewater and raspberry filling, back by popular demand following its debut last year.

Long-haul: Rom-com inflight entertainment

British Airways has re-launched its popular ‘Love is in the air’ category on its inflight entertainment. Customers looking to soak up the romance on long-haul flights can watch a range of rom-com classics, including Marry Me, Along Came Polly and Music and Lyrics amongst others.

Anti-Valentine’s advocates need not worry though, as thrillers such as Birds of Prey, Nocturnal Animals and The Meg are being added for a limited time.

Loved-up lounges

Customers relaxing before their flight will be able to enjoy heart-shaped gingerbread at the Heathrow Club and First lounges, plus beautiful fresh flower arrangements in both the airlines Heathrow and Gatwick lounges. 

In addition, an exclusive wine tasting will take place at the Whispering Angel bar in the Club Lounge at T5B from 12:00 for rosé lovers who want to celebrate together.

For customers travelling from the USA, all British Airways lounges, including San Francisco, New York and Boston will be offering a pink gin-based cocktail called ‘Strawberry Aviation’ to make travelling a little bit sweeter this Valentine’s Day.

Short-haul: Make a flight more special with the High Life Café

For those customers who’d like to make their trip a little more special, or for those whose gifts got lost in the post, the High Life Café is offering a pre-ordered Champagne and chocolate celebration set. Customers can also call British Airways’ customer service team and include a complimentary personalised message in their order if they are treating someone on board.

There is also a range of Valentine’s gifts from the High Life Shop. From Tom Ford’s Café Rose Eau du Parfum to Hot Diamonds’ ‘The Romantic Pendant’, customers can purchase a selection of gifts from duty free for a pre- or post-flight treat.

*Offer is available when booking between 12 - 19 February 2024 for travel in March 2024. The price includes return flights plus a two-night stay in one of our recommended hotels, such as the example below:


.

08 February, 2024

BA apprentices perform key flight dispatch.....


A team of skilled British Airways apprentices have successfully dispatched a flight to South Africa, marking a first for the airline and reinforcing the key role apprentices play throughout the business.

As part of National Apprenticeship Week 2024, around 40 apprentices worked across a variety of roles for the successful departure of the 18:25 Boeing 777 BA43 flight from London Heathrow to Cape Town, South Africa.

Apprentices were stationed across check-in, lounges and at the boarding gate, to support more than 300 customers as they prepared to depart. On the airfield, ground operations apprentices supported with baggage handling and engineering tasks to ensure the aircraft was ready for departure.  

Jawad Arbi, Heathrow Operations Apprentice at British Airways, said:  “Working in collaboration with other apprentices from across the operation to ensure a safe departure has been a fantastic experience. Starting an apprenticeship with British Airways has transformed my career, and I’m excited to continue to develop my skills and see where it takes me."

British Airways’ apprentice scheme, now in its 13th year, has seen a 75% increase in applicants compared to 2022, with 4,500 last year, compared to 2,562 in 2022. The airline is now offering more apprenticeship positions than ever before – it started out offering 30 places in 2011, to 290 today.

Apprentices that join the airline will begin work in 10 area-focused roles across three business areas: Customer, Business and Operations. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to work alongside experienced airline colleagues, engage in real-world aviation projects and receive valuable mentorship to kickstart and develop their careers.

The significant interest in the programme reflects British Airways’ position as an industry leader and a key player in shaping the future of aviation professionals and underlines the airline’s commitment to developing and growing the next generation of emerging talent and supporting early careers in aviation.  

Rachel Iley, Director of Global Learning Academy, at British Airways, said: “This landmark flight demonstrates the integral role apprentices play in our workforce and the opportunities available to those who join British Airways on one of our schemes. Our talented apprentices bring a fresh perspective to our airline, and their ideas and enthusiasm will help propel us into the future.”

Throughout 2023, British Airways’ Emerging Talent team, which is responsible for sourcing new talent through apprenticeships and graduate schemes, attended almost 250 career and job fair events and met approximately 37,000 young people to inspire them to consider a career in aviation.


The next cohort of apprenticeships will open for applications October 2024.

Minister for Skills, Apprenticeships and Higher Education Robert Halfon, said:  “Apprenticeships are crucial to giving people from all backgrounds the chance to climb the ladder of opportunity while addressing skills gaps and helping to grow our economy.

 So, it is brilliant news that British Airways continues to embrace apprenticeships offering 178 positions this year, and receiving a record number of applications. British Airways understand the levy and use it well. They have experienced the wealth of benefits apprentices bring to their business, and I hope more businesses follow their lead and experience this for themselves.”

02 February, 2024

British Airways adds a touch of eastern delight to its menus for Chinese new year.

To welcome the Year of the Dragon, British Airways is introducing special touches on the ground and in the air this festive season.       

During the festival, all customers flying between London and Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore can enjoy traditional festive dishes* that signify luck and prosperity.  

Customers in First can enjoy black pepper spiced fillet of beef with Chinese seven spiced broccolini, while those travelling in Club World (business class) can order spicy Kung Pao prawn, a dish previously served in the Chinese Imperial Palace. Both First and Club World customers can enjoy a white chocolate tangerine mousse, a fruit that symbolises gold in Chinese culture.

Customers flying in World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy) can enjoy the traditional Huaiyang dish, Lion’s Head meatballs, which are made of steamed pork in oyster sauce. The dish is named for its round-shape resembling the head of a lion and signifies unity amongst the family.


Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer said: “Many of our customers will be celebrating the Lunar New Year this month and reuniting with family and friends, so we wanted to make their journey extra special this festive season. For those celebrating we’d like to wish them a very Happy Year of the Dragon from everyone at British Airways.”

During the week of the festival, customers travelling through London Heathrow Terminal 5 will be gifted red envelopes with chocolate coins, with lion dancers performing on the concourse.

For London bound travellers, the airlines’ customer service teams will spread holiday cheer by surprising customers with upgrades to Club World (business class) and lounge access to make their journeys extra special**. The team will select a handful of customers who were born in the Year of Dragon.

15 December, 2023

First come, first served – uncovering first-class cabin designs



As any seasoned traveller knows, there is flying – and there is flying first class. The vast majority of us will never attain such dizzy heights and can only dream of that elusive upgrade.  Artemis Aerospace has a look at what we’re missing and explores some of the world’s best first-class cabins.

As you board a plane and shuffle down the aisle of economy class, you might have booked a window seat for the view or opted for an aisle seat for easy access to the loo. However, what happens next is in the lap of the gods.

Heading towards your seat, you might be considering a whole host of possibilities that could cause you unwelcome distractions while onboard. For example, will your neighbour be fidgety or insist on fighting for the armrest? Or will there be a lively child directly behind you constantly kicking the back of your seat? Will there be enough legroom? Will the meal be something you like, and will there be enough to sustain you during the journey? Despite these concerns, economy class passengers usually end up at their destination having had a perfectly pleasant flying experience.

For passengers who want a more exclusive experience, there is the option of business class or first class. Both are more luxurious compared to economy, but the differences vary from airline to airline. Generally, business class offers more legroom than economy but you won’t necessarily be given a private space. In first class, there is usually a seat which turns into a bed, and sometimes a private space or even apartment. Food and drink in business class is typically at good restaurant level, whereas in first class, there is likely to be an impressive menu carefully curated by an award-winning chef.

In today’s economy, however, with commercial aviation only just beginning to recover from the pandemic, some airlines are concentrating on business class and phasing out the first class offering altogether. Even before COVID-19, in the ten years to 2018, British Airways dropped 100,000 of its first-class seats, and when ordering new aircraft today there is no first-class option included. The US airline Delta has halved its first-class seats from 400,000 to 200,000 in the last ten years.

So, if you want to experience the high life, now is the time to do it; we’ve selected five of the most luxurious first-class spaces to take your pick from.

Qatar Airways


The luxury first class experience on Qatar Airways ensures complete privacy and offers a top of the range, full flat bed to ensure passengers get a perfect sleep and arrive refreshed, along with designer lounge wear from The White Company. There is an à la carte menu prepared by top chefs, including some with Michelin stars, and food can be ordered from it at any time. The personal spaces can be transformed into a workspace with onboard Wi-Fi and there are in excess of 4,000 entertainment choices.

Etihad Airways



Etihad Airways is one of the two national airlines of the United Arab Emirates. A first-class passenger’s journey starts with a luxury limousine to the airport, and, once on board, encompasses fine dining, expert wine pairings with your meal and a ‘signature Cognac service’ to finish. Chairs recline into a flat bed when required and there is free Wi-Fi access, an amenity kit with body lotion, cologne, eye mask, socks, toothbrush and toothpaste, plus over a thousand hours of on-demand in-flight entertainment. For the ultimate experience, passengers on the airline’s A380 can book a luxurious suite for two, with its own private shower room, bedroom with double bed and separate living room.

Singapore Airlines

13 December, 2023

First ever long-haul Avios-Only flights go on sale for October half term 2024


British Airways has announced that Dubai will be the destination of its next Avios-Only flight, offering more than 200 half term return Reward Seats from just £100 + 60,000 Avios. The flight is available to book now.

The BA105 from London Heathrow to Dubai will offer 214 Reward Seats across three cabins on 26 October 2024. The BA108 will return a week later on 2 November 2024 with 256 up for grabs across four cabins, perfectly in time for a half term getaway. 

This is the first time that the airline has offered a long-haul Avios-Only flight, and it brings the total number to more than 30, including Geneva, Nice, Ibiza and Corfu. Avios-Only flights were launched earlier this year, on which 100% of the seats are exclusively available to British Airways Executive Club Members as Rewards Seats. 

Avios only seats are sold as normal Reward Seats, which means that customers with British Airways American Express Credit Cards will also have the option to use their Companion Vouchers. These entitle Members to a second seat for just the taxes and charges, or one seat for half the amount of Avios. 

Reward Seats are those that can be purchased using Avios at static rates. British Airways guarantees a minimum of 12 and 14 Reward Seats on standard short and long-haul flights respectively, whereas Avios-Only flights mean that every seat is available to purchase using Avios. 

British Airways to return to London Stansted for Summer 2024

Travellers choosing to fly from London Stansted next summer have a new premium airline option, as British Airways returns to the north-east London airport. 

Launching on 18 May 2024, weekend flights from London Stansted to Florence, Ibiza and Nice will join BA Cityflyer’s operations for the summer season on its Embraer 190 aircraft. 

BA Cityflyer is a subsidiary of British Airways, which operates from London City Airport during the week to nearly 30 short-haul destinations. The new Stansted services will complement the existing weekday services from London City, plus recently added weekend services from Edinburgh to San Sebastian, Spain and Olbia, Sardinia.  

This will be the first time that British Airways has offered scheduled flights from Stansted since before the global pandemic, and it will become the fourth London airport to be served by the flag carrier. 

Each flight will offer two cabins: Club Europe (business class) and Euro Traveller (economy). Customers in Club Europe are offered a full meal service with drinks from the bar, priority board and additional baggage allowance.

Flights will be available from £41 each way to Florence, £36 each way to Ibiza and £43 each way to Nice. Flights are now live. 

Start date 

Flight number / days of week 

Departing destination 

Arriving STN 

Flight number 

Departing STN 

Arriving destination 

Florence 

18 May 2024 

 

BA7016 
Saturdays 

14:15 

16:30 

BA7017 
Sundays 

06:30 

08:45 

Nice 

18 May 2024 

BA2332 
Saturdays 

09:20 

11:20 

BA2333 
Sundays 

06:55 

08:55 

Ibiza 

18 May 2024 

BA7308 
Saturdays 

09:35 

12:05 

BA7309 
Sundays 

12:50 

15:15 

 


12 December, 2023

British Airways to start Gatwick - Agadir route.....

Agadir has become the latest destination to join British Airways’ route network from London Gatwick.  

The four-times weekly flight will be operated by British Airways’ Gatwick short-haul subsidiary, BA Euroflyer, from 31 March 2024.  On sale now, Agadir joins Marrakech to become the second Moroccan destination on British Airways’ route map. This will be the first time in more than a decade that Agadir has been available to British Airways customers. 

Tom Stoddart, CEO of BA Euroflyer, said: “Agadir is a coastal destination that enjoys 300 days of sunshine per year, so we know it will see strong demand from our leisure customers and particularly those seeking holiday packages. It offers beaches, golf courses and water sports alongside the opportunity to experience cultural landmarks, such as Agadir Kasbah.”

Customers will have the choice of two cabins on every flight: Club Europe (business class) and Euro Traveller (economy). Euro Traveller customers enjoy a complimentary drink and snack, while Club Europe customers will have lounge access, a full meal service with drinks from the bar, priority boarding and additional baggage allowance is included in their ticket. 

Day of the week 

Flight number 

Departing LGW 

Arriving 

AGA 

Flight number 

Departing AGA 

Arriving LGW 

London Gatwick (LGW) to Agadir, Morocco (AGA): Summer 2024 

Wednesdays 

BA2664 

08:15 

12:00 

BA2665 

13:10 

17:00 

Fridays 

BA2664 

06:45 

10:30 

BA2665 

11:45 

15:35 

Saturdays (from 25 May 2024) 

BA2664 

15:25 

19:10 

BA2665 

20:10 

00:00 

Sundays 

BA2664 

08:25 

12:10 

BA2665 

13:20 

17:10 

All timings are local 







05 December, 2023

British Airways has partnered with Signcode UK to improve services for Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers

British Airways is partnering with Signcode UK, an organisation dedicated to ensuring equal access to information, products and services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community.



British Airways has partnered with Signcode UK to further improve its accessibility offering for Deaf and hard-of-hearing customers, with new signed video content containing a variety of helpful travel information being made available to customers both pre-travel and whilst on board.

The partnership will mean customers can access key travel information in signed video form, including the airline’s onboard safety briefing via a unique QR code


Signcode UK is an organisation dedicated to ensuring equal access to information, products and services for the Deaf and hard-of-hearing community and specialises in translating key information into signed videos. As part of the airline’s continued commitment to become the airline of choice for customers travelling with additional requirements, it has collaborated with the organisation to produce signed videos which can be accessed either via a link or unique QR code, allowing customers to receive personalised video messages in sign language.

The first video, which is available for viewing pre-travel on ba.com, offers a comprehensive overview of British Airways' service proposition throughout the entire journey, including booking process, the airport experience, onboard services and the in-flight entertainment offering. It also includes a BSL introduction from Fredrick Da Costa, British Airways’ first Deaf Customer Experience Agent who uses BSL as part of his role. The video aims to empower customers by providing them with the information they need to make more informed choices when they travel.

A second video, available by the end of 2023, focuses on onboard safety features and procedures. This video will be accessible on ba.com and via a QR code that British Airways Mainline cabin crew will have on their mobile devices on board, giving customers the option to choose between receiving a signed video safety briefing on their personal device, or receiving a personalised briefing delivered by one of our crew face-to-face, which is already offered to Deaf or hard of hearing customers.  

Carrie Harris, Director of Sustainability at British Airways, said: "We are proud to partner with Signcode UK to further improve our accessibility offering for our Deaf and hard of hearing customers. This collaboration aligns with our ongoing commitment to ensure that all our customers have a seamless experience and can travel with confidence, with dignity and in comfort.”

01 December, 2023

British Airways turns on the festive charm

British Airways launches its British Original Christmas for 2023 

The airline is decking its halls for its biggest celebration yet as it expects to serve more than 380,000 Christmas dinners, including more than 600,000 Brussel sprouts and 8,000 yule logs* 



This festive season the UK's largest legacy carrier, British Airways is rolling out a whole raft of onboard enhancements to help passengers enjoy this time of year.  The airline is introducing a new menu, festive soaps and scents, hours of Christmas classics, as well as a number of sweet treats. 

From the moment customers step foot into London Heathrow, Gatwick and City airports, they will notice the decked-out halls with festive check-in screens, Christmas décor and seasonal music playing. Customers travelling through the airline’s lounges can tuck into bespoke Christmas menus, cookies, gingerbread and mulled wine, as well as soak up a special festive scent featuring cinnamon and festive spices.   

The airline has partnered with Hotel Chocolat to offer customers a hot chocolate winter warmer in its Concorde Room, or a festive chocolate cream cocktail in its First lounge. The airline has also commissioned a British Original artist to create a winter wonderland for customers on the walkway between its main lounges in Heathrow Terminal 5. The masterpiece will be carefully painted using ‘snow graffiti’ and feature a British skyline scene with snowy décor. The art will be created live across the first two days of December for customers to watch. 

As British Airways customers board over the festive period, they will notice Christmas music ahead of settling into their seats that will be decorated with specially designed festive headrest covers, featuring the airline’s bespoke Christmas ribbon design. All customers will also be handed farewell chocolates when they depart from their flight.  

09 November, 2023

British Airways introduces special menus....

BA's Diwali desserts across all cabins
 




  The UK's leading legacy carrier, British Airways has introduced a variety of special touches to its onboard experience this month, including a range of sweet desserts for Diwali and Thanksgiving-inspired dishes for customers travelling across its network.


British Airways introduces a variety of special touches to its onboard experience, including sweet desserts for Diwali and Thanksgiving-inspired menus with traditional roast turkey and pumpkin pie.



To celebrate the festival of lights on November 12, the airline is introducing festive desserts for customers across all cabins on outbound and inbound long-haul flights to India*.

The airline’s customers travelling in Club World (business class) from London Heathrow to India will be able to enjoy Rasmalai, a popular sweet delicacy, originating from eastern India.

Those travelling in World Traveller Plus (premium economy) can tuck into Kesar Peda, a traditional North Indian sweet made from khoya, sugar, saffron and cardamom. The dessert is full of beautiful flavours and best enjoyed as a post-meal sweet treat. Customers travelling in the airline’s World Traveller (economy) cabin to India will be served a popular Indian dessert, Motichoor Laddoo, which is traditionally served on special occasions. 

On return flights from India, travellers will also be able to enjoy a range of Diwali-themed desserts across various routes**. Kaju Pista or Gulab Jamun, a fusion-filled dessert accompanied with Rabdi, will be served in Club World. Customers travelling in World Traveller Plus will have the option of Khoye Ka Laddoo or Doodhi Halwa, garnished with traditional dried fruits.

01 November, 2023

Darlek at London Heathrow Airport....

Photo British Airways
British Airways customers were surprised to find a special out-of-this-world guest, a Dalek while travelling through Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on Friday.

Much to the surprise of those waiting in the Arrivals hall to meet loved ones, one of Doctor Who’s fearsome foes was seen keeping a watchful eye over British Airways’ arriving customers. The Dalek also mysteriously appeared in Departures where confused customers spotted one of the planet’s best-known villains checking in for a flight to Skaro, an extra-terrestrial destination that isn’t normally on British Airways’ route network.

The unscheduled arrival of the Dalek in British Airways’ home at Heathrow Terminal 5 marked the new partnership between British Airways and BBC Studios to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, which includes the launch of a dedicated Doctor Who inflight entertainment channel, available for all the airline’s customers travelling on long-haul flights from November 1. The new channel features 13 acclaimed episodes of the longest running science fiction television series in the world.

Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are really excited to be partnering with the BBC’s Doctor Who to create a dedicated channel on our inflight entertainment system, another fantastic British Original partnership that we know our customers will love. This year alone we have doubled the amount of content available on our in-flight entertainment, and we are committed to continue to bring the best, out of this world, entertainment to the skies.” 

Sarah Bold, Head of Marketing, Scripted at BBC Studios, said: “Doctor Who has been inspiring and entertaining audiences globally for an incredible 60 years and we couldn’t miss this opportunity to bring two iconic British brands together in style to celebrate. Travellers and subscribers will be able to enjoy a curated collection of content and the tie in will reach millions of people throughout the partnership.”

The new Doctor Who inflight entertainment channel on board British Airways’ flights, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary, includes 13 different episodes from series 1-13. Alongside this, customers can enjoy up to *80+ box sets such as And Just Like that Season 2, plus 15+ classic franchises, including Back to the Future and The Matrix, and over *700 pieces of audio, including BBC Proms 2023 Classics and UK true-crime podcast They Walk Among Us. In November, customers can enjoy new release movies such as Scrapper, a British Comedy/Drama, The Haunted Mansion or Meg 2: The Trench.

Doctor Who returns from November 25th on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ for the rest of the world, with three special episodes with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor to coincide with the 60th anniversary.

The Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, will then take control of the TARDIS, with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023. Ncuti Gatwa also features in British Airways’ latest safety video.

Doctor Who is one of the longest running action-adventure television series in the world spanning 60 years and winning over 100 awards. This quintessentially British show has a huge global following, with 9.6m fans across social platforms/channels and 100m video views on YouTube in the last year alone. It has been honoured by Guinness World Records as the longest running science-fiction series in the world. Doctor Who has a proven track-record in consumer products and live entertainment with over four and a half million Sonic Screwdrivers sold in the past eleven years, over 13 million action figures sold since 2005, over 19 million DVDs sold globally and over one million tickets sold for live events.

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