Tag Archives: British Airways

British Airways to experiment with virtual reality entertainment in First Class on LHR – JFK flights

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

British Airways customers will be transported to their own 3D cinema in the skies as the airline exclusively trials a new virtual reality headset in a UK first.

From now until the end of 2019, customers traveling on select flights in First Class from London Heathrow to New York JFK will be able to enjoy a selection of award-winning films, documentaries and travel programs in 2D, 3D or 360° formats.

The headsets from VR eyewear specialists, SkyLights, allow customers to fully immerse themselves in 3D view regardless of the position they are sat in. The experience even works when they are lying fully flat.

British Airways is the first UK airline to trial the technology and has worked with experts to select a range of therapeutic programmes, including guided meditation and sound therapy, specifically designed for customers who have a fear of flying.

Sajida Ismail, Head of Inflight Product at British Airways, said: “We are always looking at the latest technology to enhance our customers’ experience on the ground and in the air. Virtual reality has the power to revolutionise in-flight entertainment and we’re really excited to trial these new glasses as they should create a unique and memorable journey for our First customers”.

The AlloSky virtual reality headsets are designed by SkyLights, a former alumni of British Airways’ parent company IAG’s Hangar 51 start-up accelerator programme.

Earlier this year, British Airways trialled the technology at Heathrow Terminal 5, giving customers a glimpse of the Club World cabin through virtual reality.

2019 is British Airways’ centenary year. The airline has launched BA 2119: Flight of the Future, a first-of-its-kind exhibition at Saatchi Gallery throughout August, British Airways’ birthday month. The exhibition, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art, is based on global research commissioned by British Airways to identify what aviation could look like in the future. It is also showcasing Fly, a virtual reality experience tracing humankind’s relationship to flying from the earliest imaginings of Leonardo da Vinci and his ornithopter, to the Wright Brothers’ success on Kitty Hawk and the first passenger flight to Paris. Users can also experience Concorde, the brand new A350 and the imagined flight of future.

British Airways is investing £6.5 billion for its customers over five years, including the installation of the best quality Wi-Fi and power in every aircraft seat, fitting 128 long-haul aircraft with new interiors and taking delivery of 72 new aircraft. The airline has introduced its Club Suite, a new business class seat with direct aisle access. British Airways is also hosting a range of activities and events throughout the year to explore the future of sustainable aviation fuels and the aviation careers of the future.

British Airways BA 2119: Flight of the Future Exhibition now open

BA 2119: Flight of the Future exhibition

British Airways’ BA 2119: Flight of the Future exhibition in collaboration with the Royal College of Art is now open at the Saatchi Gallery in London.

The exhibition, which is free to enter and runs until August 26, is part of the airline’s centenary celebrations and explores the next 100 years of flying.

The exhibition also includes a one-of-a kind, full motion, virtual reality experience, Fly. Built by award winning VR creators and an Oscar-winning practical effects team, Fly enables visitors to become a time-travelling pilot, from the earliest imaginings of Leonard da Vinci and his ornithopter, to the Wright Brothers’ success on Kitty Hawk, to that first inaugural passenger flight to Paris. Users will experience Concorde, the brand new A350 and the imagined flight of future.

BA 2119: FLIGHT OF THE FUTURE

Presented by British Airways

1 – 26 August 2019

As an island nation, the Brits have long been open and curious about the world. It is that pioneering and creative spirit that led British Airways’ predecessor Air Transport and Travel (AT&T) to make the world’s first scheduled international flight from Hounslow Heath to Paris on 25 August 1919 in a single-engine De Havilland DH4A.

Since then, the airline hasn’t looked back, pioneering longer courses in bigger flying machines to bring Britain to the world and the world to Britain and moving from just one flight to France to more than 800 flights a day to 200 destinations around the globe.

All that in 100 years. So where will be 100 years from now? What will aviation look like in 20 years, 40 years, 60 years and beyond?

Through in-depth research, and in partnership with the Royal College of Art and world-leading virtual realists, British Airways presents BA 2119: Flight of the Future. An exhibition at Saatchi Gallery which seeks to push the boundaries of imagination and explore how future generations will circumnavigate the globe in a world of advanced jet propulsion, hyper personalisation, automation, AI, modular transport, sustainability, health and entertainment. We hope you enjoy it.

EXHIBITION ENTRY: FREE
FLY – VIRTUAL REALITY EXPERIENCE: £20

Book your tickets here

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

Immerse yourself in the evolution of flight through a first-of-its-kind interactive, multisensory virtual reality experience that traces humankind’s relationship with flight.

Built by multiple award-winning VR creators and an Oscar-winning practical effects team, Fly turns you into a time-travelling pilot, from the earliest imaginings of Leonard da Vinci and his ornithopter, to the Wright Brothers’ first successful attempt at Kitty Beach, to British Airways’ predecessor, Air Transport and Travel’s inaugural flight to Paris. Travel on Concorde before jumping to today’s A350 and onwards to a possible vision of the future of aviation.

8-minute experience: £20 per ticket

Tickets for Fly are subject to availability and available from www.ba.com/ba2119

The full motion Fly experience is set on a large motion platform which is unsuitable for pregnant users or users under 140cm in height. Not recommended for children under 10 years of age.

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

FLY FAQs

WHAT IS FLY?
FLY explores mankind’s relationship to flight through a multi-sensory, interactive virtual reality experience, that is experienced on top of a custom-built motion platform.

HOW LONG SHOULD I EXPECT TO BE INSIDE FLY?
The FLY experience takes 10 minutes. FLY is housed in an interactive installation and there is a broader exhibit on The Future of Flight from the Royal College of Art (the Exhibition).

CAN I PARTICIPATE IF I AM PREGNANT OR HAVE A MEDICAL CONDITION?
As this experience involves motion, participation is not recommended if you are pregnant, medically unfit or regularly suffer from motion sickness. If you do participate then you do so at your own risk.

IS THE EXPERIENCE SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?
The experience is only suitable for children or adults over 140cm or 4ft 6inches. And any person under the age of 18 must be accompanied to the gallery by an adult.

CAN I CHANGE MY BOOKING OR GET A REFUND?
Exchanges and refunds are not available.

I HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT ACCESSIBILITY?
The Venue is wheelchair accessible but we are sorry to say that the main motion platform is not accessible for wheelchair users. A headset to view the experience will be available for adults who are unable to access the motion platform. Please contact us on info@picthisproductions.com if you have any other queries about accessibility.

I HAVE A CARER, WILL THEY BE ABLE TO ACCOMPANY ME?
The exhibition space is free entry so your carer does not need to purchase ticket in order to accompany you.

I HAVE ALLERGIES, WILL I BE AFFECTED BY THE SCENTS YOU USE IN THE EXPERIENCE?
This experience includes scent, designed to enhance your experience of the installation. The fragrance is regulated to the European and global laws under IFFRA. If you are particularly concerned about the impact of the ingredients used on your allergies, please get in touch at info@picthisproductions.com for this information.

HOW MANY PEOPLE CAN PARTICIPATE AT A TIME?
FLY is a single experience so only one person can book into any given 15 minute interval on the main motion platform.

HOW EARLY SHOULD I ARRIVE FOR MY VISIT?
You should arrive ten minutes before the time on your ticket.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I ARRIVE LATE?
We cannot guarantee entry if you arrive after your scheduled time.

CAN I TAKE PHOTOS?
No photos can be taken while on the motion platform but you are more than welcome to take photographs of the installation, when not actually on the platform.

CAN I BUY TICKETS IN PERSON?
Tickets are available online in advance for all experience slots. Tickets will be available on the day subject to availability – we recommend you purchase your tickets in advance wherever possible.

I CAN’T SEE OR PRINT MY CONFIRMATION EMAIL
Please rest assured that our team will be able to look up your booking when you arrive.

IS THERE A PLACE TO STORE MY BELONGINGS?
You are encouraged not to bring bags as they will not be allowed into the experience.

I’M HARD OF HEARING OR PARTIALLY SIGHTED, SHOULD I TAKE PART?
Due to the complexity of the sound design, unfortunately no hearing loop facility is available however there are visual and other sensory components to the installation. Any instructions will be verbally given by the ushers at the start of the experience, but they will be available in large print if required. A headset to view the experience will be available for adults who are unable to access the motion platform. Please contact us at info@picthisproductions.com if you have further enquiries.

WILL IT BE SCARY?
The experience is not frightening – it is both relaxing and at times exciting. An usher will be positioned within the space and on hand if you require any assistance.

IS STROBE LIGHTING, FLASHING IMAGE, SMOKE OR HAZE USED AS PART OF THE EXPERIENCE?
None of the above will be used within the experience.

British Airways takes delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000

British Airways welcomed its first Airbus A350-1000 (G-XWBA) to its London Heathrow base on July 27 after the acceptance ceremony at Toulouse..

Taking to the skies from August 2019, we are proud to welcome the Airbus 350-1000 into our fleet. The A350 will start long haul service with Dubai and Toronto as its launch routes. Tel Aviv and Bangalore will be added to the flying programme later in 2019/2020.

Our newest aircraft will be more environmentally friendly and also be the first to premiere our new Club World cabin – Club Suite.

A greener way to fly

The Airbus A350 is one of the most fuel-efficient aircraft operating in the world today. The state-of-the-art aircraft is built from advanced materials. A combination of carbon composites, titanium and modern aluminium alloys delivers environmental benefits such as lower fuel burn and reduced CO2 emissions.

Its nitrogen oxide emissions are nearly a third below the current industry standard, with noise levels also much lower compared to previous generations. It’s a huge leap forward for greener air travel.

British Airways also made this announcement:

Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways

British Airways’ first Airbus 350, registration G-XWBA, touched down at London Heathrow this weekend, featuring the airline’s newest generation business class seat, Club Suite.

The airline will take delivery of 18 A350s, with four of the new aircraft joining the fleet before the end of the year.

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience said: “We are delighted to welcome the first of our A350s to the fleet. This aircraft marks a significant and exciting milestone in our £6.5 billion investment programme and is even more special as it comes with our new Club Suite. The A350 is a fantastic aircraft and an excellent showpiece for British engineering. Our customers are going to love the space, light and comfort on board.”

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

Watch the ‘Making Of’ here:

The newly-branded ‘Club Suite’ offers direct-aisle access, a suite door for greater privacy and luxurious flat-bed seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Boasting 40 per cent more storage, including a vanity unit and mirror, WiFi, enviable 18.5-inch inflight entertainment screens, high definition gate-to-gate programming, and PC / USB power; every aspect of British Airways’ Club Suite has been designed for today’s customer.

(Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways)

The A350 promotes a feeling of well-being, space and calm due to its reduced noise levels, high ceilings and ambient lighting which is intended to compliment the time of day and outside light. Customers will leave their flight feeling rested thanks to higher levels of humidity and refreshed air as the cabin pressure is equivalent to an altitude of just 6,000 feet. There are also environmental benefits to flying on the state-of the-art A350 as 25 per cent lower fuel burn significantly reduces CO2 emissions.

As well as a new 56-seat Club World cabin, the three-cabin A350 features the latest World Traveller Plus cabin (56 seats) with new furnishings including a plush new pillow and warm quilt, new amenity kits and an enhanced service and an improved dining experience. The World Traveller (economy) cabin offers 219 seats. Customers will also benefit from high-speed WiFi, allowing travellers to browse the internet on their personal electronic devices.

In a world first, the airline mapped out their new Club Suite and A350 in lasers within the British Airways Laserdrome, a 100 square metre structure, towering 6 and a half metres high. Watch it here:

During phase one in August, the first A350 aircraft will start some short-haul flying between London and Madrid to allow the airline’s teams to perfect their customer service delivery and familiarise cabin crew with the aircraft layout.

In phase two, which starts during September, the aircraft will begin long-haul flying to Dubai, followed by services to Toronto, Tel Aviv and Bangalore this year. During this period another three A350 aircraft will join the British Airways fleet and two Boeing 777 aircraft will also be retrofitted with the new cabin.

At the start of 2020 phase three will begin which will see British Airways rolling out its Club Suite on further long-haul aircraft across the network.

The arrival of the A350 is part of the airline’s £6.5bn current investment programme and forms part of an exciting year for the airline as it celebrates its centenary. Other activity includes the airline’s BA 2119 programme exploring the future of fuels, the customer experience of the future and the aviation careers in the next 100 years.

Top Copyright Photo: British Airways Airbus A350-1041 F-WZFH (G-XWBA) (msn 326) TLS (Eurospot). Image: 946867.

British Airways aircraft slide show (Airbus):

Video:

British Airways partners with Tom Kerridge to create on board menus

British Airways made this announcement:

As part of its centenary celebrations, British Airways has teamed up with Michelin-starred British chef, Tom Kerridge, to design gourmet menus for customers travelling with the airline throughout August – the airline’s birthday month.

The new menus, which feature great British flavours, will be available in every cabin on all of the airline’s long-haul flights, providing customers with the option to enjoy a dish designed by Tom Kerridge for each course*.

The airline’s chefs and Tom Kerridge have worked closely to ensure the dishes not only showcase culinary expertise, but also work well at altitude. The menu includes a variety of fresh seasonal ingredients, such as wild garlic and asparagus, with a focus on British provenance.

The menus include:

First

Loch Fyne smoked salmon tartare with smoked mayonnaise, seeded cracker and quail egg
Fillet of halibut with roasted cucumber, girolle mushrooms, salad cream, accompanied by a classic Caesar Salad with sourdough croutons and pickled anchovies
Milk chocolate and amaretto tart with salted caramel and white chocolate sauce

Club World

Severn and Wye smoked salmon with asparagus and gribiche dressing
Roasted breast of corn-fed chicken with braised pearl barley risotto and wild garlic
Chocolate and amaretto tart with salted caramel sauce

World Traveller Plus

Salad Dorset Blue Vinny cheese, celery, grapes and sunflower seeds
Roasted breast of corn-fed chicken with braised pearl barley risotto and wild garlic
Chocolate and amaretto tart, coffee and mascarpone cream

World Traveller

Gourmet smoked chicken stew with a variety of summer vegetables*

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said: “Throughout our centenary year we’ve been celebrating with customers and thanking them for making us what we are today. As August is our birthday month, we wanted to do something to add a special touch to our customers’ journeys, and we think our partnership with Tom Kerridge will do just that.

“The dishes, which are available on all our long-haul flights, have been carefully created by Tom and his team to showcase the very best of Britain and give customers the opportunity to enjoy gourmet dishes at 35,000ft.”

Tom Kerridge, Michelin star chef, said “I’m so proud to be asked by British Airways, one of the most renowned and iconic British companies, to curate exciting on board menus for the month of August to celebrate their centenary. The dishes reflect not only my vision and what I do at my restaurants but most importantly, they represent the best of British food to the world.”

2019 is British Airways’ centenary year and the airline celebrates its birthday on August 25. From August 1, customers in Club World will receive a limited-edition wash bag from The White Company, while those in First can collect a special centenary amenity kit from Alice Temperley.

Mini-adventures travelling through Heathrow Terminal 5 and Gatwick over selected dates in July and August can pick up a limited-edition backpack by personalised children’s gift brand My 1st Years*. In addition, all young flyers during August will be given a special branded luggage tag and a pin badge in their Skyflyers Packs.

British Airways has released a series of centenary editions in partnership with British brands during its centenary. The airline has partnered with Scottish craft brewers, BrewDog, who created a transatlantic IPA for customers and Fife-based distillers, InchDairnie have created a limited-edition whisky. British Airways has also teamed up with Marmite, who have created a centenary branded jar and launched an English Sparkling Wine from Hampshire-based vineyard, Hattingley Valley.

British Airways pilots vote to strike

BALPA, the union representing British Airways pilots, has released this statement:

BALPA’s industrial action ballot of members in British Airways has now closed, with a 93% vote in favour of industrial action on a 90% turnout.

BALPA General Secretary, Brian Strutton, said:

“This strong result demonstrates the resolve of BA pilots, and shows BA that it must table a sensible improved offer if a strike is to be averted. Sadly three days of ACAS talks have not moved the company’s position one iota. Settlement of this dispute is in BA’s hands.

“We do not wish to inconvenience our customers which is why we have tried to resolve this matter through negotiation starting last November – it is BA who has regrettably chosen to drag this out into the summer months.”

BALPA believes the cost to BA to settle dispute in full is significantly less than the cost would be of even a single day’s strike action.

BA’s attempt to injunct this industrial action in the High Court tomorrow [Tuesday 23^rd July] means that any further negotiations are on hold while we prepare to defend our right to take this action

BA is making massive profits as a result of the hard work and dedication of staff, including because of sacrifices made during hard times. Thankfully BA is no longer in a fight for survival so, like the airline’s senior managers and directors, pilots deserve a small fraction of that profit via, for instance, a profit share scheme.

We currently do not have dates for any potential strike action and will issue an update on this in due course. We remain hopeful that this dispute can be resolved before strike action, but we remain committed to action if necessary.

British Airways and the Red Arrows meet again

Spectators at the world’s largest military air show delighted at a fly-past by a specially decorated British Airways jumbo jet and The Red Arrows.

Flight BA100 lead the display at the Royal International Air Tattoo on Saturday, July 20 and was flanked by nine Hawk jets belonging to the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, who trailed British Airways’ signature red, white and blue colours.

The special Boeing 747 has been painted in the airline’s predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery to mark British Airways’ centenary this year.

Watch the fly-past here.

http://mediacentre.britishairways.com/videolibrary/details/86/873

The Royal Air Force Aerobatic team, the Red Arrows, and a British Airways Boeing 747 delighted the crowds with a flypast at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. The Boeing 747 has been painted in the airline’s predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery to mark British Airways’ centenary this year. This weekend, the Red Arrows are performing in the UK for the final time this season – before embarking on their biggest-ever tour of North America.
Imagery taken from Red 10’s aircraft piloted by Red 10, Sqn Ldr Adam Collins with Circus 10, Cpl Ashley Keates, Photographer in the rear seat.

Senior First Officer Tom Perrins was at the controls, while Captain Richard Allen-Williams was in command of the aircraft. They were joined on the flight deck by Captain Simon Scholey and Captain Jonny Lutton.

Also on board was cabin crew member, Julia Lowes, whose brother Flight Lieutenant Dan Lowes is Red 9. Julia, who was in the cabin during the fly-past, waved to her older brother who was flying behind.

Julia Lowes said: “I only joined British Airways four months ago and this is Dan’s last year flying in the Reds so the timing couldn’t be more perfect. Dan and I have both pursued our dream careers, but to fly together is something I’d never have imagined. It was fantastic watching Dan in action from the BOAC aircraft. Aviation is a very much a family affair as our Dad was a 747 Captain and our younger brother is a First Officer.”

Captain Richard Allen-Williams said: “We hope the sight of our BOAC liveried Boeing747 provided a wonderfully nostalgic moment for the Air Tattoo audience today. It was a huge honour for us to fly alongside the Red Arrows at RAF Fairford and to do so in our centenary year is even more special.”

Squadron Leader Martin Pert, Red 1 and Team Leader of the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, the Red Arrows, said: “Flying alongside this British Airways Boeing 747 is an incredibly memorable moment for our pilots and those watching on the ground. The Royal Air Force’s own centenary celebrations – marked a year ago – demonstrated the importance of using these high-profile occasions to inspire the next generation and we hope this flypast did exactly that. It was a truly best of British flypast.”

The airline has a long history of displaying in the Air Tattoo and first joined the flying programme in 1985 when Concorde and the Red Arrows flew together in a dramatic display. In the early 2000s several British Airways 747s and 777s performed a fly past, and in 2013, the airline performed with the Red Arrows once again, to the delight of the large Air Tattoo crowd.

All photos by British Airways.

British Airways and the Red Arrows to fly together at Royal International Air Tattoo

British Airways has made this announcement:

The Red Arrows will join forces with a specially decorated British Airways 747 at the Royal International Air Tattoo on Saturday, July 20.
The special Boeing 747-400 has been painted in the airline’s predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) livery to mark British Airways’ centenary this year.
Senior First Officer Tom Perrins will be at the controls, while Captain Richard Allen-Williams will be in command of the aircraft and they will be joined on the flight deck by Captain Simon Scholey and Captain Jonny Lutton.

The aircraft is set to depart Heathrow at 11.10 am, then meet the reds above RAF Norton, before they head to the air show over for the fly-past at 12.15 pm.

Photo: A BA A380 has previously flown with the Red Arrows.

The pilots have been preparing for the joint fly-past and took to the simulators to finalise their route and profile. See how the Red Arrows got on when they swapped their Hawk T1s for a 250-ton jumbo jet here:

Team Leader, Martin Pert, who is Red 1, said: “Given the weight of the aircraft it’s a completely different beast to the hawk so I think we’d need some extra training should we be joining British Airways. We didn’t make a complete mess of the landings, but I don’t think the customers would be too happy. Flying alongside British Airways at RIAT is going to be a hugely pivotal moment for the Red Arrows. It’s two best of British icons, collaborating together at the biggest air show in the UK.”

British Airways announces move to Beijing Daxing Airport

British Airways has today announced that all direct flights to and from Heathrow and Beijing will move to new state-of-the-art Daxing airport from 27 October 2019, with flights available on ba.com from today.

British Airways is the first international airline to confirm it will move all operations to Beijing Daxing, in recognition of its importance in driving travel between China and the UK and its offer of a world-class customer experience.

With a massive 52,000m2 available for retail, food and beverage and service, facilities at Beijing Daxing for British Airways’ customers will include over 300 shops and restaurants and for those eligible access to a brand-new partner lounge.

The new airport is approximately 50km from both Beijing city centre and the Xiong’an New Area and only 80km from Tianjin. Transport connections to and from Beijing Daxing include four new highways, two new subway lines and a high-speed railway, which will carry customers to Beijing West Station in under 20 minutes. A new terminal station is set to open in the Lize Business District in the next few years. Customers transferring to other flights will also benefit from its status as the only through check-in airport for foreign airlines in China.

Noella Ferns, British Airways’ Executive Vice President in Greater China and the Philippines, said: “We are very excited to be moving to Beijing Daxing. Not only will the new airport offer our customers flying to and from Beijing a world-class experience, with state-of-the-art facilities including an improved lounge for our Club World and First customers; but it will also support our ambition to increase leisure and business travel between China and the UK.”

Beijing Daxing, which is due to open in September 2019, will initially house four runways and one terminal building. In the future, it is set to include an additional three runways and a second terminal building, serving 100million customers each year. The move will also help British Airways to strengthen and develop its network through its codeshare agreement with China Southern Airlines, which will also be based at the new airport.

The London to Beijing route will continue as a daily service, operated by a Boeing 787-9 in the winter and a Boeing 777-300 in the summer, with four cabins: First, Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy). British Airways’ long-haul flights to and from Beijing include complimentary food and drink, the latest in-flight entertainment, online check-in and free seat selection 24 hours prior to departure.

British Airways unveils its new lounge in San Francisco

Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways

British Airways unveils its new lounge in San Francisco, the third US lounge to benefit from the airline’s investment plan for its customers, following the recent opening of its First and Club lounge at New York JFK’s Terminal 7.

The new contemporary lounge is spread across 665 square metres with fantastic views of the runway, thanks to floor to ceiling glass windows that run along the side of the lounge letting natural light flow in.

The airline has created a number of zones throughout the lounge to cater to its customers’ needs. For those wanting to unwind ahead of their flight, they can do so at the beautifully crafted granite feature bar, that forms the centre piece of the lounge. Customers wishing to catch up on some work ahead of their flight will be able to use a new study area with wireless printing facilities.

In the main seating area there is a deli bar where customers can help themselves to a wide range of food and drink options. For the airline’s customers traveling in First, there is a new exclusive Boutique Dining room, where customers can enjoy fine wines and menus inspired by some of world’s top chefs.

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said: “We know that lounges form an important part of the journey for some of our customers, so we’re delighted to be able to open this new space in San Francisco, the third lounge in the US to benefit from our investment program.

We think customers will love the new look and feel. We have had such positive feedback from customers who have experienced our New York lounge and they both follow the same design concept.”

The airline has created a 360 degree interactive video of the lounge, that can be viewed here – https://britishairways.theatro360.com/tour/KO-KL7U

British Airways worked alongside British designers Graven on the interior scheme in collaboration with San Francisco based William Duff Associates, who led the architectural design to carefully design a lounge that maximises space. The lounge also features a number of pieces of artwork from Bill Jacobsen, Doug Hall and Ruth Root, who are all local artists.

San Francisco is an important desitnatoon, not only is it the gateway to the technology hub of Silicon Valley, the beautiful sites and rich cultural history of the city itself are a magnet for UK business and leisure travellers alike.

This is the fifth lounge to open under the new design concept after the airlines Club and First lounges in New York’s JFK , Rome in Italy and Aberdeen in Scotland. The British Airways lounge in Johannesburg will be next, with further investment planned in Geneva, Chicago and at the airline’s hub, London Heathrow.

2019 is British Airways’ centenary year. The airline is investing £6.5 billion billion for its customers over five years, including the installation of the best quality Wi-Fi and power in every aircraft seat, fitting 128 long-haul aircraft with new interiors and taking delivery of 72 new aircraft. This year the airline is also introducing its Club Suite, a new business class seat with direct aisle access.

Photo: British Airways.

British Airways presents BA 2119: Flight of the Future

British Airways has made this announcement:

To celebrate its centenary British Airways is launching BA 2119: Flight of the Future, a first-of-its-kind exhibition looking ahead to the next 100 years of flying and imagining what that may look like.

The exhibition will be open throughout August, British Airways’ birthday month, and is based on in-depth global research commissioned by the airline to identify what aviation could look like in 20 years, 40 years, 60 years and beyond.

BA 2119: Flight of the Future, in collaboration with the Royal College of Art, seeks to push the boundaries of imagination and explore how future generations will circumvent the globe in a world of advanced jet propulsion, hyper personalisation, automation, AI, modular transport, sustainability, health and entertainment.

Set to take place at Saatchi Gallery in London, forty postgraduate students from the Royal College of Art have been working on the project to imagine the future of flight in both digital and physical form. Exploring trends and drivers from the research commissioned by British Airways through respected insights organisation, Foresight Factory, the students are looking at the future through three lenses; aircraft, experience and people. The exhibition acknowledges that the desire and ability to travel is set to grow and focuses on sustainability and technology to drive change.

Alongside the installations will be a one-of-a-kind, full motion, virtual reality experience charting the history of flying and looking forward to the future for visitors who purchase tickets in advance.

Named Fly, it is an interactive, full motion, multisensory experience that traces humankind’s relationship to flying. Built by award winning VR creators and an Oscar-winning practical effects team, Fly enables visitors to become a time-travelling pilot, from the earliest imaginings of Leonard da Vinci and his ornithopter, to the Wright Brothers’ success on Kitty Beach, to that first inaugural passenger flight to Paris. Users will experience Concorde, the brand new A350 and the imagined flight of future. The main Fly experience is set on a large motion platform.

Alex Cruz, British Airways Chairman and CEO, said: “To mark our centenary, we’ve been reflecting on our past and thanking our customers for making us the airline we are today. It’s down to our customers’ sense of adventure and desire to travel that we’ve grown from that first flight to Paris in August 1919 to the airline we are today.

“And we want to take them with us as we look forward to the next 100 years. Our BA 2119: Flight of the Future exhibition explores what the customer experience of the future will look like, pushing the boundaries of imagination and exploring how we, and future generations, will travel the globe.”

Dr. Ashley Hall, Professor of Design Innovation in the School of Design at the Royal College of Art, said: “British Airways’ BA 2119: Flight of the Future exhibition brings together some of the Royal College of Art’s brightest minds across a range of nationalities and creative disciplines, including Intelligent Mobility, Textiles and Innovation Engineering Design, with aviation experts to explore the future of flying.

“Working with British Airways, we’ve applied design research and innovation thinking to develop this inspirational exhibition. We hope to show a few surprises for what might be in store for travellers over the next 100 years to map out the future of flight.”

The installations and virtual reality experience will be on display at Saatchi Gallery from August 1 to August 26, 2019. Entry to the exhibition is free but tickets for the virtual reality experience can be purchased from www.ba.com/ba2119 .

The launch the exhibition the airline is inviting leading futurists, designers and aviation specialists to join Chairman and CEO, Alex Cruz, for a panel discussion to explore the travel experience over the next 100 years.

British Airways is also hosting a range of activities and events throughout the year to mark its 100th birthday. As well as the exhibition, the airline is exploring the future of sustainable aviation fuels and the aviation careers of the future.

Photo: British Airways. Royal College of Art Flight of the Future design.