Tag Archives: British Airways

British Airways decides to paint G-BNLY in the Landor design

British Airways has decided to paint Boeing 747-436 G-BNLY in the 1984 Landor design rather than the 1973 Negus design as previously reported. G-BNLY will become the third design in the series as part of BA’s centenary celebrations. G-BNLY is currently being painted at Dublin.

The 747-400 type has flown in the Landor livery in the past such as G-CIVK (above).

Top Copyright Photo: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-CIVK (msn 25818) LHR (SPA). Image: 940522.

British Airways aircraft slide show (Historic Liveries):

The airline issued this statement:

The iconic Landor design will be the next heritage livery to take to the skies on a Boeing 747
Aircraft landed in Dublin earlier this week to be painted and will return to Heathrow later in the month
Aircraft is the third in a series of heritage liveries flying as part of British Airways’ centenary celebrations – a British Overseas Airways Corporate (BOAC) liveried Boeing 747 is already operating around the airline’s long-haul network, and an Airbus 319 is currently being painted with the British European Airways (BEA) livery

British Airways has today revealed the third design in its series of heritage liveries to mark the airline’s centenary – a Boeing 747-400 painted in the iconic Landor design.

The announcement comes after huge crowds turned out to see the first heritage livery – a 747 in British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) colors, which touched down at Heathrow last week and follows the news that an Airbus 319 is currently being re-painted in the British European Airways (BEA) livery.

The Boeing 747-400, registration G-BNLY, entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport earlier this week where it will be repainted with the Landor livery, which adorned the British Airways fleet from 1984-1997. Design features include the British Airways coat of arms with the motto To Fly. To Serve. on the tail fin, with a stylised section of the Union Flag. It will also be re-named ‘City of Swansea’, the name the aircraft had when it originally sported the Landor livery. The livery also features the airlines’ centenary logo, which is proudly displayed on all the centenary heritage liveried aircraft.

It will return to Heathrow and enter service later in the month flying to long-haul destinations served by the Boeing 747, with the design remaining on the aircraft until it retires in 2023.

The Landor, BEA and BOAC heritage liveries are part of a special series to mark British Airways’ centenary, as the airline celebrates its past while looking to the future. One final replica design will be revealed in due course, while all new aircraft entering the fleet, including the A350, will continue to receive today’s Chatham Dockyard design.

In its centenary year British Airways is hosting a range of activities and events. As well as looking back, the airline is also hosting BA 2119 – a program, which will lead the debate on the future of flying and explore the future of sustainable aviation fuels, the aviation careers of the future and the customer experience of the future.

The airline will be working with expert partners to identify BA’s 100 Great Britons; the people up and down the country who are currently shaping modern Britain, and of course, the year would not be complete without some special flying and moments for customers.

The centenary activity is taking place alongside the airline’s current five-year £6.5bn investment for customers. This includes the installation of the best quality WiFi and power in every seat, fitting 128 long-haul aircraft with new interiors and taking delivery of 72 new aircraft. The airline will also be introducing a new Club World seat with direct aisle access later this year.

A potted history of BA:

On August 25, 1919, British Airways’ forerunner company, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), launched the world’s first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris.
In 1924, Britain’s four main fledgling airlines, which had by then evolved into Instone, Handley Page, Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T), and British Air Marine Navigation Company Limited, merged to form Imperial Airways Limited.
By 1925, Imperial Airways was providing services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich. Meanwhile, a number of smaller UK air transport companies had started flights and in 1935, they merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways’ principal UK competitor on European routes.
Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Continental European and domestic flights were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA) from 1946. BOAC introduced services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services – and they preserved Britain’s pioneering role in the industry. The 1950s saw the world enter the passenger jet era – led by BOAC, with the Comet flying to Johannesburg in 1952, halving the previous flight time.
Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967, the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in British Caledonian being born in 1970.
Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974.
In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised.
In January 2011 the International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG) was formed when British Airways and Iberia merged. IAG has since also become the parent company of Aer Lingus, and Vueling and in 2017, IAG launched LEVEL a new low-cost airline brand that operates from Barcelona, Paris and Vienna.

IAG orders 18 Boeing 777-9 airplanes + 24 options for British Airways

Boeing and International Airlines Group (IAG), the parent company of British Airways, announced the airline has committed to purchasing up to 42 777X airplanes, including 18 orders and 24 options. The airline joins a group of leading carriers that have selected the new 777-9, which will debut next month as the largest and most efficient twin-engine passenger jet in the world.

The commitment, valued at up to $18.6 billion at list prices, will be reflected on Boeing’s Orders and Deliveries website once it is finalized.

British Airways has been modernizing its fleet – one of the largest in the airline industry – to more efficiently serve its extensive global route network. In recent years, the airline has introduced the super-efficient 787 Dreamliner family to replace its medium-sized widebody jets. The new 777-9 will replace British Airways’ larger widebody airplanes, mainly the four-engine 747 jumbo jet.

In ordering the 777-9, British Airways extends a long-running relationship with the popular 777 family. The airline is one of the largest 777 operators with a fleet of nearly 60 of the long-range jet. The airline last year committed to four more 777-300ER (Extended Range) jets via operating lease.

The 777-9 is larger and has a slightly wider cabin than current 777s, which provides the ability to comfortably sit 400-425 passengers in a standard two-class cabin. Powered by 787 Dreamliner technologies, an all-new composite wing, and other enhancements, the 777-9 offers airlines 12 percent lower fuel consumption than competing airplanes. The 777-9 can also fly farther than its predecessors with a standard range of 7,600 nautical miles (14,075 kilometers).

The 777X will also debut a redesigned cabin that incorporates popular 787 features and new technologies. Recently unveiled online, the 777X interior offers larger windows, a wider cabin, new lighting, while providing passengers with a smoother ride, better cabin altitude, humidity, and sound quality.

The selection by IAG and British Airways puts the 777X at 358 orders and commitments from eight customers. Production of the 777X began in 2017, with first flight planned for this year and first delivery expected in 2020.

Image: British Airways.

British Airways announces its second special livery: BEA on an A319

British Airways announced on social media:

Ready for another blast from the past? Our Airbus A319 G-EUPJ will soon be taking to the skies in the livery of our short-haul predecessor, British European Airways (BEA)!

British Airways’ BOAC-painted Boeing 747-400 lands at London Heathrow, heads to New York JFK

British Airways made this announcement:

The BOAC-liveried Boeing 747, reg: G-BYGC, arrived back at Heathrow from the paint factory on the morning of February 18 in the rain (above) and entered the airline’s flying schedule, heading first to New York (JFK)
Arrival coincides with the Boeing 747 first flight anniversary just days earlier

Monday, February 18, 2019 – Large crowds gathered at Heathrow in the rain to watch the much-anticipated arrival of a British Airways Boeing 747-400 painted in the iconic design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) (top).

The aircraft entered the IAC paint bay at Dublin Airport on February 5 where it was stripped of its current British Airways Chatham Dockyard design before being repainted with the BOAC livery which adorned the BOAC fleet between 1964 and 1974 (below).

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “The enormous interest we’ve had in this project demonstrates the attachment many people have to British Airways’ history. It’s something we are incredibly proud of, so in our centenary year it’s a pleasure to be celebrating our past while also looking to the future. We look forward to many more exciting moments like this as our other aircraft with heritage designs enter service.”

Picture by: Stuart Bailey

From the paint bay at Dublin Airport, the BOAC Boeing 747-400 flew directly to Heathrow on the aptly named BA100 touching down in the morning (top). Its next flight is today, Tuesday February 19, when it departed for New York JFK operating as flight BA117. This flight is particularly significant as it was the first route the Boeing 747-100 flew in BOAC colors.

Picture by: Stuart Bailey

After this, the aircraft will continue to fly British Airways’ 747-operated routes proudly showcasing the design as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations. The aircraft can be tracked using Flight Radar, which will feature a special image of the livery.

The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747-400 until it retires in 2023, to allow as many customers as possible to have the chance to see it. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.

Top Copyright Photo: Antony J. Best.

British Airways to move to Terminal 8 at New York JFK

British Airways has today announced it is moving to a new location in Terminal 8 at John F. Kennedy International Airport. The airline is investing in a new, improved terminal alongside American Airlines as part of a significant reinvestment by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Over the next four years, more than £250 million ($344m) will be invested to recreate and customise the terminal, making it ready to offer British Airways’ customers an exciting, world-class experience every time they fly to New York. Changes to the terminal will include additional stands, enhanced state-of the-art baggage systems, new lounges, premium check-in areas and upgraded concessions.

British Airways, which celebrates its centenary this year, will remain in Terminal 7 until 2022. With thousands of customers flying between London and New York every week, the airline remains committed to improving its customer experience at JFK with an investment of £52 million ($65m) which includes brand new lounges for First and Club World customers and an upgraded customer experience for all customers in the main areas of the building.

This investment forms part of New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s announcement in October 2018 to reinvest in JFK terminals, among other city improvements.

British Airways and American Airlines have a joint business partnership across the Atlantic, providing up to 70 flights a day from London to the USA. By bringing their network of flights together they give customers convenient flight schedules at competitive fares from eight hubs throughout North America and three hubs in Europe.

American Airlines made this announcement:

Today, American Airlines, British Airways, New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) announced future plans to co-locate their operations in New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) Terminal 8. Moving under the same roof will allow American and British Airways to offer enhanced service between New York and London, further strengthening the airlines’ Atlantic Joint Business partnership. American and British Airways will invest $344 million in Terminal 8 over the next three years to prepare for the co-location in 2022.

British Airways moving from its current operation in Terminal 7 will allow the two airlines to offer even better service between New York and London — and beyond.

This $344 million investment in Terminal 8 will include improvements in the overall customer experience, including the addition of five widebody gates and four adjacent widebody hard stands, enhanced baggage systems, new lounges, premium check-in space and upgraded concessions and retail options. Additionally, customers arriving in New York will enjoy the ability to more conveniently connect onto other American Airlines flights and customers departing New York will gain the flexibility of 14 daily flights to London all departing from the same terminal.

“Only four months ago, we announced plans to transform JFK Airport into a state-of-the-art global hub, with new and unified terminals adding 4 million square feet and increasing the airport’s capacity by at least 15 million passengers annually,” Governor Cuomo said. “Today that transformation is well underway, with an extraordinary private investment that will turn JFK into a truly modern airport. This new investment is part and parcel with the State’s broader efforts to modernize airports all across New York. From JFK and LaGuardia to Ithaca and Rochester, we are making historic progress rebuilding our airport infrastructure for the future and ensuring New York State remains the nation’s front door.”

American Airlines and British Airways have a joint business partnership across the Atlantic, providing up to 70 flights a day between London and the United States. By bringing their network of flights together, they give customers convenient flight schedules at competitive fares from eight hubs throughout North America and three hubs in Europe.

British Airways will remain in Terminal 7 until 2022. With thousands of customers flying between New York and London every week, the airline remains committed to improving its customer experience at JFK Terminal 7. British Airways is investing $65 million, including a brand new First lounge which opened last year and further improvements planned in 2019.

JFK is not alone among American’s hubs in getting an upgrade. With its airport partners, American has spent and committed billions of dollars for projects at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), Miami International Airport (MIA), Reagan National Airport (DCA) in Washington, D.C., O’Hare International Airport (ORD) in Chicago and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).

American connects New York to the world through its operations at JFK and LGA. At JFK, American operates about 100 flights to more than 40 destinations in more than 15 countries. At LGA, American offers more than 170 daily flights to more than 40 destinations in the United States and Canada.

More than 8,000 American team members call New York home at JFK and LGA and help American support a variety of community and civic programs important to the city through Do Crew, the airline’s team member volunteer program. They include City Year New York, PENCIL and the Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation. American has increased its corporate giving to charitable organizations across the city by nearly 30 percent since 2016.

All photos by the airlines.

British Airways launches a Valentine’s Day entertainment channel

Picture by Nick Morrish/British Airways

British Airways is celebrating Valentine’s Day by adding a romantic touch to the in-flight entertainment with a new category, Love is in the Air.

The channel, which will run until the end of February, hosts a collection of romantic films, TV shows, audio books and music.

From classics like Gone with the Wind to the newly released rom-com Crazy Rich Asians and the award winning The Shape of Water, the channel will keep customers entertained even on the longest of long-haul flights.

As part of its TV show offering, First Dates: Valentine’s Special is available for viewing as well as cult classic Sex and the City and some love themed episodes of Friends.

For audio book fans, author and biographer Sue Roe reads In Montparnasse while music lovers can enjoy Elgar and Finzi’s Violin Concertos and Lisa Stansfield’s album, Deeper.

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said: “For many of our customers, being able to settle in to watch some latest film releases as well as much-loved classics is a real treat that they look forward to. Whether our customers are travelling with someone special or wanting to enjoy a good film, we look forward to welcoming them on board with our Love is in the Air channel.”

Customers who fly with British Airways on long-haul flights have free access to over 1,000 hours of films, top TV shows and audio programmes via their personal seatback screen. The content is updated regularly, with categories often added for major holidays or key calendar events.

The airline is also currently investing £6.5 billion for customers over five years, including new aircraft, new cabins, new catering, new lounges, WiFi, and new routes.

British Airways to paint a Boeing 747-400 in the BOAC livery, the first of legacy liveries

British Airways has made this announcement:

As part of its 100-year birthday, British Airways has announced it will be painting a Boeing 747-400 in the much-admired design of its predecessor British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

The livery from the 1964 – 1974 BOAC era will adorn a Boeing 747-400, registration G-BYGC (below).

Above Copyright Photo: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-BYGC (msn 25823) LHR (SPA). Image: 945336.

The aircraft will leave the paint shop in Dublin and arrive in to Heathrow on February 18, before entering service the following day. This coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first Boeing 747 flight only a few days earlier.

A Boeing 747 long-range wide-body four engined commercial jet airliner for the BOAC – British Overseas Airways Corporation flying above the United Kingdom on 7 April 1971. (Photo by Fox Photos/Hulton Archive/Getty Images).

The BOAC 747 will be the first aircraft to receive a popular design from British Airways’ past with more details of further designs to be revealed in due course. Aircraft which receive the retro liveries will fly British Airways’ routes, proudly showcasing some of the popular designs as part of the airline’s centenary celebrations.

All new aircraft entering the fleet, including the Airbus A350, will continue to receive today’s popular Chatham Dockyard design.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ Chairman and CEO, said: “So many British Airways customers and colleagues have fond memories of our previous liveries, regularly sharing their photos from across the globe, so it’s incredibly exciting to be re-introducing this classic BOAC design.

“Our history has shaped who we are today, so our centenary is the perfect moment to revisit our heritage and the UK’s aviation landscape through this iconic livery.”

The 747 has been deliberately chosen for the BOAC livery as it is a later variant of the same aircraft type that adorned the design when it was initially in operation.

The BOAC livery will remain on the Boeing 747-400 until it retires in 2023. By this time, British Airways will have retired the majority of its 747 fleet, replacing them with new state-of-the-art long-haul aircraft. This includes taking delivery of 18 A350s and 12 Boeing 787 Dreamliners in the next four years – which feature new cabins and are more environmentally efficient – as well as another 26 short-haul aircraft, all part of the airline’s £6.5bn investment for customers.

A potted history of BA:

On August 25, 1919, British Airways’ forerunner company, Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited (AT&T), launched the world’s first daily international scheduled air service between London and Paris.
In 1924, Britain’s four main fledgling airlines, which had by then evolved into Instone, Handley Page, Daimler Airways (a successor to AT&T), and British Air Marine Navigation Company Limited, merged to form Imperial Airways Limited.
By 1925, Imperial Airways was providing services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich. Meanwhile, a number of smaller UK air transport companies had started flights and in 1935, they merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Limited, which became Imperial Airways’ principal UK competitor on European routes.
Following a Government review, Imperial Airways and British Airways were nationalised in 1939 to form British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). Continental European and domestic flights were flown by a new airline, British European Airways (BEA) from 1946. BOAC introduced services to New York in 1946, Japan in 1948, Chicago in 1954 and the west coast of the United States in 1957. BEA developed a domestic network to various points in the United Kingdom, including Belfast, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Manchester.
From 1946 until 1960, BOAC and BEA were the principal British operators of scheduled international passenger and cargo services – and they preserved Britain’s pioneering role in the industry. The 1950s saw the world enter the passenger jet era – led by BOAC, with the Comet flying to Johannesburg in 1952, halving the previous flight time.
Additional airlines began to pass into BEA’s ownership and in 1967, the Government recommended a holding board be responsible for BOAC and BEA, with the establishment of a second force airline, resulting in British Caledonian being born in 1970.
Two years later, the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board, with the separate airlines coming together as British Airways in 1974.
In July 1979, the Government announced its intention to sell shares in British Airways and in February 1987 British Airways was privatised.

Top Copyright Photo: BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) Boeing 747-136 G-AWNC (msn 19763) JFK (Bruce Drum). Image: 102915.

BOAC aircraft slide show:

British Airways retires Boeing 747-400 G-BNLK

British Airways has retired the second Boeing 747-400 from the “Final 36”. The pictured G-BNLK is was ferried to St. Athan after 28 years of faithful service.

G-BNLK was delivered to BA on May 25, 1990.

BA is expected to retire the last Boeing 747 in February 2024. 18 are being replaced with new Airbus A350-1000s. Half of the remaining 747 fleet is expected to be retired by 2021.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by BA): British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-BNLK (msn 24053) LHR (SPA). Image: 945271.

British Airways aircraft slide show (current):

British Airways aircraft slide show (historic):

Below Copyright Photo: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-BNLK (msn 24053) (interim livery) (Bruce Drum Collection). Image: 944843.

Bottom Copyright Photo: British Airways Boeing 747-436 G-BNLK (msn 24053) (Water Dreaming) LHR (SPA). Image: 945270.

Video:

British Airways identifies its fastest growing travel routes for small-medium businesses (SME)

Picture by: Stuart Bailey

British Airways has revealed some of its fastest growing travel routes for small-medium businesses (SME) over the last year. The 2018 data suggests that British SMEs looked beyond traditional markets to do business with routes across South America, Africa and Europe all featuring.

The airline’s top 25 fastest growing routes include Santiago with 18% more bookings than 2017 – based on bookings through its SME loyalty programme On Business – suggesting SMEs are looking beyond traditional markets to do business. Equally surprising was On Business bookings between Gatwick and JFK in New York rising 10% on what is traditionally a leisure route.

This trend was mirrored in Europe, with On Business bookings to Keflavik, Iceland up 39% and Krakow, Poland up 12% indicating that SMEs are looking to even more locations to travel for work. Meanwhile, strong business links between the UK and Abuja and Lagos – both in Nigeria – saw SME travel on these routes rise 10%.

Carolina Martinoli, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said: “We fly to over 200 destinations around the world. While booking to our traditional business routes remain strong, it’s interesting to see that SMEs, through our On Business programme, are looking to different global destinations to travel to for work.”

James Ashton-Bell, CBI Head of International Trade, said: “2018 was a great year for UK exports, with new records set for innovative British goods and services reaching overseas destinations. Small and scale-up firms are powering this drive, breaking into new markets and discovering that demand for British expertise is ever-growing.”

British Airways is dedicated to helping promote business growth through its On Business loyalty programme. This enables companies to collect On Business points each time a Member of their company travels. Points can be spent on Reward Flights or on a cabin upgrade. On Business travellers still collect Avios, if they are a Member of the British Airways Executive Club alongside the company collecting On Business Points.

Data taken from On Business bookings, comparing bookings travelled in 2018 vs 2017. It excludes routes with low numbers of journeys due to the skew this causes on growth percentages.
British Airways is investing £6.5 billion pounds for its customers over the next five years. This includes the installation of the best quality WiFi and power in every seat, fitting 128 long-haul aircraft with new interiors and taking delivery of 72 new aircraft. The airline will also be introducing new Club World seat with direct aisle access later this year.

British Airways experiments with virtual reality technology at check-in desks

VR Headsets at T5 – Showing Club World Cabin for an attempt to get customers to upgrade.
Taken: 18th December 2018
Picture by: Stuart Bailey

British Airways’ customers are getting a taste of what it’s like to fly at the front of the aircraft as the airline trials cutting edge virtual reality technology at check-in desks at its home at Heathrow Terminal 5.

After taking the 360° tour of the Club World cabin, customers who like the look of the additional space, the lie-flat seat, The White Company bedding and restaurant-style dining can choose to upgrade their seat to enjoy the experience for real.

Tom Stevens, British Airways Head of Customer at Heathrow, said: “We are always looking at new and innovative ways to engage with our customers and virtual reality is the latest way we are using a rapidly evolving area of technology to further improve the airport experience.

“I’m thrilled British Airways is the first UK airline to be using the technology. The feedback from customers who have tried out the virtual reality headset has been incredibly positive; they love having a sneak peek at our swish Club World cabin, with many justifying an upgrade as an early Christmas present.

“We’re really excited about the many opportunities virtual technology offers for our customers on the ground, and in the air.”

The virtual reality headsets are from tech start-up Skylights, which is part of British Airways’ parent company IAG’s Hangar 51 start-up accelerator programme.