History
The ancestors to British Airways are many, but the name came as a result of the merger between BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation) and BEA (British European Airways) in 1974. It wasn't first time the name British Airways had been used in the aviation history, but more about that later.

The origin of BA can be traced back to the birth of civil aviation one year after the World War I. In August of 1919 Aircraft Transport and Travel Ltd (AT&T) launched a scheduled service between London and Paris with a deHavilland DH4A. At that time it took two and half hours reach Paris (Le Bourget) with one passenger from Hounslow Heath.

In 1924 Daimler Airways (the successor to AT&T) merged with Instone, Handley Page and British Air Marine Navigation Company to form Imperial Airways Ltd, and in 1925 it provided services to Paris, Brussels, Basle, Cologne and Zurich. At the same time the services was moved from Hounslow to the new airport at Croydon. During the late 1920s and early 1930s were destinations in the Middle East, India, Africa, and Far East introduced.

  Key Figures 2007
Number of passengers, scheduled 33.4 millions
Revenue passenger kilometres 113.0 millions
Available seat kilometres 149.4 millions
Passenger load factor 75.6 %
Punctuality (within 15 minutes) 67 % *
Number of employees (MPE) 43,501 *
Operating revenue 8,492 million GBP *
    * From Annual Report 2006/2007

Radio call sign Speedbird
IATA code BA
ICAO code BAW
Official Website www.britishairways.com


Today expressions code sharing and alliances are in common use in the aviation industry. Imperial Airways was one of the founders of these expressions and as early as 1935 it started in co-operation with Qantas Imperial Airways a service between London and Australia with Qantas flying the last part from Singapore to Australia. The same year (1935) a number of smaller competing air transport companies in UK merged to form the original privately-owned British Airways Ltd. This new company operating out of the new airport at Gatwick became a strong competitor to Imperial Airways on the European routes. In 1939 the Government decided to nationalise both Imperial Airways and British Airways and formed British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC).

After World War II BOAC continued to operate the longhaul routes except the routes to South America which were flown by British South American Airways (BSSA). This didn't last long as BSSA were merged in to BOAC in 1949. After the war a new airline was flying to the domestic and European destionations - British European Airways (BEA).

In 1952 BOAC started the jet age with the Comet service to Johannesburg. Despite the early problems with Comet (aircraft falling apart to metal fetigh cracks aound the squared windows), BOAC still was able to claim the destinction of operating the first transatlantic jet service in October 1958 with Comet 4s. A decade later the BAE's Trident made the first autolanding on a scheduled service and the all-weather operation was born.


Dark clouds over the Vickers VC-10 G-ARVM at Cosford in early August 2006 - only the cockpit section and some other vital parts will live on at Brooklands.

In 1967 the Government set up a study of the aviation industry. A first recommendation from this study was to establish a holding board to be responsible for the two main airlines, BOAC and BEA. A second recommendation was to establish a second force airline which could unify various independents. The result was the formation of British Caledonian in 1970 as Caledonian Airways took over British United Airways. The same year BEA Airtours took off for the first time to serve the mass package holiday business. Two years later (1972), the businesses of BOAC and BEA were combined under the newly formes British Airways Board - de facto the start of BA. The formal merger came in 1974 for British Airways.


Hawker Siddeley Trident 1c G-ARPH at Cosford in a complete state. Today only the cockpit section will live on at East Fortune

The first first for British Airways was the launch of the world's first supersonic passengere service, simultaneously with Air France, with the Concorde in January 1976. Nine years later, in February 1987, was British Airways privatised, and a little over one year later British Caledonian was merged in to BA (April 1988). At the same time the charter arm of BA - British Airtours - changed name to Caledonian Airways.

Highlights from 1990 and to current date are:

  • November 1992 - The assets from Dan-Air London holding company was aquired for £1 in November 1992.
  • March 1993 - BA purchases a 25 % stake in Qantas.
  • May 1993 - Brymon Aviation and Maersk Air Ltd. starts to fly in BA colours.
  • July 1993 - Marketing agreement with CityFlyer Express and starts to fly in BA colours.
  • April 1994 - Loganair enters into a franchise arrangement with BA and will fly several Scottish routes in British Airways Express colours.
  • January 1995 - Manx Airlines becomes a franchise operator.
  • February 1995 - GB Airways operate scheduled services as a franchisee in BA colours
  • March 1995 - Caledonian Airways is sold out to Inspirations PLC.
  • August 1996 - Sun-Air of Scandinavia (Denmark) is the first franchise airline outside UK in British Airways Express colours.
  • October 1996 - South Afican regional airline Comair is the second franchise airline outside UK.
  • January 1997 - BA and American Airlines submit a joint application to the US DoT, requesting formal approvalof their alliance.
  • February 1997 - BA and British Mediterranean Airways announces a new franchise partnership.
  • May 1998 - Go, the new BA low-cost airline, operates its first flight from Stansted to Rome.
  • August 1998 - BA orders their first ever Airbus' - 59 aircraft in the A320 family with options on further 129.
  • September 1998 - American Airlines, British Airways, Canadian Airlines, Cathay Pacific Airways and Qantas Airways announces the oneworld alliance.
  • November 1998 - the first 747 to join a British airline retires from BA service as part of the sale of the 15 strong 747-136 fleet.
  • November 1998 - BA stops the transatlantic service from Birmingham and Glasgow - only Manchester left outside London.
  • March 1999 - Base Airlines of Holland becomes BA's 10th franchise partner.
  • April 1999 - The last DC-10 out of the fleet (the DC-10s came with the merger with British Caledonian).
  • November 1999 - CityFlyer Express is purchased.
  • June 2000 - BA renews its franchise agreement with GB Airways for a further eight years.
  • July 2000 - National Jet Italia becomes the 11th franchise partner.
  • August 2000 - BA suspend all Concorde operation after the Air France Concorde accident.
  • June 2001 - BA sells its low-cost subsidiary Go to EasyJet (3i)
  • July 2001 - BA Concorde flies for the first time since modifications were made to the inside of the wing (Kevlar strengthening of the soft underside of the fuel cells in the wing).
  • September 2001 - The Concordes get the CoA back - the other big event this month we'll pass in silence.
  • November 2001 - The Concorde returns to commercial service.
  • March 2002 - British Airways CitiExpress launched after a merger of British Regional Airlines, Brymon Airways and CityFlyer Express.
  • December 2002 - BA CitiExpress transferes 12 Jetstream 41 to Eastern Airways and withdraw from 21 regional routes and will no longer fly to Cardiff and Leed-Bradford.
  • February 2003 - Internet trial begins on one 747-436 flying between London and New York using Connexion by Boeing.
  • April 2003 - BA announces to retire the Concorde fleet in October 2003.
  • May 2003 - BA sells Deutsche BA (dba) to Intro Verwaltungsgesellschaft mbH.
  • October 2003 - BA announces the seven lucky winners that will receive the Concordes.
  • September 2004 - BA celebrates 65 years of operation to Birmingham, 45 years to Moscow and 20 years to Cape Town.
  • September 2005 - The editor of PLANE-SPOTTER.com flies with BA for the first time - on an Airbus A321 between Oslo and London. This flight was during the Gate Gourmet industrial action, and therefore we were supplied with a paper bag with food, soft drink and fruit at the gate before boarding. After this the editor has flown three more times with BA.
  • February 2006 - BA CitiExpress is renamed to BA Connect. Compared to BACE the new BACon will not be as porky as the name could sugggest since it will be a slimmed down no-frills company. Many of the AVROs will be sold out (to Swiss European), and the Dash-8s and ERJs will be their main aircraft.
  • November 2006 - BA Connect sold to Flybe and will take effect from the summer season 2007 startup. The only exception from this sales is the AVRO RJ100 fleet flying out of London City Airport, which will be transferred into the BA main fleet.
  • October 2007 - Airbus A380s and Boeing 787 Dreamliners are ordered
  • January 2008 - British Airways is planning to launch its new US-EU subsidiary airline "OpenSkies" with daily flights from New York to Brussels and Paris. The airline will launch in June 2008 with one Boeing 757 aircraft.
  What will happen to the BA network after the sale of
BA Connect (after March 2007)?
Please move you cursor over the maps and you will see

BA with and without BA Connect

BA with and without BA Connect



A smoking G-VIIN touching down on RWY 27R at Heathrow - one of the 777-236ERs with GE90 engines
Mainline British Airways Fleet
2x IAE V2522-A5, 64.0 tonnes MTOW and 1,859 km range
Up to 126 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights
MSN
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
1082
10 Sep 1999
G-EUPA
6 Oct 1999

G-EUPF on short final to RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-EUPJ just after touch down on RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-EUPS over Hatton Cross
1115
27 Oct 1999
G-EUPB
9 Nov 1999
1118
2 Nov 1999
G-EUPC
12 Nov 1999
1142
19 Nov 1999
G-EUPD
10 Dec 1999
1193
29 Feb 2000
G-EUPE
27 Mar 2000
1197
20 Mar 2000
30 Mar 2000
1222
13 Apr 2000
G-EUPG
25 May 2000
1225
14 Apr 2000
G-EUPH
23 May 2000
1232
28 Apr 2000
G-EUPJ
30 May 2000
1236
17 May 2000
G-EUPK
30 May 2000
1239
24 May 2000
8 Jun 2000
1258
17 Jun 2000
G-EUPM
30 Jun 2000
1261
22 Jun 2000
G-EUPN
10 Jul 2000
1279
3 Jul 2000
G-EUPO
1 Aug 2000
1295
21 Jul 2000
G-EUPP
14 Aug 2000
1329
13 Sep 2000
G-EUPR
9 Oct 2000
1338
6 Oct 2000
G-EUPS
23 Oct 2000
1380
14 Nov 2000
G-EUPT
5 Dec 2000
1384
21 Nov 2000
G-EUPU
14 Dec 2000
1423
26 Jan 2001
G-EUPV
13 Feb 2001
1440
08 Feb 2001
G-EUPW
6 Mar 2001
1445
15 Mar 2001
G-EUPX
14 Dec 2001
1466
13 Mar 2001
G-EUPY
12 Apr 2001
1510
18 May 2001
G-EUPZ
7 Jun 2001
1513
14 May 2001
G-EUOA
15 Jun 2001
1529
21 Jun 2001
G-EUOB
4 Jul 2001
1537
20 Jun 2001
G-EUOC
16 Jul 2001
1558
13 Jul 2001
G-EUOD
16 Aug 2001
1574
10 Aug 2001
G-EUOE
5 Sep 2001
1590
10 Sep 2001
G-EUOF
23 Oct 2001
1594
25 Sep 2001
G-EUOG
23 Oct 2001
1604
8 Oct 2001
G-EUOH
14 Dec 2001
1606
12 Oct 2001
G-EUOI
13 Nov 2001
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 7.5 years

Utilisation 2007 (according to UK CAA):
49.0 million passenger km
56,492 stage flights
104,232 flight hours
5.0 million passengers uplifted
4,380 million seat km used
6,166 million seat km available
71.0% cabin factor
8.7 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft



2x CFM56-5A1, 73.5 tonnes MTOW and 3,285 km range
Up to 149 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights
MSN
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
039
14 Mar 1989
G-BUSG
30 May 1989

G-BUSI on short final to RWY 27R at Heathrow
042
3 Apr 1989
G-BUSH
19 Jun 1989
103
6 Feb 1990
G-BUSI
24 Mar 1990
109
13 Jun 1990
G-BUSJ
6 Aug 1990
120
22 Aug 1990
G-BUSK
19 Oct 1990
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 18.4 years

Will be retired in 2010-2011


2x IAE V2527-A5, 73.5 tonnes MTOW and 3,285 km range
Up to 150 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights
MSN
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
1661
19 Nov 2001
31 Jan 2002

G-EUUA on short final to RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-EUUR on short final to RWY 27R at Heathrow
1665
5 Sep 2002
G-EUUH
25 Oct 2002
1689
14 Dec 2001
G-EUUB
14 Feb 2002
1696
19 Dec 2001
G-EUUC
28 Feb 2002
1708
29 Oct 2002
G-EUUL
20 Dec 2002
1760
13 Mar 2002
29 Apr 2002
1782
8 Apr 2002
G-EUUE
30 May 2002
1814
13 Jun 2002
G-EUUF
29 Jul 2002
1829
20 Jun 2002
G-EUUG
30 Aug 2002
1871
17 Sep 2002
G-EUUI
22 Nov 2002
1883
2 Oct 2002
G-EUUJ
25 Nov 2002
1899
31 Oct 2002
G-EUUK
20 Dec 2002
1907
20 Nov 2002
23 Dec 2002
1910
25 Nov 2002
G-EUUN
31 Jan 2003
1958
13 Feb 2003
G-EUUO
11 Apr 2003
2038
19 May 2003
G-EUUP
27 Jun 2003
2040
21 May 2003
29 Jul 2003
3301
11 Oct 2007
G-EUUS
4 Dec 2007
3314
30 Oct 2007
G-EUUT
12 Dec 2007
3351
16 Jan 2008
G-EUUU
7 Mar 2008
3468
27 Mar 2008
G-EUUV
18 Apr 2008
3499
 
G-EUUW
Due Jun 2008
3550
 
G-EUUX
Due Jul 2008
3697
 
G-EUUY
Due Sep 2008
3858
 
G-EUUZ
 
 
 
G-EUKA
 
 
 
G-EUKB
 
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 4.7 years

Utilisation 2007 of all A320-100/200 (according to UK CAA):
39.8 million passenger km
40,411 stage flights
80,089 flight hours
4.1 million passengers uplifted
4,025 million seat km used
5,842 million seat km available
68.9% cabin factor
8.6 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft



2x IAE V2533-A5, 89.0 tonnes MTOW and 3,692 km range
Up to 194 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights
MSN
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
2305
24 Sep 2004
G-EUXC
15 Oct 2004

G-EUXH on short final to RWY 27R at Heathrow
2320
6 Oct 2004
G-EUXD
28 Oct 2004
2323
11 Oct 2004
G-EUXE
29 Oct 2004
2324
12 Oct 2004
G-EUXF
4 Nov 2004
2351
11 Nov 2004
G-EUXG
2 Dec 2004
2363
30 Nov 2004
G-EUXH
17 Dec 2004
2536
26 Jul 2005
G-EUXI
5 Aug 2005
3081
30 Mar 2007
G-EUXJ
17 Apr 2007
3235
15 Aug 2007
G-EUXK
30 Aug 2007
3254
13 Sep 2007
G-EUXL
21 Sep 2007
3290
22 Oct 2007
G-EUXM
22 Nov 2007
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 2.5 years

Utilisation 2007 (according to UK CAA):
10.0 million passenger km
15,708 stage flights
25,504 flight hours
1.6 million passengers uplifted
1,083 million seat km used
1,777 million seat km available
60.9% cabin factor
8.3 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft


G-EUXG on final to RWY 2001R at Oslo Airport, Norway. Photo taken shortly before sunset an autumn evening.


2x CFM56-3C1, 59.0 tonnes MTOW and 1,865 km range
Up to 126 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights with base Gatwick
MSN
L/N
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Boeing code
24908
2015
6 Mar 1991
G-LGTE
17 Dec 2000
737-3Y0
24450
1873
30 May 1990
G-LGTF
6 Mar 2001
737-382
24470
1765
11 Aug 1989
G-LGTG
3 Apr 2001
737-3Q8
23924
1542
13 Apr 1988
G-LGTH
4 Apr 2001
737-3Y0
23925
1544
18 Apr 1988
G-LGTI
2 Apr 2001
737-3Y0
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 18.8 years

Utilisation 2007 (according to UK CAA):
7.6 million passenger km
8,771 stage flights
15,765 flight hours
0.7 million passengers uplifted
655 million seat km used
927 million seat km available
70.7% cabin factor
8.6 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft
 


2x CFM56-3C1, 62.8 tonnes MTOW and 2,285 km range
Up to 147 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights with base Gatwick
MSN
L/N
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
25267
2132
19 Sep 1991
G-DOCA
21 Oct 1991

G-DOCO taking off from Gatwick
25304
2144
7 Oct 1991
G-DOCB
16 Oct 1991
25350
2167
7 Nov 1991
G-DOCE
20 Nov 1991
25407
2178
21 Nov 1991
G-DOCF
10 Dec 1991
25408
2183
5 Dec 1991
G-DOCG
19 Dec 1991
25428
2185
4 Dec 1991
G-DOCH
19 Dec 1991
25842
2228
13 Feb 1992
G-DOCL
2 Mar 1992
25848
2379
1 Oct 1992
G-DOCN
21 Oct 1992
25849
2381
15 Oct 1992
G-DOCO
26 Oct 1992
25852
2390
27 Oct 1992
G-DOCS
1 Dec 1992
25853
2409
11 Dec 1992
G-DOCT
22 Dec 1992
25854
2417
22 Dec 1992
G-DOCU
18 Jan 1993
25855
2420
11 Jan 1993
G-DOCV
25 Jan 1993
25856
2422
14 Jan 1993
G-DOCW
2 Feb 1993
25857
2451
16 Mar 1993
G-DOCX
29 Mar 1993
25844
2514
29 Jul 1993
G-DOCY
2 Sep 1993
25858
2522
27 Aug 1993
G-DOCZ
1 Oct 1993
25859
2532
20 Sep 1993
G-GBTA
1 Nov 1993
25860
2545
21 Oct 1993
G-GBTB
2 Dec 1993
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 15.6 years

Utilisation 2007 (according to UK CAA):
33.1 million passenger km
32,412 stage flights
63,474 flight hours
3.0 million passengers uplifted
3,190 million seat km used
4,718 million seat km available
67.6% cabin factor
9.2 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft


2x CFM56-3C1, 53.9 tonnes MTOW and 2,096 km range
Up to 110 passengers
Used for domestic and European flights with base Gatwick
MSN
L/N
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Boeing code
25789
2229
18 Feb 1992
G-GFFB
8 Feb 2000
737-505
25038
1969
11 Dec 1990
G-GFFA
8 Feb 2000
737-59D
26419
2186
5 Dec 1991
G-GFFD
28 Feb 2000
737-59D
27424
2720
28 Apr 1995
G-GFFE
17 May 2000
737-528
24650
1792
15 Dec 1989
18 Sep 2000
737-505
27354
2637
15 Jul 1994
G-GFFH
24 Oct 2000
737-5H6
27425
2730
5 Jun 1995
G-GFFI
9 Nov 2000
737-528
24754
1868
22 May 1990
G-GFFF
23 Dec 2000
737-53A
27355
2646
24 Aug 1994
G-GFFJ
18 Jan 2001
737-5H6
Average fleet age per 3 May 2008: 15.5 years

Utilisation 2007 (according to UK CAA):
10.9 million passenger km
18,530 stage flights
26,427 flight hours
1.3 million passengers uplifted
784 million seat km used
1,144 million seat km available
68.5% cabin factor
8.0 hours average daily utilisation of each aircraft
 


G-GFFF taking off from Manchester heading for Gatwick - the captain is giving us a wave - certainly not the PF
 

4x Rolls-Royce RB211-524H, 394.6 tonnes MTOW and 12,584 km range
Up to 351 passengers
Used for longhaul mainly to North/South America, South Africa, Eastern Asia and Australia
MSN
L/N
First flight
Registration
Delivered
Photos
23908
727
03 Jun 1989
G-BNLA
30 Jun 1989

G-BNLJ touching down on RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-CIVM starting to roll on RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-CIVT on short final for RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-BYGE on short final for RWY 27R at Heathrow


G-CIVK on short final for RWY 27R at Heathrow
23909
730
07 Jul 1989
G-BNLB
31 Jul 1989
23910
734
28 Jun 1989
G-BNLC
21 Jul 1989
23911
744
16 Aug 1989
05 Sep 1989
24047
753
02 Oct 1989
G-BNLE
15 Nov 1989
24048
773
09 Feb 1990
G-BNLF
28 Feb 1990
24049
774
10 Feb 1990
G-BNLG
27 Feb 1990
24050
779
08 Mar 1990
G-BNLH
28 Mar 1990
24051
784
04 Apr 1990
G-BNLI
21 Apr 1990
24052
789
02 May 1990
G-BNLJ
23 May 1990
24053
790
04 May 1990
G-BNLK
25 May 1990
24054
794
30 May 1990
G-BNLL
14 Jun 1990
24055
795
05 Jun 1990
G-BNLM
28 Jun 1990
24056
802
17 Jul 1990
G-BNLN
27 Jul 1990
24057
817
09 Oct 1990
G-BNLO
25 Oct 1990
24058
828
04 Dec 1990
G-BNLP
17 Dec 1990
24447
829
11 Dec 1990
G-BNLR
15 Jan 1991
24629
841
20 Feb 1991
G-BNLS
13 Mar 1991
24630
842
26 Feb 1991
G-BNLT
19 Mar 1991
25406
895
20 Dec 1991
G-BNLU
28 Jan 1992
25427
900
30 Jan 1992
G-BNLV
20 Feb 1992
25432
903
17 Feb 1992
G-BNLW
05 Mar 1992
25435
908
16 Mar 1992
G-BNLX
03 Apr 1992
27090
959
25 Jan 1993
G-BNLY
10 Feb 1993
27091
964
22 Feb 1993
G-BNLZ
04 Mar 1993
27092
967
10 Mar 1993
G-CIVA
22 Mar 1993
25811
1018
03 Feb 1994
G-CIVB
15 Feb 1994
25812
1022
21 Feb 1994
G-CIVC
26 Feb 1994
27349
1048
23 Nov 1994
G-CIVD
14 Dec 1994
27350
1050
09 Dec 1994
G-CIVE
20 Dec 1994
25434
1058
22 Mar 1995
G-CIVF
29 Mar 1995
25813
1059
06 Apr 1995
G-CIVG