British Airways Celebrates Anniversary of London to New York Business Class Service

By British Airways, PRNE
Wednesday, November 17, 2010

CRAWLEY, England, November 18, 2010 - British Airways celebrates the one year anniversary of the London to New
York
, business class-only flights to New York.

To mark this occasion, the airline took a two-man film crew from BBC's
Fast Track programme, which broadcasts on BBC World and the BBC news channel,
to film the service from beginning to end. A British Airways spokesman was
onboard together with a British Airways gold card holder and frequent flier,
who provided interviews from the customer's perspective.

British Airways launched the first ever longhaul Club World service from
London City airport in September 2009 with twice-daily business class-only
flights to New York (
www.britishairways.com/travel/flights-to-new-york/public/en_gb). They
were given the airline's most prestigious flight number, BA001, previously
used by Concorde until its retirement in 2003.

Fitted with just 32 seats, which convert to fully flat beds, the
specifically configured Airbus A318's will fly across the Atlantic to New
York's
JFK airport after a brief refuelling stop at Shannon in the west of
Ireland, where customers will be able to clear US Customs and Immigration.
They are the only aircraft in the BA fleet equipped with OnAir allowing
customers to connect to the internet during flight - and the only such
service across the Atlantic.

Return flights from New York will be non-stop, as the aircraft can use
JFK's full-length runways and take off with sufficient fuel for the whole
transatlantic crossing.

Willie Walsh, British Airways' chief executive said at the time of
launch: "In the harshest trading environment airlines have experienced, we
believe it is more important than ever to embrace the future and innovate.
That is what this historic new route is all about.

"There is real enthusiasm from our customers for this project. This is BA
at its best - stylish, British and ahead of the game. Reviving the BA001
flight number for the first longhaul route out of London City could not be
more appropriate.

"Every aspect of this service has been designed to maximise convenience
for customers to fly between the world's two biggest business centres - Wall
Street and London's extended financial district in the City and Docklands.

"The UK's first web access on transatlantic flights means that customers
can work and keep in touch with the office between London and New York via
the e-mail and texts. Above all the exclusive service style will bring the
feel of a private jet to a business class cabin."

Customers wishing to stay overnight in the city can choose from a wide
range of hotels in New York (
www.britishairways.com/travel/hotels-in-new-york/public/en_gb)
available on ba.com. These include big name chains and famous landmark hotels
like iconic Waldorf-Astoria, the Peninsula New York or Andaz Wall Street,
perfectly located in the financial district on the corner of Wall and Water
Streets. Close to the Hudson River, on Broadway and Canal Street, the Soho
Grand offers customers an upmarket experience set in a calming ambience.

The key benefits of flights to New York from London City airport
(www.londoncityairport.com/) are customers can check in just 15
minutes before departure, are offered a dedicated departure gate with lounge
facilities and as Customs and Immigration are cleared at Shannon, Ireland,
valuable time on arrival at JFK airport is saved.

About British Airways:

British Airways plc offers a wide range of worldwide destinations -
including USA holidays (
www.britishairways.com/travel/holidays-in-usa/public/en_gb), hotels,
flights, car hire and experiences. Customers can save time and money with
ba.com when booking ATOL protected holiday packages, ATOL number is 5985.
Passengers are offered added peace of mind to their holiday plans and the
security of travelling with British Airways. British Airways plc constantly
seeks to exceed customers' expectations, both in terms of the value for money
and quality of the service provided.

    Press Contact:
    Katja Cooper
    Astral Towers
    Betts Way
    London Road
    Crawley
    RH10 9XA
    +44(0)1293-722513
    www.ba.com

Press Contact: Katja Cooper, Astral Towers, Betts Way, London Road, Crawley, RH10 9XA, +44(0)1293-722513

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