British Airways

British Airways

,code BA, is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom. It is headquartered in London, England, near its main hub at Heathrow Airport.

The airline is the second largest UK-based carrier, based on fleet size and passengers carried, behind easyJet. In January 2011 BA merged with Iberia, creating the International Airlines Group (IAG), a holding company registered in Madrid, Spain. IAG is the world's third-largest airline group in terms of annual revenue and the second-largest in Europe. It is listed on the London Stock Exchange and in the FTSE 100 Index. British Airways is the first passenger airline to have generated more than US$1 billion on a single air route in a year (from 1 April 2017, to 31 March 2018, on the New York-JFK - London-Heathrow route).

BA was created in 1974 after a British Airways Board was established by the British government to manage the two nationalised airline corporations, British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways, and two regional airlines, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines. On 31 March 1974, all four companies were merged to form British Airways. However, it marked 2019 as its centenary based on predecessor companies.[6] After almost 13 years as a state company, BA was privatised in February 1987 as part of a wider privatisation plan by the Conservative government. The carrier expanded with the acquisition of British Caledonian in 1987, Dan-Air in 1992, and British Midland International in 2012.

It is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and the now-defunct Canadian Airlines. The alliance has since grown to become the third-largest, after SkyTeam and Star Alliance.

British Airways is the largest airline based in the United Kingdom in terms of fleet size, international flights, and international destinations and was, until 2008, the largest airline by passenger numbers. The airline carried 34.6 million passengers in 2008, but, rival carrier easyJet transported 44.5 million passengers that year, passing British Airways for the first time. British Airways holds a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority Type A Operating Licence, it is permitted to carry passengers, cargo, and mail on aircraft with 20 or more seats.

Waterside, the head office building of British Airways.
The airlines' head office, Waterside, stands in Harmondsworth, a village that is near Heathrow Airport. Waterside was completed in June 1998 to replace British Airways' previous head office, Speedbird House, located in Technical Block C on the grounds of Heathrow.

British Airways' main base is at Heathrow Airport, but it also has a major presence at Gatwick Airport. It also has a base at London City Airport, where its subsidiary BA Cityflyer is the largest operator. BA had previously operated a significant hub at Manchester Airport. Manchester to New York (JFK) services were withdrawn; later all international services outside London ceased when the subsidiary BA Connect was sold. Passengers wishing to travel internationally with BA either to or from regional UK destinations must now transfer in London. Heathrow Airport is dominated by British Airways, which owns 40% of the slots available at the airport. The majority of BA services operate from Terminal 5, with the exception of some flights at Terminal 3 owing to insufficient capacity at Terminal 5.

In August 2014, Willie Walsh advised the airline would continue to use flight paths over Iraq despite the hostilities there. A few days earlier Qantas announced it would avoid Iraqi airspace, while other airlines did likewise. The issue arose following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine, and a temporary suspension of flights to and from Ben Gurion Airport during the 2014 Israel–Gaza conflict.

British Airways fleet

As of July 2021, the British Airways operates a fleet of 253 aircraft with 47 orders. BA operates a mix of Airbus narrow and wide-body aircraft, and Boeing wide-body aircraft, specifically the 777 and 787. In October 2020, British Airways retired its fleet of 747-400 aircraft. It was one of the largest operators of the 747, having previously operated the -100, -200, and -400 aircraft from 1974 (1969 with BOAC).

British Airways serves destinations across all six inhabited continents. Following is a list of destinations the airline flies to, as of October 2020; terminated destinations are also listed. The list does not include cities served solely by affiliated regional carriers, and some terminated destinations may now be served either via franchise or through codeshare agreements with other carriers.

Albania Tirana Tirana International Airport Nënë Tereza Passenger
Algeria Algiers Houari Boumediene Airport Passenger
Hassi Messaoud Oued Irara–Krim Belkacem Airport Terminated
Angola Luanda Quatro de Fevereiro Airport Terminated
Antigua and Barbuda St. John's V. C. Bird International Airport Passenger
Argentina Buenos Aires Ministro Pistarini International Airport Passenger
Armenia Yerevan Zvartnots International Airport Terminated
Aruba Oranjestad Queen Beatrix International Airport Begins 26 March 2023
Australia Adelaide Adelaide Airport Terminated
Brisbane Brisbane Airport Terminated
Melbourne Melbourne Airport Terminated
Perth Perth Airport Terminated
Sydney Sydney Airport Passenger
Austria Innsbruck Innsbruck Airport Seasonal
Linz Linz Airport Terminated
Salzburg Salzburg Airport Passenger
Vienna Vienna International Airport Passenger
Azerbaijan Baku Heydar Aliyev International Airport Terminated
Bahamas Nassau Lynden Pindling International Airport Passenger
Bahrain Manama Bahrain International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Bangladesh Dhaka Shahjalal International Airport Terminated
Barbados Bridgetown Grantley Adams International Airport Passenger
Belarus Minsk Minsk National Airport Terminated
Belgium Antwerp Antwerp International Airport Terminated
Brussels Brussels Airport Passenger
Ostend Ostend–Bruges International Airport Terminated
Bermuda Hamilton L.F. Wade International Airport Passenger
Botswana Gaborone Sir Seretse Khama International Airport Terminated
Brazil Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro/Galeão International Airport Passenger
São Paulo São Paulo/Guarulhos International Airport Passenger
Bulgaria Sofia Sofia Airport Passenger
Canada Calgary Calgary International Airport Terminated
Kelowna Kelowna International Airport Terminated
Montreal Montréal–Trudeau International Airport Passenger
Toronto Toronto Pearson International Airport Passenger
Vancouver Vancouver International Airport Passenger
Cayman Islands George Town Owen Roberts International Airport Passenger
Chile Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport Passenger
China Beijing Beijing Capital International Airport Terminated
Beijing Daxing International Airport Suspended
Chengdu Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport Terminated
Shanghai Shanghai Pudong International Airport Resumes 10 January 2023
Colombia Bogotá El Dorado International Airport Terminated
Costa Rica San José Juan Santamaría International Airport Passenger
Croatia Dubrovnik Dubrovnik Airport Passenger
Pula Pula Airport Seasonal
Split Split Airport Seasonal
Zagreb Zagreb Airport Passenger
Cuba Havana José Martí International Airport Terminated
Cyprus Larnaca Larnaca International Airport Passenger
Paphos Paphos International Airport Seasonal
Czech Republic Prague Václav Havel Airport Prague Passenger
Denmark Aarhus Aarhus Airport Terminated
Billund Billund Airport Passenger
Copenhagen Copenhagen Airport Passenger
Thisted Thisted Airport Terminated
Dominican Republic Punta Cana Punta Cana International Airport Passenger
Egypt Alexandria El Nouzha Airport Terminated
Cairo Cairo International Airport Passenger
Luxor Luxor International Airport Terminated
Sharm El Sheikh Sharm El Sheikh International Airport Terminated
Estonia Tallinn Tallinn Airport Terminated
Eswatini Manzini Matsapha Airport Terminated
Ethiopia Addis Ababa Addis Ababa Bole International Airport Terminated
Finland Helsinki Helsinki Airport Terminated
Tampere Tampere–Pirkkala Airport Terminated
Turku Turku Airport Terminated
Vaasa Vaasa Airport Terminated
France Annecy Annecy – Haute-Savoie – Mont Blanc Airport Terminated
Bastia Bastia – Poretta Airport Seasonal
Biarritz Biarritz Pays Basque Airport Terminated
Bordeaux Bordeaux–Mérignac Airport Passenger
Chambéry Chambéry Airport Seasonal
Figari Figari–Sud Corse Airport Seasonal
Grenoble Alpes–Isère Airport Seasonal
Limoges Limoges – Bellegarde Airport Terminated
Lyon Lyon–Saint-Exupéry Airport Passenger
Marseille Marseille Provence Airport Passenger
Montpellier Montpellier–Méditerranée Airport Seasonal
Nantes Nantes Atlantique Airport Terminated
Nice Nice Côte d'Azur Airport Passenger
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Passenger
Orly Airport Terminated
Quimper Quimper–Cornouaille Airport Seasonal
Toulouse Toulouse–Blagnac Airport Passenger
Georgia Tbilisi Tbilisi International Airport Terminated
Germany Berlin Berlin Brandenburg Airport Passenger
Berlin Tegel Airport Airport Closed
Bremen Bremen Airport Terminated
Cologne Cologne Bonn Airport Passenger
Dresden Dresden Airport Terminated
Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Airport Passenger
Frankfurt Frankfurt Airport Passenger + Cargo
Friedrichshafen Friedrichshafen Airport Seasonal
Hamburg Hamburg Airport Passenger
Hanover Hannover Airport Passenger
Leipzig Leipzig/Halle Airport Terminated
Munich Munich Airport Passenger
Münster Münster Osnabrück International Airport Terminated
Nuremberg Nuremberg Airport Passenger
Saarbrücken Saarbrücken Airport Terminated
Stuttgart Stuttgart Airport Passenger
Ghana Accra Kotoka International Airport Passenger
Gibraltar Gibraltar Gibraltar International Airport Passenger
Greece Athens Athens International Airport Passenger
Chania Chania International Airport Seasonal
Corfu Corfu International Airport Seasonal
Kalamata Kalamata International Airport Seasonal
Kefalonia Kefalonia International Airport Seasonal
Kos Kos International Airport Seasonal
Mykonos Mykonos Airport Seasonal
Preveza Aktion National Airport Seasonal
Rhodes Rhodes International Airport Seasonal
Santorini Santorini (Thira) International Airport Seasonal
Thessaloniki Thessaloniki Airport Seasonal
Zakynthos Zakynthos International Airport Seasonal
Grenada St. George Maurice Bishop International Airport Passenger
Guernsey Saint Peter Port Guernsey Airport Terminated
Guyana Georgetown Cheddi Jagan International Airport Resumes 27 March 2023
Hong Kong Hong Kong Hong Kong International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Kai Tak Airport Airport Closed
Hungary Budapest Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport Passenger
Iceland Reykjavík Keflavík International Airport Passenger
India Bangalore Kempegowda International Airport Passenger
Chennai Chennai International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Hyderabad Rajiv Gandhi International Airport Passenger
Kolkata Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport Terminated
Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Indonesia Jakarta Soekarno–Hatta International Airport Terminated
Iran Tehran Tehran Imam Khomeini International Airport Terminated
Iraq Baghdad Baghdad International Airport Terminated
Ireland Cork Cork Airport Terminated
Dublin Dublin Airport Passenger
Shannon Shannon Airport Terminated
Waterford Waterford Airport Terminated
Israel Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport Passenger
Italy Bari Bari Karol Wojtyła Airport Seasonal
Bergamo Orio al Serio International Airport Passenger
Brindisi Brindisi Airport Seasonal
Cagliari Cagliari Elmas Airport Seasonal
Catania Catania–Fontanarossa Airport Passenger
Genoa Genoa Cristoforo Colombo Airport Passenger
Milan Milan Linate Airport Passenger
Milan Malpensa Airport Passenger
Naples Naples International Airport Passenger
Olbia Olbia Costa Smeralda Airport Seasonal
Palermo Falcone Borsellino Airport Seasonal
Perugia Umbria International Airport Seasonal
Pisa Pisa International Airport Passenger
Rome Leonardo da Vinci–Fiumicino Airport Passenger
Turin Turin Airport Passenger
Venice Venice Marco Polo Airport Passenger
Verona Verona Airport Passenger
Ivory Coast Abidjan Félix-Houphouët-Boigny International Airport Terminated
Jamaica Kingston Norman Manley International Airport Passenger
Montego Bay Sangster International Airport Passenger
Japan Nagoya Nagoya Komaki Airport Terminated
Osaka Kansai International Airport Terminated
Tokyo Haneda Airport Passenger
Narita International Airport Terminated
Jersey Jersey Jersey Airport Passenger
Jordan Amman Queen Alia International Airport Passenger
Kazakhstan Almaty Almaty International Airport Terminated
Kenya Nairobi Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Kosovo Pristina Pristina International Airport Passenger
Kuwait Kuwait City Kuwait International Airport Passenger
Kyrgyzstan Bishkek Manas International Airport Terminated
Latvia Riga Riga International Airport Terminated
Lebanon Beirut Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport Terminated
Liberia Monrovia Roberts International Airport Terminated
Libya Tripoli Tripoli International Airport Terminated
Lithuania Vilnius Vilnius International Airport Terminated
Luxembourg Luxembourg City Luxembourg Airport Passenger
Malawi Lilongwe Lilongwe International Airport Terminated
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Kuala Lumpur International Airport Terminated
Maldives Malé Velana International Airport Seasonal
Malta Valletta Malta International Airport Passenger
Mauritius Mahébourg Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport Passenger
Mexico Cancún Cancún International Airport Passenger
Mexico City Mexico City International Airport Passenger
Montenegro Podgorica Podgorica Airport Terminated
Morocco Agadir Agadir–Al Massira Airport Terminated
Casablanca Mohammed V International Airport Terminated
Marrakech Marrakesh Menara Airport Passenger
Tangier Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport Terminated
Namibia Windhoek Hosea Kutako International Airport Terminated
Netherlands Amsterdam Amsterdam Airport Schiphol Passenger
Eindhoven Eindhoven Airport Terminated
Rotterdam Rotterdam The Hague Airport Passenger
New Zealand Auckland Auckland Airport Terminated
Christchurch Christchurch Airport Terminated
Nigeria Abuja Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Passenger
Kano Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport Terminated
Lagos Murtala Muhammed International Airport Passenger
Norway Bergen Bergen Airport Terminated
Geilo Fagernes Airport Terminated
Haugesund Haugesund Airport Terminated
Oslo Oslo Gardermoen Airport Passenger
Stavanger Stavanger Airport Terminated
Oman Muscat Muscat International Airport Terminated
Pakistan Islamabad Islamabad International Airport Passenger
Karachi Jinnah International Airport Terminated
Lahore Allama Iqbal International Airport Terminated
Peru Lima Jorge Chávez International Airport Seasonal
Philippines Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminated
Poland Gdańsk Gdańsk Lech Wałęsa Airport Terminated
Kraków Kraków John Paul II International Airport Passenger
Wroclaw Copernicus Airport Wrocław Terminated
Warsaw Warsaw Chopin Airport Passenger
Portugal Faro Faro Airport Passenger
Funchal Madeira Airport Passenger
Lisbon Lisbon Airport Passenger
Ponta Delgada João Paulo II Airport Seasonal
Porto Porto Airport Passenger
Porto Santo Porto Santo Airport Terminated
Terceira Lajes Airport Terminated
Puerto Rico San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport Terminated
Qatar Doha Hamad International Airport Passenger
Romania Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport Passenger
Cluj Napoca Cluj International Airport Terminated
Russia Moscow Domodedovo International Airport Suspended
Sheremetyevo International Airport Suspended
Saint Petersburg Pulkovo Airport Terminated
Saint Kitts and Nevis Basseterre Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport Passenger
Saint Lucia Vieux Fort Hewanorra International Airport Passenger
Saudi Arabia Dammam King Fahd International Airport Passenger
Dhahran Dhahran International Airport Airport Closed
Jeddah King Abdulaziz International Airport Terminated
Riyadh King Khalid International Airport Passenger
Serbia Belgrade Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport Terminated
Seychelles Mahé Seychelles International Airport Terminated
Sierra Leone Freetown Lungi International Airport Terminated
Singapore Singapore Changi Airport Passenger
Slovakia Bratislava Bratislava Airport Terminated
Slovenia Ljubljana Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport Seasonal
South Africa Cape Town Cape Town International Airport Passenger
Durban King Shaka International Airport Passenger
Hoedspruit Eastgate Airport Terminated
Johannesburg O. R. Tambo International Airport Passenger + Cargo
Port Elizabeth Port Elizabeth Airport Terminated
Richards Bay Richards Bay Airport Terminated
South Korea Seoul Gimpo International Airport Terminated
Incheon International Airport Terminated
Spain Alicante Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport Passenger
Barcelona Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport Passenger
Bilbao Bilbao Airport Passenger
Ibiza Ibiza Airport Seasonal
Jerez de la Frontera Jerez Airport Terminated
Lanzarote Lanzarote Airport Passenger
Las Palmas Gran Canaria Airport Seasonal
Madrid Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport Passenger + Cargo