British Airways facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
British Airways plc

Founded	25 August 1919; 105 years ago (1919-08-25) (as Aircraft Transport and Travel Limited) 31 March 1974; 51 years ago (1974-03-31) (as British Airways)
AOC #	441
Hubs	London–Gatwick London–Heathrow
Frequent-flyer program	Executive Club/Avios
Alliance	Oneworld
Subsidiaries	BA Cityflyer BA EuroFlyer
Fleet size	257
Destinations	206
Parent company	International Airlines Group
Headquarters	Waterside London, England, UK
Key people	Sean Doyle (chairman and​ CEO) Stephen William Lawrence​ Gunning (CFO and director)
Revenue	£3,693 million (2021)
Net income	£1,900 million (2021)

British Airways plc (BA) is the main airline of the United Kingdom. It's based in London, England, close to its main airport hub at Heathrow Airport.

British Airways is the second largest airline in the UK. This is based on how many planes it has and how many passengers it carries. Only easyJet carries more passengers. In 2011, BA joined with Iberia to create the International Airlines Group (IAG). IAG is a large company that owns other companies. It is one of the biggest airline groups in the world.

BA started in 1974. The British government brought together four airlines to form British Airways. These were British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways, Cambrian Airways, and Northeast Airlines. Even though it officially started in 1974, BA celebrated its 100th birthday in 2019. This was because it included the history of its older companies.

After being owned by the government for almost 13 years, BA became a private company in 1987. This was part of a bigger plan by the government at the time. British Airways grew by buying other airlines like British Caledonian in 1987 and Dan-Air in 1992.

BA is also a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance. This is a group of airlines that work together. Other founding members included American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. Oneworld is now the third-largest airline alliance in the world.

History of British Airways

A Boeing 747-100 in BOAC-British Airways colours from 1976.

Ideas to create one big British airline first came up in 1953. This was because two existing airlines, BOAC and BEA, had trouble agreeing on flight routes. BOAC felt that BEA was using a smaller airline to fly to important oil regions. The head of BOAC thought joining the airlines would solve this problem. However, the idea was stopped by the government's money department.

Later, in 1972, a new British Airways Board was formed. It managed BOAC, BEA, and two smaller regional airlines. Two years later, on March 31, 1974, all four companies officially merged. This created British Airways as we know it today.

British Airways and Air France both flew the super-fast Concorde plane. The first supersonic passenger flight took off on January 21, 1976. It flew from Heathrow Airport to Bahrain. Flights to the U.S. started later that year. After a Concorde crash in Paris and a drop in air travel after the September 11 attacks in 2001, Concorde flights stopped in 2003. The last Concorde flight was on October 24, 2003.

A British Airways Hawker Siddeley Trident plane with BEA colours but British Airways writing.

In 1981, the government decided to make British Airways a private company. Sir John King was put in charge to make the airline profitable again. He helped British Airways become one of the most successful airlines in the world. The company was sold to private investors in 1987. British Airways then bought another UK airline, British Caledonian, in the same year.

A new airline called Virgin Atlantic started in 1984. This created a big rivalry with British Airways. The competition became so strong that British Airways was sued in 1993. This was because of claims that BA tried to harm Virgin's business. BA later apologised and paid money to Virgin Atlantic.

British Airways' first Concorde at Heathrow Airport in 1976.

In 1992, British Airways grew by buying Dan-Air. This gave BA a bigger presence at Gatwick Airport. BA also bought a share in the Australian airline Qantas in 1993. In 1998, British Airways, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Canadian Airlines, formed the Oneworld airline alliance. This alliance started in 1999 and is the third-largest in the world.

A British Airways Lockheed TriStar plane.

In 2008, British Airways announced plans to merge with Iberia. This merger was completed in 2011, creating the International Airlines Group (IAG). IAG became one of the world's largest airline groups. As part of the merger, British Airways stopped trading on the London Stock Exchange by itself.

In 2012, British Airways was the official airline partner for the London 2012 Olympic Games. On May 18, 2012, it flew the Olympic flame from Athens to the UK. Important people like Sebastian Coe and David Beckham were on board.

On May 27, 2017, British Airways had a major computer problem. All flights were cancelled, affecting thousands of passengers. The company said the problem was caused by a power supply issue. The CEO later said an electrical engineer accidentally disconnected a power system.

In 2018, British Airways worked with designer Ozwald Boateng to create new uniforms. This was to celebrate the airline's 100th anniversary. The new uniform collection was launched in 2023.

In 2019, to celebrate its 100 years, British Airways painted four of its planes in old designs. One Boeing 747 was painted in the old BOAC colours. Two other Boeing 747s got former British Airways designs. An Airbus A319 was painted in the old British European Airways colours.

In April 2020, British Airways announced plans to reduce its staff. This was due to the huge drop in air travel because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The airline also decided to retire its entire fleet of Boeing 747-400 planes. This happened earlier than planned because of the pandemic. BA wants to use more modern and fuel-efficient planes like the Airbus A350 and Boeing 787.

In October 2020, Sean Doyle became the new CEO of British Airways.

How British Airways Works

Airline Operations

British Airways is the largest airline in the UK. This is based on the number of planes it has and how many international flights it operates. In 2008, BA carried 34.6 million passengers. However, easyJet carried more passengers that year. British Airways has a special licence from the UK government. This allows it to carry passengers, cargo, and mail on planes with 20 or more seats.

Waterside, the main office building of British Airways.

The main office of British Airways is called Waterside. It is located near Heathrow Airport. Waterside was finished in 1998. It replaced BA's old head office, Speedbird House.

British Airways' main base is at Heathrow Airport. It also has a big presence at Gatwick Airport. Its smaller airline, BA Cityflyer, is the biggest airline at London City Airport. British Airways owns a large number of the flight slots at Heathrow Airport. Most BA flights use Terminal 5. Some flights use Terminal 3 because Terminal 5 is very busy.

Other Companies and Partnerships

Over the years, British Airways has owned many smaller companies.

British Airways also has partnerships with other airlines. These are called "franchises."

British Airways Business Facts

Here are some important numbers for British Airways.

In 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, British Airways had to reduce its staff by 12,000 jobs. The company that owns BA believes it will take several years for air travel to fully recover.

However, 2022 saw a big increase in travel. This led to a shortage of workers, causing BA to cancel many flights. In February 2023, the International Airlines Group announced that it was making a profit again. This was the first time since the pandemic.

Working at British Airways

Staff at British Airways are part of different unions. Pilots are represented by the British Air Line Pilots' Association. Cabin crew are represented by the British Airlines Stewards and Stewardesses Association.

In 2005, some union members went on an unofficial strike. This was because a company that provided food to BA did not renew contracts for 670 workers. This strike cost British Airways a lot of money and caused problems for many passengers.

Relations between BA and the Unite union have sometimes been difficult. In 2007, cabin crew threatened to strike over pay changes. This strike was called off at the last minute. In 2009, a planned strike was stopped by a court order. Strikes did happen in March 2010.

In 2017, there were more strikes by BA's "Mixed Fleet" flight attendants. These crew members were paid less and had worse conditions than older staff. The union said many Mixed Fleet crew earned "poverty pay." They also said BA removed travel benefits for striking staff. The strikes continued for many days. In October 2017, the Mixed Fleet accepted a new pay deal, ending the dispute.

British Airways Leaders

• Current Chairman and CEO: Sean Doyle (since 2020/2021)

Past Chairmen

1. Sir David Nicolson (1972–1975)
2. The Lord McFadzean (1976–1979)
3. Sir Ross Stainton (1979–1980)
4. The Lord King (1981–1993)
5. The Lord Marshall (1993–2004)
6. Sir Martin Broughton (2004–2013)
7. Keith Williams (2013–2016)
8. Álex Cruz (2016–2021)

Past Chief Executives

This job started in 1977.

1. Sir Ross Stainton (1977–1979)
2. Sir Roy Watts (1979–1983)
3. The Lord Marshall (1983–1995)
4. Bob Ayling (1996–2000)
5. Sir Rod Eddington (2000–2005)
6. Willie Walsh (2005–2010)
7. Keith Williams (2011–2016)
8. Álex Cruz (2016–2020)

Where British Airways Flies

A British Airways Airbus A318 plane at John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York. This plane used to fly a special route between London and New York.

British Airways flies to over 170 places in 70 countries. This includes flights within the UK and many flights to the United States.

Airline Alliances

British Airways helped start the Oneworld airline alliance in 1999. This group includes airlines like American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas. British Airways is still a member of Oneworld today.

Shared Flights

British Airways shares flights with these airlines:

British Airways Planes

As of January 2024, British Airways has 253 planes and has ordered 47 more. BA uses a mix of Airbus and Boeing planes. These include the 777 and 787. In October 2020, British Airways stopped using its Boeing 747-400 planes. It used to be one of the biggest users of the 747.

British Airways Engineering

British Airways has its own engineering team. They maintain the airline's planes. This includes checking planes at over 70 airports worldwide. They also have large maintenance centres at Glasgow and Cardiff Airports.

British Airways Marketing

Branding and Advertising

A British Airways sign above the check-in desks at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 5.

The main music used in British Airways adverts has been "The Flower Duet" by Léo Delibes. This music was first used in an advert in 1984. The slogan 'the world's favourite airline' was used from 1983 until 2001. Other slogans have included "The World's Best Airline" and "To Fly, To Serve."

Mylius Modern, a special font used by British Airways.

British Airways worked with the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi for 23 years. They created many famous adverts together. Since 2007, BA has used a different advertising agency.

In October 2022, BA launched a new advertising campaign called "A British Original." This campaign included many unique adverts and short films. It also came out with the new uniforms designed by Ozwald Boateng.

British Airways bought the internet address ba.com in 2002. 'BA' is the short name for the company.

British Airways is the official airline of the Wimbledon Championships tennis tournament. It was also the official airline partner for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics in London.

High Life is the official magazine you can read on British Airways flights. It started in 1973.

Safety Videos

From about 2005 to 2017, the airline used a cartoon safety video. On September 1, 2017, BA launched a new live-action safety video. It featured British celebrities like Rowan Atkinson and Ian McKellen. A second video was released in 2018 with more famous faces. These videos are part of a charity programme. On April 17, 2023, a new safety video was launched. It featured people like tennis player Emma Raducanu.

Plane Designs

One of the special old designs on a British Airways Boeing 747 to celebrate 100 years.

When British Airways was formed in 1974, its planes got a new white, blue, and red design. They had a Union Jack flag on their tail fins. In 1984, a new design updated the airline's look. To celebrate its 100th birthday, BA painted four planes in these older designs.

Current BA planes have the Chatham Dockyard Union Flag design on their tails.

In 1997, there was a controversial change to a new design called Project Utopia. All planes had the same colours on the body, but the tail fins had many different designs. Some people, including former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, did not like this change.

In 1999, British Airways decided that all planes would use the Chatham Dockyard Union Flag design on their tail fins. This design is based on the Union Flag. All BA planes now have this design, except for the four planes painted in old styles.

Loyalty Programme

British Airways has a loyalty programme called the Executive Club. It has different levels: Blue, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Gold guest list, and Premier. This programme gives members special benefits. These include access to special lounges at airports.

Members earn Avios points when they fly with BA. They also earn Tier Points. Avios can be used to pay for flights or other things. Tier Points help members move up to higher levels in the club.

British Airways has lounges at airports for passengers flying in premium classes. First class passengers and Gold Executive Club members can use First Class Lounges. Business class passengers and Silver Executive Club members can use Business lounges. If BA doesn't have its own lounge, it often provides access to another lounge.

Members of the Executive Club also get benefits when flying with other airlines in the Oneworld alliance.

British Airways Cabins and Services

British Airways' Euro Traveller cabin on short flights.

Short Flights (Europe and UK)

Economy Class

Euro Traveller is British Airways' economy class for short flights within Europe and the UK. These flights use Airbus A320 planes. The space between seats varies.

On flights from Heathrow and Gatwick, you can buy food and drinks. You can order food before your flight using the British Airways app. You can also buy a limited selection on board using a card or Avios points. British Airways is adding Wi-Fi to most of its planes.

Business Class

Club Europe is the business class for short flights. Passengers in this class can use business lounges at most airports. They also get free food and drinks on board. The middle seat in a row is left empty. A small table can be folded out from under the middle seat. Pillows and blankets are available on longer flights.

Long Flights (Mid-haul and Long-haul)

First Class

First class is offered on some of BA's largest planes, like the Airbus A380 and Boeing 777. There are usually between eight and fourteen private suites. Each First suite has a bed that is about 6 feet 6 inches long. It also has a 15-inch entertainment screen and power sockets.

First class passengers can use the special Concorde Room lounge at Heathrow Terminal 5. This lounge offers dining with waiter service.

Club World

The new Club Suite seat, first shown in 2019. It is being added to more BA planes.

Club World is the business class for long flights. It is available on all long-haul planes. The seats can turn into fully flat beds. In 2019, BA showed its new Club Suite seats. These seats have a door for more privacy. The Club Suite is being added to more planes over the next few years.

World Traveller Plus

World Traveller Plus is the premium economy class. It is on all BA long-haul planes. This class offers wider seats and more legroom. It also has bigger entertainment screens, footrests, and power sockets. Passengers get a free bar service and an upgraded meal.

World Traveller

The upper deck of a British Airways Airbus A380 plane, showing the World Traveller cabin.

World Traveller is the economy class for mid-haul and long-haul flights. It offers entertainment screens on the back of seats. Passengers get free food and drinks, pillows, and blankets. International power outlets are available on planes based at Heathrow. Wi-Fi is also available on some planes for an extra cost.

British Airways Safety

British Airways has a strong reputation for safety. It is often ranked among the safest airlines in the world.

Since BA started in 1974, it has had three major incidents where planes were badly damaged. One plane was destroyed on the ground during a war. There have also been two hijacking attempts. The only time people died on a BA plane was in 1976. This was when a BA plane crashed in the air with another plane. This was caused by an error made by air traffic control.

• On November 22, 1974, British Airways Flight 870 was hijacked. The plane landed in Tripoli and then Tunis. A passenger was shot. The hijackers gave up after 84 hours. The captain, Jim Futcher, was given awards for his brave actions.
• On September 10, 1976, British Airways Flight 476 crashed in the air with another plane near Zagreb. All 54 passengers and 9 crew members on the BA plane died. This is the only fatal accident for a British Airways plane since 1974.
• On June 24, 1982, British Airways Flight 9 flew through a cloud of volcanic ash. All four engines stopped working. The crew managed to glide the plane out of the ash cloud. They restarted the engines and landed safely. No one was hurt.
• On June 10, 1990, British Airways Flight 5390 had a windscreen blow out. This happened because the wrong bolts were used the day before. The captain was partly blown out of the plane but survived. The co-pilot landed the plane safely.
• On August 2, 1990, British Airways Flight 149 landed in Kuwait after Iraq invaded. The plane was destroyed, and all passengers and crew were captured.
• On December 29, 2000, British Airways Flight 2069 was hijacked by a passenger. The plane made sharp turns. Several people were hurt. The man was stopped, and the plane landed safely.

The damaged British Airways Flight 38 in 2008.

• On January 17, 2008, British Airways Flight 38 crashed short of the runway at Heathrow. The plane was badly damaged. There were no deaths, but some people were injured. The accident was caused by ice in the fuel system.
• On May 24, 2013, British Airways Flight 762 returned to Heathrow after parts of both engines fell off. A fire started in one engine. The plane landed safely. The report said the engine covers were left unlatched after maintenance.
• On December 22, 2013, British Airways Flight 34 hit a building at an airport in Johannesburg. The wing was badly damaged. No passengers were hurt, but four ground staff were injured.
• On September 8, 2015, British Airways Flight 2276 had an engine fire during takeoff in Las Vegas. The plane was evacuated. All 157 passengers and 13 crew escaped. At least 14 people had minor injuries.
• Between August and September 2018, an attacker stole data from almost 500,000 British Airways customers. This included credit card details. The company was later fined for this.
• On June 18, 2021, a British Airways Boeing 787 Dreamliner had its nose landing gear collapse at Heathrow. No passengers were on board.
• On July 6, 2022, British Airways Flight 820 caught fire while landing in Copenhagen. Firefighters put out the fire. The plane was later flown back to Heathrow.

Images for kids

• 

  An OpenSkies Boeing 757-200 landing at Frankfurt Airport.

• 

  A British Airways Boeing 727-230 operated by Comair at O. R. Tambo International Airport