Dave

Qatar Airways now has 100 aircraft equipped with high-speed broadband

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Qatar Airways is celebrating the launch of its 100th aircraft to feature high-speed ‘Super Wi-Fi’ connectivity, enabling passengers to stay in touch with families, friends and colleagues while on board using the fastest broadband service available in the sky.

Qatar Airways now offers the largest number of aircraft equipped with the most superior high-speed broadband on board in Asia, the Middle East and North Africa.

Airbus A350-900 aircraft number A7-ALC became the 100th member of the Qatar Airways fleet to feature the high-speed Super Wi-Fi service using the award-winning GX Aviation technology from global mobile satellite communications provider, Inmarsat.

The service is being rolled out across the airline’s fleet and since its launch in 2018 has enabled millions of passengers to browse the internet, check social media, stream videos and more whilst relaxing on board.

Qatar Airways passengers on flights fitted with GX Aviation can receive up to one hour free access to the Super Wi-Fi service, with the ability to purchase full-flight access if more online time is needed.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive, His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, said:

As a leader of innovation within the global aviation industry, Qatar Airways already operates one of the youngest and most technologically-advanced fleet in the skies. Where other airlines are reducing their wi-fi offering, Qatar Airways is expanding it.

With connection to our loved ones and friends now more important than ever during these challenging times, we are delighted to work with Inmarsat and its GX Aviation technology to bring high-speed ‘Super Wi-Fi’ broadband to passengers on board our fleet as part of Qatar Airways’ exceptional five-star service.

Inmarsat Aviation President, Mr. Philip Balaam, said:

Qatar Airways is world renowned for offering a superior onboard experience, which is enjoyed by millions of loyal passengers across the world. We are pleased that our GX Aviation inflight broadband has become such an important component of that experience on the airline’s extensive fleet. Feedback from passengers has been hugely positive and now, with the service being available on 100 aircraft, even more can enjoy the best connectivity in the skies.

Paul Baker, Sales Director of Global Travel Management said:

Our customers demand stare of the art services during business trips. That includes access to fast, convenient, easy-to-use wi-fi. So congratulations to Qatar Airways for reaching the milestone of 100 aircraft fitted with ‘Super Wi-Fi’.

Along with the airline’s superb Qsuite – with Business Class double beds, and the ability for passengers travelling together to create ‘private rooms’ – and the Oryx One in-flight entertainment system, ‘Super Wi-Fi’ offers a great service to international business travellers.

With Qatar Airways being a member of oneworld, the network reach is more than 1,000 airports across 160 countries and more than 14,000 daily departures.

A multiple award-winning airline, Qatar Airways was named ‘World’s Best Airline’ by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by Skytrax. It was also named ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’, ‘World’s Best Business Class’, and ‘Best Business Class Seat’, in recognition of its ground-breaking Business Class experience, Qsuite. It is the only airline to have been awarded the coveted ‘Skytrax Airline of the Year’ title, which is recognised as the pinnacle of excellence in the airline industry, five times.

Dave

High Life moves online

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British Airways’ familiar, award-winning on board magazine, High Life, is moving online.

Created with publishing house, Cedar, the online magazine will also include a new section for Business Life which will replace the current on-board paper versions of both publications. 

Each issue will include monthly audio stories, photo experiences and live panels so customers can experience the magic of travel on the go wherever they are in the world. The magazine will continue to feature first person stories from travel experts and carefully curated guides for exploring cities across the world.  

High Life was voted one of the most important magazines of the 20th century by Campaign magazine

As well as trusted travel content, High Life digital will keep customers updated with any changes to the airline’s customer experience and route network.

The magazine will be emailed to five million Executive Club customers every month and customers can download the magazine on board, using the airline’s in-flight WiFi free. High Life will also continue to offer British Airways’ partners and advertisers new opportunities to reach the airline’s customers with products and offers, through BA media*

Hamish McVey, British Airways’ Head of Brand and Marketing said: 

Our High Life magazine has been a source for travel inspiration for our customers for nearly half a century. When we trialled moving High Life online at the beginning of this year, it was a great success.

We know our customers value technology and a contactless journey, especially in the current climate, so we are delighted to now be able to provide over five million customers a month with digital High Life.  We hope this new digital magazine will help customers plan their holidays with our expert holiday guides, as well as provide the latest information as we make important changes to our customer experience.


Sir Paul McCartney and HRH The Prince of Wales have featured on the cover of High Life.

Clare Broadbent, Cedar’s CEO said:

High Life online is now here: online, on email, and on board through your personal device, bringing wonderful and trusted travel inspiration to bigger audiences than ever before. With High Life’s mix of expert writers, photographers and audio-visual storytellers sharing the latest travel ideas from around the world, we can’t wait to help travellers to dream, plan and take off in 2020 and beyond.

The airline’s on-board magazine, first took to the skies in 1973 and has provided British Airways’ customers with inspiration ever since.

The magazine has documented significant milestones in the airline’s history including the launch of Concorde and the A380, as well as featuring cover stars such as Sir Paul McCartney, Tracey Emin, Idris Elba and HRH The Prince of Wales.

Dave

JAL introduces touchless check-in

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Japan Airlines has announced the decision to trial new touchless technology at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport, starting 24 August.

Touchless check-in: passengers can make selections by holding their finger 3 cm from the screen

Located at Terminal 1 South Wing of Tokyo Hanadea Airport, the two kiosks have been installed for a trial period, initially until 15 September.

Developed by Mitsubishi Electric and Oki Electric Industry Co, the new kiosks are equipped with state-of-the-art touchless sensors. These enable passengers to complete the whole check-in process without having to touch the screen at any point in the process.

The kiosks use infrared technology, so passengers are able to make selections by holding their finger 3 cm away from the check-in screen.

JAL say they will continue to embrace new technology to provide customers with a safe and secure travel experience.

Dave

British Airways says goodbye to the “first of its last” 747 jumbo jets

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British Airways has retired its first Boeing 747 since announcing last month that all 31 of its jumbo jets had sadly flown their last commercial services.

The Boeing 747-400, registration G-CIVD, departed from London Heathrow under flight number BA9170E after more than 25 magnificent years of flying.

The aircraft received an emotional farewell from the NATS Air Traffic Control Tower at Heathrow Airport.

British Airways’ fleet of 747s are being retired at an accelerated rate as a result of the impact the Covid-19 pandemic has had on the airline and the aviation sector.

Al Bridger, British Airways’ Director of Flight Operations, said: 

All of us at British Airways and so many of our customers will have fond memories and special moments from our travels on the iconic jumbo jet.

As a pilot who was lucky enough to fly the aircraft, the sheer scale of it was unforgettable, you literally looked down on other aircraft. It changed aviation forever when it arrived in the skies and I know I speak for our customers and the global aviation community when I say, despite rightly moving to more sustainable ways of flying, we will still miss the 747 dearly.

The 747 has been an iconic part of British Airways’ fleet for nearly fifty years. At one point the airline operated 57 of the aircraft, with the jumbo jet’s first flight to New York in 1971.

The fuel-hungry aircraft were slowly being phased out by British Airways as they reached the end of their working life in order to help meet the company’s commitment to net zero by 2050.

The airline has invested heavily in new, modern long-haul aircraft including six A350s and 32 787s which are around 25% more fuel-efficient than the 747.


Dave

Airtrain now serves Geneva

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You can now fly on the train from Geneva railway station to Zurich Airport, thanks to SWISS.

SWISS has added the route from Geneva Cornavin to Zurich Airport to its Airtrain rail services which it offers in collaboration with the Swiss Federal Railways.

Zurich Airport. Passengers arriving at Zurich can now take the Airtrain service direct to Geneva Cornavin

The new services help keep western Switzerland connected to SWISS’s Zurich Airport hub despite the timetable changes the airline had to make in response to the coronavirus crisis. By extending the Airtrain network to Geneva, SWISS is offering its customers more options for seamlessly combining multiple modes of transport.

The new Airtrain service is intended to supplement the existing air services between Geneva and Zurich airports, to continue to give the people of Western Switzerland the best possible connections with the intercontinental and European air services that SWISS operates from Zurich.

Under the new Airtrain service, selected SBB trains between Geneva Cornavin and Zurich Airport will be assigned SWISS flight numbers. Travel on these trains to Zurich Airport is included in the flight ticket. The new facility also extends to any SWISS travellers commencing their rail journey from Geneva Airport (Cointrin) station. The new Airtrain programme is the third of its kind: similar services are already offered to SWISS customers on the routes from Basel and Lugano to Zurich Airport.

SWISS CEO Thomas Klühr said:

Keeping western Switzerland closely connected with our global Zurich-based flight network is extremely important to us. In extending these Airtrain services to Geneva, we are offering our customers even more choice in planning their travels with SWISS. We’re also responding to a growing demand among our guests for greater combinability of their air and rail travel options.

Vincent Ducrot, CEO SBB,

Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) CEO Vincent Ducrot said:

The new Geneva-Zurich Airtrain connects the Romandie with German-speaking Switzerland and the train with the plane. And as a public transport company, that is something we are pleased and proud to do.

If you need to fly to Switzerland, or need further advice about travelling to or through Zurich Airport or by train in Switzerland, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

City Airport hits pause on terminal extension plans

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London City has provided an update on its Development Programme, including a decision to temporarily pause the development at the end of this year upon completion of new aircraft stands, a full-length parallel taxiway and new passenger facilities.

At the height of the Covid-19 crisis, the airport took the decision to suspend commercial flights, re-opening on 21 June. During that period, the airport worked with contractors to adapt working methods to meet new health and safety standards and made significant progress with crucial elements of the scheme.

Flights to Luxembourg are suspended until September. Routes will be added on 31 August (Vilnius) and 7 September (Frankfurt and Belfast)

By the end of 2020, the airport will have completed a number of projects to deliver significant new airside infrastructure and capacity. This includes eight new aircraft stands capable of accommodating the new generation of cleaner, more sustainable aircraft such as the Airbus A220, and the Embraer E2-190, along with a full length parallel taxiway providing the ability to allow 45 aircraft movements per hour, when demand returns.

A new immigration facility will be opened to passengers at the start of September which will include 10 new E-gates, further improving the airport’s ability to offer the fastest passenger proposition in London. Construction of a new baggage facility with increased capacity and resilience, and featuring the latest security screening technology, will be operational next summer.

Since recommencing commercial flights, the airport has welcomed back four airlines, including its home-based carrier, BA City Flyer, and is now connecting to 15 domestic and European leisure and business destinations. Further airlines are set to return over the next several months, and frequencies to key business destinations are expected to increase over the autumn.

The airport has decided to re-evaluate the timing of the next phases of the development programme, including the new terminal extension.

Robert Sinclair, CEO of London City Airport said:

Robert Sinclair
Very confident about the long-term prospects of London City and the vital role in re-connecting London and the British economy

Given our location in the heart of London, and the resilient nature of aviation, the airport and our shareholders remain very confident about the long-term prospects of London City and the vital role we can play in re-connecting London and the British economy as we recover from the shock of Covid-19.
 
For the time being, we have taken the decision to focus our attention on delivering the vital additional airfield infrastructure which will provide our existing and prospective airline customers with the potential to bring new generation aircraft to this airport in greater numbers, which will be a crucial aspect of how we build a better, more sustainable airport.
 
Completing the terminal extension and new east pier very much remains part of our future, and, with the foundations for both in place, we stand ready to take those projects forward when demand returns. 
 
In the months ahead we will work with airlines and Government to help restore confidence to the UK aviation market and we will continue to support our local authority and our communities as they plan for life beyond the crisis.

If you’re planning to fly from London City Airport, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

Teesside regains London Heathrow route with Eastern Airways

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Teesside International Airport will regain its link to London Heathrow with Eastern Airways launching its first ever schedule flights from London’s world hub airport.

From 14 September 2020, the Teesside–Heathrow service will be served by a 76-seat E-Jet Embraer 170 aircraft, following a gap of more than a decade. The airline will initially offer a daily service to the capital which will offer passengers from Durham, Middlesbrough, Darlington, Hartlepool, Teesside and North Yorkshire hundreds of onward connections to the world.

This latest news at Teesside is a further expansion of Eastern Airways’ developing route network from the north east airport. Since restrictions have been eased following the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown, the airline has reintroduced Teesside flights to Aberdeen and Belfast City while starting new routes to London City and Newquay.

The daily departures are timed to maximise the array of world-wide connections available while also supporting quick and easy access to London and the South-East on the circa 1-hour flight.

Roger Hage, Eastern Airways’ General Manager Commercial & Operations, said

As the UK’s Regional Airline, the opportunity for Eastern Airways to connect Teesside to London Heathrow, the UK’s primary hub for worldwide connections is significant in the region’s economic prosperity and economic recovery. Offering an initial daily e-Jet operated service helps add further London capacity and makes reaching the capital or getting to the North East a little over an hour away, with the array of connections world-wide this opens up. We look forward with our partners at Teesside International Airport and London Heathrow Airport to restoring such a major air-link missing for over a decade.

Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen said

Ben Houchen – we have flights to one of our most-requested destinations

Since I did a deal to take back control of our airport last year to save it from closure, we’ve announced some brilliant new daily and seasonal routes.

But whenever I’ve revealed a new service people have said, ‘that’s great, but what about a connection to Heathrow?’

Well, I can now say we have flights to one of our most-requested destinations, and it starts next month. Whether people from Teesside, Darlington and Hartlepool are looking to travel for business or pleasure, they now have a range of options for getting to London.

This is another massive vote of confidence in our airport and I’d like to thank Heathrow and Eastern Airways for working with us to realise a key route for any serious airport.

Our airport is much more than just flights though; it is hugely important to our local economy and it is playing a key part in my plan for jobs. I’ve always said that investment won’t come on a bus, it will come through our airport terminal which in turn will create good quality local jobs for local workers.

John Holland-Kaye, Chief Executive of Heathrow Airport, said

John Holland-Kaye – delighted that Eastern Airways will launch a Heathrow connection

We are delighted that Eastern Airways will launch a new connection between Teesside and Heathrow for the first time in over a decade. Adding the UK’s hub airport to Teesside’s network demonstrates the growth ambitions of the Tees Valley region, and will provide a vital levelling-up boost – unlocking a huge amount of potential for the region as we build the UK’s economic recovery.

Heathrow is committed to strengthening our regional connections across the UK with our discount on domestic routes, and we believe this new service will be a springboard for the great businesses in the region to reach out to the world. We’re looking forward to welcoming the first passengers in September.

Initially Eastern Airways’ usual complimentary on-board service will be limited to facilitate reduced customer contact.

Services continue to be carefully reintroduced since Covid-19 restrictions began to ease with extensive cleaning measures on-board and throughout all aspects of the airport. A full anti-bacterial wipe down of all touch points between every service operated and also a comprehensive aircraft night-stop sanitisation is implemented.

Eastern Airways was formed in 1997 and had moved quickly, prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, to return back to its own standalone booking facilities after its former franchise partner, Flybe, went into administration earlier in March.

The Humberside Airport-based carrier offers a network of routes from airports including Aberdeen, Anglesey, Belfast City, Cardiff, Dublin, Humberside, Isle of Man, Leeds Bradford, London City, Manchester, Newcastle, Newquay, Southampton and Teesside International and a broad array of contract and ad-hoc charters with a mixed jet and turbo-prop fleet.

If you need to fly between Teesside and London – or any other route offered by Eastern Airways – contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

Airlines increasing routes in August

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Around the world, airlines are beginning to increase the number and frequency of services, as the airline industry starts the fightback and paves the way to global economic recovery .

We’ve taken a look at what plans some of the world’s leading airlines have to bolster their schedules this month.

British Airways

Throughout August, British Airways is resuming flying to more destinations, albeit with continued low frequencies while the impact of Covid-19 remains felt across the globe.

In Europe flights will resume to the holiday destinations of Bari, Bastia, Bodrum, Bordeaux, Catania, Figari, Frankfurt, Genoa, Kefalonia, Lyon, Luxembourg, Malta, Paphos and Pula, while further afield Antigua, Islamabad and Nairobi join the long-haul line-up.

Air France

Air France plans a gradual frequency increase throughout the summer period, reaching 20% of the capacity initially planned for June, 35% in July and now, 40% this month. It is planning to reach of 80% of its pre-Covid global network having flights, with reduced frequencies, during the summer.

KLM

In terms of numbers of destinations, KLM is virtually at pre-Covid-19 levels.  Between now and October, KLM will be serving 91 destinations, just one fewer than the same period last year, and up from 72 in July.

Lufthansa

Last month, Lufthansa announced that Birmingham-Munich, Edinburgh-Frankfurt and Glasgow-Frankfurt would be reintroduced in August, while London City-Frankfurt would return in October.  However, the airline has subsequently brought forward – to 7 September – the return of the latter service.

United Airlines

United announced the return of the San Francisco route from Heathrow this month as well as Chicago to Brussels and Frankfurt, and Newark to Brussels, Munich and Zurich. Overall United will be serving 25% of its usual international schedules, up from 16% last month.

Delta Air Lines

Following the reintroduction of a number of routes in July, Delta has announced it will continue to offer a robust, connection-friendly network in August, flying more than 3,000 daily departures and serving 239 destinations worldwide, including 206 markets in the U.S. and 33 internationally.

American

American Airlines increased domestic flights and reopened Admirals Club lounges earlier in the summer, as well as resuming flights from Charlotte, Los Angeles, Philadelphia and Raleigh-Durham to Heathrow, from where it now operates at Terminal 5.  The airline has also announced a strategic partnership with Jetblue which, it claims, will increase American’s schedule to further European, African, Indian and South American routes.

Ryanair

Ryanair will increase flights to over 60% of its normal schedule throughout August, following what it said was a successful resumption of services at 40% of capacity last month.

easyJet

easyJet announced earlier in the summer that it intended to increase the routes it operates to 75% of normal, in August, up from 50% in July.

If you plan to book flights on these – or any other airlines – this month, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

What are aircraft manufacturers doing to keep passengers safe onboard?

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Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, airlines have been working harder than ever to make sure that their passengers enjoy the safest-possible experience.  Masks, gloves, additional cleaning protocols and appropriate distancing have all been deployed by airlines as means of ensuring risk levels are minimised. 

But what are the aircraft manufacturers doing? 

We took a look at two of the best-known aircraft builders, Airbus and Boeing.  This is what we found. 

Cabin air

Airbus and Boeing aircraft cabin air is circulated and filtered constantly throughout flights.  A mixture of fresh air, drawn from outside the aircraft, and purified air, recirculated ensures that the air in the cabin is renewed every 2-3 minutes. 

“It’s our duty to ensure the safety of our passengers. But safety also means health”.
Airbus Head of Engineering Jean-Brice Dumont.

The air enters the cabin at ceiling level and circulates through the cabin, leaving through grilles at floor level.  The air generally leaves the cabin near the same row it enters, so that there is a minimum of front-to-back air movement.

Before the air is recirculated, it goes through high efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters.  The HEPA filters remove 99.9% of particles present in the air, typically down to the size of microscopic bacteria and virus clusters.

Jean-Brice Dumont, Head of Engineering at Airbus, explained what cabin air movement is like:

The aircraft flies in a very hostile environment, with the very cold air and low oxygen. So we must take care that the air in the cabin has the right pressure, temperature and humidity and is clean enough to protect the passengers’ health, safety and to ensure comfort.

The air you have around you is made to share.  Half of it is thrown outside and is replaced by fresh air which is heated. The other half is recirculated, a bit like in your car, when you press the button with the circular arrow!

It’s recirculated, going through HEPA filters – they are very efficient filters, of a hospital type – and they block particulates like Covid, viruses, microbes, 99.9% at least.

Dumont went on to explain the vertical movement of air inside the cabin and the frequency of air exchange:

The air is blown from above, so there is no movement of the air forwards or backwards in the aircraft, by design. It’s like every row has its own air conditioning. You can consider that the air around you is renewed every two-to-three minutes.  In other words, twenty to thirty times per hour, you’ve got completely new air around you.

Cleaning protocols

Airbus and Boeing work with their customer airlines to ensure cleaning protocols are appropriate, efficient and thorough. 

Mike Delaney leads Boeing’s “Confident Travel Initiative” to help the aviation industry safely resume global air travel amid the Covid-19 pandemic.

Boeing supports airlines with cleaning and disinfecting practices as the second stage in a three-stage protection layer.  The first is reliance on airlines and airports to prevent infected passengers from boarding aircraft. And the third is minimising the opportunity for contaminants to spread in the cabin by the careful design of the air cabin system, and encouraging passengers to wear face coverings.

Mike Delaney, head of Boeing’s Confident Travel Initiative, said:

Our commitment to ensuring the health of airline passengers and crews is unwavering.  We’re working with partners to enhance aircraft cleanliness procedures and identify other areas to further reduce the risk of airborne illness transmission.

Airbus exchanges information with airlines and operators on appropriate cleaning procedures and products.  In addition, Airbus is testing several more solutions:

  • Fogging (also known as spraying or misting): Using a fogging machine to spray disinfectant liquid on aircraft surfaces
  • Thermal treatment: Heating the cabin between flights to a temperature much higher than usual ambient temperature
  • Ultraviolet (UV) light: Exposing aircraft surfaces to short-wave ultraviolet (UV-C) light
  • Exploring use cases for active ion generation for disinfection

Airbus and Boeing are innovative, experienced manufacturers in a competitive and safety-conscious industry. So it’s easy to see how they are both at the forefront of safety and ensuring covid-secure travel.

If you want to know more about how to keep safe on flights, you might like to download our guide “Getting Back to Business Travel”, here.

If you need any more information about the safety procedures airlines are adopting on flights you want to take, contact your GTM Account Manager.

Dave

British Airways brings back more flights in August

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Throughout August, British Airways is resuming flying to more destinations.

In Europe the airline will resume flights to Bari, Bastia, Bodrum, Bordeaux, Catania, Figari, Frankfurt, Genoa, Kefalonia, Lyon, Luxembourg, Malta, Paphos and Pula, while further afield Antigua, Islamabad and Nairobi join the long-haul line-up.

Frankfurt, Nairobi and Luxembourg are all among cities to which British Airways will be increasing flights this month.

Flights currently start from as little as £31 each way to Europe. Customers whose flights were affected over recent months and who claimed a voucher can use it towards the flights. Alternatively, Avios can also be used towards Reward flights, upgrades, hotels and car rental. When using Avios part payment, customers can pick from a range of savings by destination and cabin and they still collect Avios and Tier Points on their booking.

Alex Cruz, British Airways’ chairman and CEO, said:

We’re gradually returning to more of our network and will be flying to some great holiday destinations over the summer with seats from as little as £31 each way.

We know people want to be able to book with confidence, so we’ve introduced a range of flexible booking options to set their minds at rest, such as being able to change a booking free of charge or cancel and receive a voucher for travel at a later date.

British Airways’ has introduced a range of measures, which it requires customers and crew to abide by. These include:

  • Checking-in online, downloading their boarding pass and where possible self-scanning their boarding passes at the departure gate
  • Observing social distancing and using hand sanitisers that are placed throughout airports
  • Wearing a facemask at all times and bringing enough to replace them every four hours for longer flights
  • Asking customers not to travel if they think they have any symptoms of Covid-19
  • Cabin crew wearing PPE and a new food service, which reduces the number of interactions required with customers
  • Asking customers to ensure they have everything they need from their hand luggage before departure, and where possible, storing their carry-on bag under the seat in front of them

The airline is cleaning all key surfaces including seats, screens, seat buckles and tray tables after every flight and each aircraft is completely cleaned from nose to tail every day. The air on all British Airways flights is fully recycled once every two to three minutes through HEPA filters, which remove microscopic bacteria and virus clusters with over 99.9% efficiency, equivalent to hospital operating theatre standards.

If your business travel plans take you to cities served by British Airways, contact your GTM Account Manager for the latest schedules, fares and availability.