British Airways (BA) is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, headquartered at Waterside near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. It is the second-largest airline in the UK, based on fleet size and passengers carried, right behind easyJet. Established in 1974 following the merger of several UK airlines, British Airways has grown to become one of the world’s leading global airlines.
British Airways operates a fleet of Airbus and Boeing aircraft and serves an extensive network of international flights spanning cities across the globe. The airline is a founding member of the Oneworld airline alliance, which helps it to provide passengers with a broad range of travel options and benefits through partnerships with other member airlines.
The airline is known for its range of travel classes, including Economy, Premium Economy, Business (Club World), and First Class. British Airways is particularly well-regarded for its Club World business class, offering lie-flat beds on long-haul flights. Additionally, BA offers a significant loyalty program, the Executive Club, allowing frequent flyers to earn points for flights and other services to redeem for upgrades, flights, or other rewards.
Throughout its history, British Airways has been at the forefront of aviation innovation. It was, for instance, one of the only two airlines to commercially operate the supersonic Concorde until its retirement in 2003. BA continues to focus on innovative customer service, operational efficiency, and sustainability, aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050.