British Airways

http://www.britishairways.com/

Types of Travelers

Business Travlers

3/5

Standard business travel

Family Traveler

4/5

Kids menu created by “kids council”

Backpacker
Adventure Traveler

4/5

Good list of destinations

Student
Budget Traveler

3/5

Southwest is known for its low fares

Elderly
Disabled Traveler

4/5

Standard accessibility

Long Term Traveler

3/5

Access to destinations around Europe

Novice Traveler

5/5

User-friendly airline

Introduction

British Airways is the United Kingdom’s main airline. It made headlines recently by announcing a merger with Spain’s Iberia. When the merger is complete, the airline will be one of the world’s largest.

British Airways is known for its trans-Atlantic service. It flies to London from destinations in the US. It also flies between the U.K. and mainland Europe regularly. It has good business class service, though fliers may be able to find cheaper fares on other carriers. Even economy class service is highly rated. BA is a member of the Oneworld Alliance.

Ratings

Important Factors 4/5

Average Delay

27%

Cancelled Flights
(average per month)

Less than 4%

Customer Satisfaction Rating

Types of Aircraft

Airbus A318; A319; A320-200; A321-200; A380-800 Boeing 737-400; 747-400; 757-200; 767-300ER; 777-220; 777-200ER; 777-300ER; 787-8; 787-9

General 4/5

Number of Domestic Flights (Daily)

Number of International Flights (Daily)

144

Size of Fleet

281

Major Airports and Destinations Served

London, Amsterdam, Madrid, Paris, Rome, Tokyo, Chicago, Dallas, New York

Location of Hub

London Heathrow, London Gatwick

Countries Served

U.K., US, Mexico, Japan, France, Thailand, Italy, Spain, Australia

Number of Routes

n/a

Most Popular Routes

Edinburgh-London; Glasgow-London; Paris London, London-Geneva

In-Flight 4/5

Which Routes offer Meal Service?

International flights offer hot meals. Within Europe and domestic flights offer snacks and beverage service

Food Quality

Good quality food, using fresh ingredients and local cuisine

In-flight Menu

British and European Cuisine

Average Leg Room

32-33 inches

Types of In-flight Entertainment

Movies, music, High Life Magazine, High Life Shop

Baggage 4/5

Baggage Fees

None

Number of Bags Allowed

1 bag for domestic, 2 for international.

Weight Limits and Restrictions

23kg each, $50 excess weight fee

Web Site 4/5

Online Check-in

Yes

Web Site Usability

Above Average

Special Needs 3/5

Handicap Accessibility

Standard

Pets

Fees and transportation depend on weight and size of the animal and the cargo hold. Pets cannot fly on flights to Germany, Austria and Denmark

Special Offers /Partners 5/5

Airline Alliance Membership

Oneworld

Hotel Partners

n/a

Competing Airlines

BMI, Air France, American Airlines, United/Continual

Strengths

Good service reputation
Good selection of flights to Europe
World-wide reach
Good loyalty program

Weaknesses

Not always the cheapest option
Not useful outside of U.K. and Europe

Frequent Flier Program and Airport Lounges

BA operated several types of lounges for premium class passengers and loyalty program members who have achieved Gold or Silver status. The most notable lounges are at London Heathrow and New York JFK. Top tier members can gain access to other Oneworld lounges when a BA lounge is not available. The airline’s Executive Club mileage program allows fliers to earn miles by flying on BA or by flying on other Oneworld member airlines.

Conclusion

British Airways is one of the world’s largest and most famous airlines. It is useful for people flying to Europe from the US or connecting in England for trips to Europe. Connections to other parts of the world are also possible. BA might not have the cheapest flights, especially for those traveling across the Atlantic. It has good in-flight services and is the U.K.’s best airline for business class.