BA’s all-business class City flights set for take off
TROUBLED British Airways (BA) said yesterday it would go ahead with its all-business class London City to New York service, despite having reported record losses earlier this year.
The service, which will begin on 29 September, sees each Airbus A318 plane take just 32 passengers over the Atlantic. The plane will stop in Ireland for refuelling en route.
BA will charge up to £5,000 return for the twice daily service from London City to JFK.
Last month, BA reported an annual loss of £401m. Chief executive Willie Walsh has said the airline is “fighting for survival,” and he has asked staff to work for free for up to a month as it struggles during the downturn.
“In the harshest trading environment airlines have experienced, we believe it is more important than ever to embrace the future and innovate,” Walsh said yesterday. “This is BA at its best — stylish, British and ahead of the game,” he added.
Tickets for the flights go on sale from today. Airlines have seen a massive drop in premium traffic in the recession.