History of British Airways in Timeline

British Airways (BA) is the UK's flag carrier airline, headquartered in London and operating primarily from Heathrow Airport. It is a major international airline providing passenger and cargo services to destinations worldwide. BA is known for its long history, extensive network, and role in the British aviation industry.

1953: Proposals to establish a joint British airline

In 1953, proposals were raised to establish a joint British airline, combining the assets of British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) and British European Airways (BEA).

1969: Edwards Report

In 1969, the Edwards Report recommended a new British Airways Board managing BEA and BOAC.

1969: BOAC Operates 747 Aircraft

Since 1969 BOAC operated the 747 aircraft.

April 1972: British Airways Board constituted

On April 1, 1972, a new British Airways Board, managing both BEA and BOAC, and the two regional British airlines Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines, was constituted.

1973: High Life Magazine Founded

In 1973, High Life, the official in-flight magazine of British Airways, was founded.

March 1974: Formation of British Airways

On March 31, 1974, British Airways was created through the merger of British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways, Cambrian Airways, and Northeast Airlines.

March 1974: British Airways established

On March 31, 1974, British Airways was effectively established as an airline through the unification of branding.

1974: New Livery Introduced by British Airways

In 1974, British Airways introduced a new white, blue, and red color scheme designed by Negus & Negus, featuring a cropped Union Jack on the tail fins.

1974: BA Operates 747 Aircraft

Since 1974 British Airways operated the 747 aircraft.

1974: BA Inception

Since British Airways' inception in 1974, it has been involved in three hull-loss incidents and two hijacking attempts.

January 1976: First supersonic passenger service

On January 21, 1976, British Airways operated the world's first supersonic passenger service from London Heathrow to Bahrain International Airport.

May 1976: Services to the U.S. began

On May 24, 1976, British Airways began services to the U.S. with a flight to Washington Dulles airport.

1976: Fatal Accident

In 1976, British Airways Flight 476 experienced the only fatal accident for a BA aircraft, which involved a midair collision later attributed to an error made by air traffic control.

1976: Government changed its aviation policy

In 1976, the Government changed its aviation policy so that British Airways and British Caledonian would no longer compete on long-haul routes.

September 1977: Flights to New York JFK airport began

On September 22, 1977, British Airways began flights to New York JFK airport.

1981: Preparing for privatisation

In 1981, the airline was instructed to prepare for privatisation by the Conservative Thatcher government.

1983: 'The world's favourite airline' Slogan Used

Since 1983 British Airways used the slogan 'the world's favourite airline'.

1984: The Flower Duet Used in Advertisement

In 1984, "The Flower Duet" by Léo Delibes was first used in a British Airways advertisement, arranged by Howard Blake.

1984: Landor Associates Livery Introduced

In 1984, British Airways updated its look with a new livery designed by Landor Associates as it prepared for privatization.

1984: Formation of Virgin Atlantic

In 1984, Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic was formed, creating a competitor for British Airways.

February 1987: British Airways floated on London Stock Exchange

In February 1987, British Airways was floated on the London Stock Exchange after privatisation.

February 1987: Privatisation of British Airways

In February 1987, British Airways was privatised after almost 13 years as a state company.

1989: Flower Duet Reworked for "Face" Advertisement

In 1989, Malcolm McLaren and Yanni reworked "The Flower Duet" for British Airways' iconic "Face" advertisement.

1990: Flower Duet Appears in Different Arrangements

From 1990 to 2010, The Flower Duet subsequently appeared in many different arrangements.

1992: Acquisition of Dan-Air

In 1992, British Airways expanded by acquiring Dan-Air.

March 1993: Formation of British Asia Airways

In March 1993, British Asia Airways, a subsidiary based in Taiwan, was formed to operate between London and Taipei and BA purchased a 25% stake in the Australian airline Qantas.

1993: Lawsuit for libel

In 1993, British Airways was sued for libel by Virgin Atlantic over a "dirty tricks" campaign.

1997: Cabin Crew Strike Over Cost-Cutting Drive

In 1997, Bob Ayling's management at British Airways faced strike action by cabin crew over a £1 billion cost-cutting drive aimed at restoring the airline's profitability.

1997: Controversial Project Utopia Livery Change

In 1997, British Airways implemented a controversial change to a new Project Utopia livery with multiple tailfin designs, drawing criticism and prompting Virgin Atlantic to capitalize with Union flag winglets.

June 1998: Waterside Head Office Completed

In June 1998, British Airways completed its new head office, Waterside, in Harmondsworth, near Heathrow Airport, replacing the previous head office, Speedbird House.

September 1998: Formation of Oneworld airline alliance

In September 1998, British Airways, along with other airlines, formed the Oneworld airline alliance.

1998: BA Acquires Stake in Eurostar Management Company

In 1998, British Airways acquired a 10% stake in InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR), the company that managed the operations of Eurostar (UK) Ltd.

1998: Establishment of budget airline, Go

In 1998, British Airways established a budget airline, Go.

February 1999: Oneworld began operations

On February 1, 1999, the Oneworld airline alliance began operations.

1999: All Planes To Adopt Chatham Dockyard Union Flag

In 1999, British Airways CEO Bob Ayling announced that all BA planes would adopt the tailfin design Chatham Dockyard Union Flag.

1999: BA Co-founds Oneworld Alliance

In 1999, British Airways co-founded the Oneworld airline alliance with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas.

1999: Virgin Atlantic action thrown out

In 1999, Virgin Atlantic's action in the U.S. regarding BA's domination of the trans-Atlantic routes was thrown out.

March 2000: Ayling removed from position

In March 2000, Bob Ayling was removed from his position and British Airways announced Rod Eddington as his successor.

September 2000: Merger plan fell through

In September 2000, British Airways and KLM's merger plan fell through.

June 2001: Go was sold

In June 2001, Go was sold to its management and the private equity firm 3i.

2001: 'the world's favourite airline' Slogan Dropped

In 2001, the slogan 'the world's favourite airline' was dropped by British Airways.

2002: British Airways Buys ba.com Domain

In 2002, British Airways purchased the internet domain ba.com from Bell Atlantic.

October 2003: Final Concorde flight

On October 24, 2003, British Airways operated its final commercial Concorde flight, BA002 from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow.

September 2004: Sold stake in Qantas

In September 2004, British Airways sold its stake in Qantas.

2004: BA Slot Ownership Increase

British Airways had increased its slot ownership at Heathrow to 40% by 2004.

2005: Cartoon Safety Video Used

From circa 2005 until 2017, British Airways used a cartoon safety video.

2005: Willie Walsh became CEO

In 2005, Willie Walsh became the chief executive officer of British Airways.

2005: Wildcat Action Over Contract Renewals

In 2005, union members took wildcat action over Gate Gourmet's decision not to renew contracts for 670 workers, costing British Airways an estimated £30 million and disrupting 100,000 passengers.

October 2006: Civil Rights Dispute Over Religious Symbol

In October 2006, British Airways became embroiled in a civil rights dispute after forbidding a Christian employee from wearing a necklace bearing the cross.

2006: Older Seat Type Introduction

In 2006, British Airways introduced an older seat type that is currently featured on the remaining aircrafts.

March 2007: BA Acquires Stake in Flybe

In March 2007, British Airways obtained a 15% stake in Flybe from the sale of BA Connect.

2007: Cabin Crew Strike Averted

In 2007, British Airways cabin crew threatened strike action over salary changes, but the strike was called off at the last minute, costing the airline £80 million.

2007: Sale of Airways Aero Association

In 2007, British Airways sold Airways Aero Association, the operator of the British Airways flying club based at Wycombe Air Park, to Surinder Arora.

2007: BA Hires New Advertising Agency

Since 2007, British Airways used Bartle Bogle Hegarty as its advertising agency.

January 2008: Unveiled new subsidiary OpenSkies

In January 2008, British Airways unveiled its new subsidiary OpenSkies.

July 2008: Merger plan with Iberia announced

In July 2008, British Airways announced a merger plan with Iberia.

2008: easyJet Surpasses British Airways in Passenger Numbers

In 2008, British Airways carried 34.6 million passengers. However, in 2008 rival carrier easyJet transported 44.5 million passengers, surpassing British Airways for the first time.

December 2009: Strike Action Blocked by Court Injunction

In December 2009, a ballot for strike action over Christmas received high support, but action was blocked by a court injunction deeming the ballot illegal.

2009: Cabin Crew Strike Since 1997

In 2009, British Airways cabin crew would strike for the first time since 1997.

April 2010: Merger agreement confirmed

In April 2010, the merger agreement between British Airways and Iberia was confirmed.

May 2010: Strike Action and Disrupted Negotiations

In May 2010, strike action occurred, with BA withdrawing perks for strike participants, and negotiations were disrupted by Socialist Workers Party members and a leaked details of confidential negotiations online.

September 2010: Consideration of acquiring other airlines

In September 2010, Willie Walsh announced that IAG was considering acquiring other airlines.

October 2010: Alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia formally began

On 6 October 2010 the alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia formally began operations.

December 2010: Changed accounting reference date

In December 2010, the accounting reference date was changed from 31 March to 31 December.

2010: Flower Duet Appears in Different Arrangements

From 1990 to 2010, The Flower Duet subsequently appeared in many different arrangements.

2010: Eurostar Management Restructuring

In 2010, the management of Eurostar was restructured, affecting British Airways' involvement through its stake in ICRR.

January 2011: Merger with Iberia

In January 2011, British Airways merged with Iberia, creating the International Airlines Group (IAG).

January 2011: Merger finalised, IAG established

On 21 January 2011, the merger between British Airways and Iberia was finalised, resulting in the establishment of International Airlines Group S.A. (IAG).

November 2011: Agreement in principle to purchase British Midland International

In November 2011, IAG announced an agreement in principle to purchase British Midland International from Lufthansa.

2011: Brand Relaunch Project

In 2011, British Airways undertook a brand relaunch project, introducing a stylized, metallic version of the arms by For People Design alongside its Speedmarque logo.

March 2012: Sale of British Midland International completed

On 30 March 2012, the sale of British Midland International was completed.

May 2012: Official airline partner of the London 2012 Olympic Games

On 18 May 2012, British Airways flew the Olympic flame from Athens International Airport to RNAS Culdrose.

2012: Official Airline of 2012 Summer Olympics

British Airways was the official airline and tier one partner of the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.

2012: Acquisition of British Midland International

In 2012, British Airways acquired British Midland International.

August 2014: BA to Continue Using Flight Paths Over Iraq

In August 2014, Willie Walsh advised that British Airways would continue to use flight paths over Iraq despite ongoing hostilities, contrasting with other airlines' decisions to avoid Iraqi airspace.

2014: BA Sells Stake in Flybe

In 2014, British Airways sold its 15% stake in the regional airline Flybe.

November 2016: Mixed Fleet Crew Ballot for Industrial Action

In November 2016, Mixed Fleet flight attendants distributed a ballot for industrial action, resulting in an overwhelming majority in favour.

January 2017: Mixed Fleet Strike Commences

In January 2017, industrial action by British Airways' Mixed Fleet commenced after rejecting a pay offer.

April 2017: Generated over US$1 billion on a single route

In April 2017, British Airways became the first passenger airline to generate over US$1 billion on the New York-JFK to London-Heathrow route.

May 2017: Computer power failure

On 27 May 2017, British Airways suffered a computer power failure, causing all flights to be cancelled.

September 2017: New Comic Relief Safety Video Introduced

On 1 September 2017, British Airways introduced a new Comic Relief live-action safety video hosted by Chabuddy G, featuring British celebrities.

October 2017: Mixed Fleet Strike Ends

On 31 October 2017, after 85 days of discontinuous industrial action, Mixed Fleet accepted a new pay deal from British Airways, ending the dispute.

March 2018: Generated over US$1 billion on a single route

In March 2018, British Airways generated over US$1 billion on the New York-JFK to London-Heathrow route.

September 2018: Suspension of services in Iran

In September 2018, British Airways decided to stop its services in Iran, effective 22 September 2018, due to the decline in the value of Iranian currency.

2018: Partnership with Ozwald Boateng

In 2018, British Airways partnered with Ozwald Boateng to redesign the company's historic uniforms.

2018: Chabuddy G Hosted Safety Video Released

In 2018, British Airways released a "sequel" video, also hosted by Chabuddy G, featuring Michael Caine, Olivia Colman, Jourdan Dunn, Naomie Harris, Joanna Lumley, and David Walliams.

2018: Official Airline of England's World Cup Bid

In 2018, British Airways was the official airline of England's bid to host the Football World Cup.

March 2019: New Business-Class Seats Unveiled

In March 2019, British Airways unveiled its new business-class seats named Club Suite on the new A350 aircraft, featuring a suite with a door.

2019: BA Dominates Heathrow Slots

As of 2019, British Airways owns 50% of the available slots at Heathrow Airport, making it the dominant airline at the airport.

2019: Retro liveries announced

In 2019, British Airways announced that four aircraft would receive retro liveries as part of the celebrations of a centenary of airline operations in the United Kingdom.

2019: Centenary Celebration

In 2019, British Airways marked its centenary based on predecessor companies.

2019: Retro Liveries Announced for Centenary

In 2019, to celebrate its centenary, British Airways announced four retro liveries: three on Boeing 747-400 aircraft and one A319 in BEA livery.

April 2020: Plans to make up to 12,000 staff redundant

On 28 April 2020, British Airways set out plans to make up to 12,000 staff redundant because of the global collapse of air traffic due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 2020: Immediate retirement of 747-400 fleet

In July 2020, British Airways announced the immediate retirement of its entire 747-400 fleet due to the downturn in air travel following the COVID-19 pandemic.

October 2020: British Airways Retires 747 Fleet

In October 2020, British Airways retired its fleet of 747-400 aircraft.

October 2020: Sean Doyle succeeded Álex Cruz as CEO

On 12 October 2020, Sean Doyle, CEO of Aer Lingus, succeeded Álex Cruz as CEO of British Airways.

2020: Wi-Fi Rollout

By 2020, British Airways expects that 90% of its fleet of aircraft will be Wi-Fi enabled.

2020: Workforce reduction

In 2020, British Airways reduced its 42,000-strong workforce by 12,000 jobs due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

2020: Retirement of 'Landor' and 'Union Jack' liveried planes

In 2020, the two Boeing 747-400s repainted with former British Airways liveries, 'Landor' and original 'Union Jack', retired.

March 2022: Reopened at Gatwick

In March 2022, British Airways reopened operations at Gatwick airport.

October 2022: British Airways Launches "A British Original" Ad Campaign

In October 2022, British Airways launched a new ad campaign titled "A British Original", produced by Uncommon Creative Studio, featuring 500 unique executions and 32 short films.

February 2023: IAG Announces Return to Profitability

In February 2023, the International Airlines Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways, announced a return to annual profitability of €1.3 billion, marking the first profit since the pandemic after a €2.8 billion loss in 2021.

April 2023: New Safety Video Launched as Part of "A British Original" Campaign

On 17 April 2023, British Airways launched a new safety video as part of "A British Original" campaign, featuring Emma Raducanu, Robert Peston, Little Simz, and Steven Bartlett.

2023: Launched new uniform collection

In 2023, British Airways launched the new uniform collection "A British Original" designed by Ozwald Boateng.

June 2024: Most Family Friendly Airline in the World

In June 2024, Skytrax voted British Airways the 2024 Most Family Friendly Airline in the World.

2024: Damaged Letters Patent Up For Auction

In 2024, the damaged letters patent of the arms of British Airways went up for auction online before being withdrawn.

2024: Original phase out date for 747s

In July 2020, British Airways had originally intended to phase out the remaining 747s in 2024.

February 2025: British Airways Fleet Status

As of February 2025, British Airways operates a fleet of 274 aircraft with 42 orders.

April 2025: The Executive Club Is Being Rebranded

On April 1, 2025, The Executive Club is being rebranded to "The British Airways Club".

2050: Intention to eliminate carbon emissions

In July 2020, British Airways also announced its intention to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.

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