History of British Airways in Timeline
British Airways (BA) is the United Kingdom's flag carrier airline, with its headquarters situated in London, England. Its primary operational hub is located at Heathrow Airport.
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: Recommendations of the Edwards Report
Following the recommendations of the 1969 Edwards Report, a new British Airways Board, managing both BEA and BOAC, was constituted.
1969: Operated -100, -200, and -400 aircraft with BOAC
From 1969 with BOAC, British Airways had previously operated the -100, -200, and -400 aircraft.
April 1972: Establishment of British Airways Board
On 1 April 1972, a new British Airways Board was constituted, managing both BEA and BOAC, and the two regional British airlines Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines.
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 31 March 1974, British Airways was formed through the merger of British Overseas Airways Corporation, British European Airways, Cambrian Airways, and Northeast Airlines.
March 1974: British Airways as an airline
On 31 March 1974, The British Airways Board unified its branding, effectively establishing British Airways as an airline.
1974: Operated -100, -200, and -400 aircraft
From 1974, British Airways had previously operated the -100, -200, and -400 aircraft.
1974: New colour scheme introduced
In 1974, British Airways' aeroplanes were given a new white, blue, and red colour scheme with a cropped Union Jack painted on their tail fins, designed by Negus & Negus.
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 21 January 1976, British Airways and Air France operated the world's first supersonic passenger service on the Concorde airliner from London Heathrow Airport to Bahrain International Airport.
May 1976: Services to the U.S. began
On 24 May 1976, British Airways' Concorde services to the U.S. began with a flight to Washington Dulles airport.
1976: Fatal Accident
In 1976, British Airways Flight 476 experienced the only fatal accident in the airline's history, due to a midair collision attributed to air traffic control error.
1976: Government changes 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
On 22 September 1977, British Airways' Concorde flights to New York JFK airport began.
1981: Privatisation Preparation
In 1981, British Airways was instructed to prepare for privatisation by the Conservative Thatcher government, with Sir John King appointed as chairman.
1983: 'The world's favourite airline' slogan used
In 1983, British Airways first used the slogan 'the world's favourite airline'.
1984: First Use of "The Flower Duet"
In 1984, British Airways first used "The Flower Duet" by Léo Delibes in an advertisement directed by Tony Scott.
1984: New livery designed by Landor Associates
In 1984, a new livery designed by Landor Associates updated the airline's look as it prepared for privatization.
1984: Formation of Virgin Atlantic
In 1984, the formation of Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic created a competitor for British Airways.
February 1987: Privatisation of British Airways
In February 1987, British Airways was privatised after almost 13 years as a state company.
February 1987: Privatisation on the London Stock Exchange
In February 1987, British Airways was privatised and floated on the London Stock Exchange.
1989: "Face" advertisement
In 1989, British Airways used "The Flower Duet" reworked by Malcolm McLaren and Yanni for its iconic "Face" advertisement.
1990: Continued use of "The Flower Duet"
Between 1990 and 2010, British Airways continued to use "The Flower Duet" in many different arrangements.
1992: Acquisition of Dan-Air
In 1992, British Airways expanded through the acquisition of the financially troubled Dan-Air, giving BA a much larger presence at Gatwick Airport.
March 1993: Formation of British Asia Airways and purchase of stake in Qantas
In March 1993, British Asia Airways, a subsidiary based in Taiwan, was formed to operate between London and Taipei. That same month 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, arising from claims over a "dirty tricks" campaign. BA management apologised "unreservedly", and the company agreed to pay damages to Virgin and Branson personally, and pay legal costs.
1997: Strike action by cabin crew
In 1997, Bob Ayling's management faced strike action by cabin crew over a £1 billion cost-cutting drive.
1997: Controversial change to Project Utopia livery
In 1997, British Airways introduced a controversial Project Utopia livery, leading to criticism and Virgin Atlantic's use of the Union flag on their aircraft winglets with the slogan "Britain's national flagcarrier".
June 1998: Waterside head office completed
In June 1998, British Airways' head office, Waterside, located in Harmondsworth near Heathrow Airport, was completed, replacing the previous head office, Speedbird House.
September 1998: Formation of Oneworld airline alliance
In September 1998, British Airways, along with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and Canadian Airlines, formed the Oneworld airline alliance.
1998: Establishment of budget airline Go
In 1998, Bob Ayling's leadership led to the establishment of a budget airline, Go.
1998: Stake in InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR)
In 1998, British Airways owned a 10% stake in InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR), the company that managed the operations of Eurostar (UK) Ltd.
February 1999: Oneworld begins operations
On 1 February 1999, the Oneworld airline alliance, which included British Airways, began operations.
1999: New Tailfin Design
In 1999, British Airways CEO Bob Ayling announced a new tailfin design for all BA planes, featuring the Chatham Dockyard Union Flag, initially intended only for the Concorde.
1999: British Airways co-founds Oneworld
In 1999, British Airways co-founded the airline alliance Oneworld with American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, and Qantas.
1999: US lawsuit thrown out
In 1999, Virgin's US action regarding BA's domination of the trans-Atlantic routes was thrown out.
March 2000: Removal of Bob Ayling
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 conducted talks on a potential merger, reaching a decision in July to file an official merger plan with the European Commission. The plan fell through in September 2000.
June 2001: Sale of Go
In June 2001, Go was sold to its management and the private equity firm 3i.
2001: Drop of 'the world's favourite airline' slogan
In 2001, British Airways dropped the slogan 'the world's favourite airline' after Lufthansa overtook BA in terms of passenger numbers.
2002: Purchase of ba.com domain
In 2002, British Airways purchased the internet domain ba.com from previous owner Bell Atlantic.
October 2003: Final commercial Concorde flight
In 2003, British Airways decided to cease Concorde operations after 27 years of service. The final commercial Concorde flight was BA002 from New York-JFK to London-Heathrow on 24 October 2003.
September 2004: Sale of stake in Qantas
In September 2004, British Airways sold its stake in Qantas.
2004: British Airways owns 40% of the slots available at Heathrow Airport
In 2004, British Airways owned 40% of the slots available at Heathrow Airport. As of 2019, British Airways owns 50% of the slots available at Heathrow Airport.
2005: Used a cartoon safety video
From circa 2005 until 2017, British Airways used a cartoon safety video.
2005: Willie Walsh becomes CEO
In 2005, Willie Walsh became the chief executive officer of British Airways.
2005: Wildcat action by union members
In 2005, wildcat action was taken by union members over a decision by Gate Gourmet not to renew the contracts of 670 workers, costing British Airways an estimated £30 million.
October 2006: Civil rights dispute over religious symbol
In October 2006, British Airways became involved in a civil rights dispute when a Christian employee was forbidden to wear a necklace bearing the cross.
2006: Introduction of Older Seat Type
In 2006, British Airways introduced an older seat type for its aircraft, which is still present on remaining aircraft awaiting refitting.
March 2007: BA acquires 15% stake in Flybe
In March 2007, British Airways obtained a 15% stake in Flybe from the sale of BA Connect.
2007: Cabin crew threaten strike action over salary changes
In 2007, British Airways lost £80 million when cabin crew threatened strike action over salary changes, but the strike was called off at the last minute.
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 in High Wycombe, to Surinder Arora.
2007: Bartle Bogle Hegarty becomes advertising agency
Since 2007, British Airways has used Bartle Bogle Hegarty as its advertising agency.
January 2008: Unveiling of OpenSkies
In January 2008, British Airways unveiled its new subsidiary OpenSkies, taking advantage of the liberalisation of transatlantic traffic rights between Europe and the United States.
July 2008: Merger plan announced with Iberia
In July 2008, British Airways announced a merger plan with Iberia, wherein each airline would retain its original brand.
2008: easyJet surpasses British Airways in passenger numbers
In 2008, British Airways carried 34.6 million passengers, while rival carrier easyJet transported 44.5 million passengers, surpassing British Airways for the first time.
December 2009: Strike action over Christmas blocked
In December 2009, British Airways strike action over Christmas received a high level of support but was blocked by a court injunction that deemed the ballot illegal.
2009: Last strike action by BA cabin crew until 2009
The strike action in 1997 was the last time British Airways cabin crew would strike until 2009.
April 2010: Merger agreement confirmed
In April 2010, the merger agreement between British Airways and Iberia was confirmed.
May 2010: Strike action announced
In May 2010, British Airways again sought an injunction after a strike was announced, while negotiations were disrupted by members of the Socialist Workers Party.
September 2010: Consideration of acquiring other airlines
In September 2010, Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG, announced that the group was considering acquiring other airlines and had drawn up a shortlist of twelve possible acquisitions.
October 2010: Alliance with American Airlines and Iberia begins operations
On 6 October 2010, the alliance between British Airways, American Airlines and Iberia formally began operations.
December 2010: Accounting reference date changed
In December 2010, following the merger with Iberia, British Airways' accounting reference date was changed from March 31 to December 31.
2010: Continued use of "The Flower Duet"
Between 1990 and 2010, British Airways continued to use "The Flower Duet" in many different arrangements.
2010: Restructuring of Eurostar management
In 2010, the management of Eurostar was restructured, marking the end of InterCapital and Regional Rail (ICRR) managing its operations, where British Airways held a 10% stake.
January 2011: Merger with Iberia
In January 2011, British Airways merged with Iberia, creating the International Airlines Group (IAG), a holding company registered in Madrid, Spain.
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
In 2011, British Airways relaunched their brand, introducing a stylized, metallic version of the arms by For People Design along with the Speedmarque logo. This new design was used exclusively on aircraft, the First Wing Lounge, and advertisements.
March 2012: Sale of British Midland International completed
On 30 March 2012, the sale of British Midland International to IAG was completed for £172.5 million.
May 2012: Olympic flame flight
On 18 May 2012, British Airways flew the Olympic flame from Athens International Airport to RNAS Culdrose carrying various dignitaries.
2012: Acquisition of British Midland International
In 2012, British Airways acquired British Midland International.
2012: Official airline of the Summer Olympics and Paralympics
In 2012, British Airways was the official airline and tier one partner of the Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
August 2014: Continued use of flight paths over Iraq
In August 2014, Willie Walsh advised that British Airways would continue to use flight paths over Iraq despite hostilities, while other airlines avoided Iraqi airspace following the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine.
2014: Sale of Flybe stake
In 2014, British Airways sold its 15% stake in Flybe.
November 2016: Ballot for industrial action
In November 2016, a ballot for industrial action was distributed to Mixed Fleet crew and resulted in an overwhelming yes majority for industrial action.
January 2017: Industrial action commences
In January 2017, industrial action by British Airways Mixed Fleet commenced after rejecting a pay offer, starting one of the longest-running disputes in aviation history.
April 2017: Generating US$1 billion on a single route
From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, British Airways became the first passenger airline to generate more than US$1 billion on the New York-JFK – London-Heathrow route.
May 2017: Computer power failure
On 27 May 2017, British Airways suffered a computer power failure, leading to flight cancellations and affecting thousands of passengers.
September 2017: Introduction of new Comic Relief safety video
On 1 September 2017, British Airways introduced a new Comic Relief live action safety video hosted by Chabuddy G, with appearances by British celebrities.
October 2017: Mixed Fleet accepts new pay deal
On 31 October 2017, after 85 days of discontinuous industrial action, Mixed Fleet accepted a new pay deal from British Airways, which ended the dispute.
March 2018: Generating US$1 billion on a single route
From 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2018, British Airways became the first passenger airline to generate more than US$1 billion on the New York-JFK – London-Heathrow route.
September 2018: Services to Iran stopped
Due to the decline in the value of Iranian currency, BA announced that the Iranian route is "not commercially viable" and decided to stop its services in Iran, effective 22 September 2018.
2018: Partnership with Ozwald Boateng to redesign uniforms
In 2018, British Airways partnered with British tailor and designer Ozwald Boateng to redesign the company's historic uniforms, in honour of its approaching centenary, creating a new look for BA, while adhering to its traditional style.
2018: A "sequel" video, also hosted by Chabuddy G, was released
In 2018, British Airways released a "sequel" safety video, also hosted by Chabuddy G, with appearances by British celebrities.
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. These suites feature a door and have since been installed on the Boeing 787-10 and are being installed on the Boeing 777s.
2019: British Airways owns 50% of the slots available at Heathrow Airport
As of 2019, British Airways owns 50% of the slots available at Heathrow Airport and 52% of the slots at London City Airport.
2019: Retro liveries
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.
April 2020: Plans for staff redundancy due to COVID-19
On 28 April 2020, British Airways set out plans to make up to 12,000 staff redundant and potentially not reopen its operations at Gatwick airport due to the global collapse of air traffic from 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: Retirement of 747-400 fleet
In October 2020, British Airways retired its fleet of 747-400 aircraft.
October 2020: Sean Doyle succeeds Álex Cruz as CEO
On 12 October 2020, Sean Doyle succeeded Álex Cruz as CEO of British Airways.
2020: Wi-Fi Rollout and Buy on Board System
By 2020, British Airways expects 90% of its aircraft to be Wi-Fi enabled. Additionally, all flights from Heathrow and Gatwick offer a buy on board system with food designed by Tom Kerridge, which can be pre-ordered via the British Airways mobile application.
2020: Workforce reduction due to COVID-19 pandemic
In 2020, British Airways reduced its workforce by 12,000 jobs due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, with IAG estimating it would take several years for the air travel industry to recover.
2020: Retirement of aircrafts with retro liveries
In 2020, some Boeing 747-400s repainted with former British Airways liveries such as the "Landor" livery and the original "Union Jack" livery were retired.
2021: €2.8 billion loss
In 2021, British Airways faced a €2.8 billion loss. In February 2023, The international airlines group, the owners of British Airways, announced that the group has returned to making an annual profit of €1.3 billion for the first time since the pandemic.
March 2022: Reopening at Gatwick
British Airways reopened at Gatwick in March 2022.
October 2022: Launch of "A British Original" ad campaign
In October 2022, British Airways launched a new ad campaign titled "A British Original", produced by London-based Uncommon Creative Studio, coinciding with the launch of Ozwald Boateng's new collection of uniform.
2022: Dramatic increase in travel leads to worker shortage
In 2022, British Airways faced a worker shortage due to a dramatic increase in travel, forcing the company to cancel more than 1,500 flights.
February 2023: Return to annual profit since the pandemic
In February 2023, The international airlines group, the owners of British Airways, announced that the group has returned to making an annual profit of €1.3 billion for the first time since the pandemic, following a €2.8 billion loss in 2021. The company warned that due to the surge in demand for flying this could lead to more disruption.
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 a part of “A British Original” campaign, with Emma Raducanu, Robert Peston, Little Simz, and Steven Bartlett.
2023: Launch of new uniform collection
In 2023, British Airways launched the new uniform collection "A British Original" designed by Ozwald Boateng. This design initiative also included English bone china manufactured by William Edwards and cutlery by Studio William for the company's first class service.
June 2024: Most Family Friendly Airline Award
On 24 June 2024, British Airways was voted the 2024 Most Family Friendly Airline in the World by Skytrax, recognizing its overall family travel experience.
2024: Originally intended retirement date
British Airways originally intended to phase out the remaining 747s in 2024, before deciding to bring forward the date to July 2020.
2024: Auction of Damaged Letters Patent
In 2024, the damaged letters patent of the arms of British Airways were put up for auction online before being withdrawn.
February 2025: Fleet of 274 aircraft with 42 orders
As of February 2025, British Airways operates a fleet of 274 aircraft with 42 orders.
April 2025: Executive Club Rebrand
Starting in April 2025, the British Airways Executive Club is being rebranded to "The British Airways Club." The change involves earning 1 tier point per £1 spent, with new thresholds being implemented.
2050: Intention to eliminate carbon emissions
In July 2020, British Airways also announced its intention to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.
Mentioned in this timeline
Christmas is an annual festival celebrated on December th commemorating...
Sir Richard Branson is an English business leader who started...
Football is a family of team sports centered around kicking...
Iraq officially the Republic of Iraq is a West Asian...
Boeing is a multinational corporation and one of the world's...
The modern Olympic Games are a leading international sporting event...
Trending
25 minutes ago Ashwani Kumar replaces Corbin Bosch as concussion sub for Mumbai Indians in IPL
25 minutes ago Adam Lambert to play Judas in 'Jesus Christ Superstar' at Hollywood Bowl.
1 hour ago Michelle Williams and Heath Ledger's romance, Jenny Slate's 'Dying for Sex' friendship explored.
1 hour ago Trump's Economic Tone Shifts Towards Austerity Amid Tariff Impact Concerns and Broken Promises.
1 hour ago Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia Renamed Xfinity Mobile Arena: New Naming Rights Deal.
1 hour ago North Texas hit by storms, flash flood warning issued, thousands without power.
Popular
Jane Goodall is a renowned English primatologist zoologist and anthropologist...
Ronald Reagan the th U S President - was a...
Michael Jordan also known as MJ is an American businessman...
Pope Francis is the current head of the Catholic Church...
Cristiano Ronaldo often nicknamed CR is a highly decorated Portuguese...
The Real ID Act of is a US federal law...