British Airways Celebrates 10 Years of Austin-London Flights with Texas-Inspired Treats
- On Sunday March 3, 2024, British Airways proudly celebrated a decade of direct flights between Austin and London
- A British Airways First Officer named Austin operated the anniversary BA191, sharing his name with the vibrant Texan city
- The airline partnered with Austin’s renowned barbecue joint, Franklin Barbecue, to produce limited edition bottles of Franklin Barbecue’s Original BBQ sauce to gift premium customers flying from Austin to London throughout March
- British Airways is also treating its customers to a celebratory Texas-inspired barbecue menu throughout the anniversary month
(IN SHORT) British Airways commemorates a decade of serving Austin, Texas, with non-stop flights to London Heathrow Airport. The milestone was celebrated with live music and giveaways at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, emphasizing the airline’s strong relationship with the community. To mark the occasion, limited edition bottles of Franklin Barbecue’s Original BBQ sauce were gifted to premium customers, while all passengers enjoyed a Texas-inspired barbecue menu onboard throughout March. The anniversary signifies British Airways’ commitment to connecting two vibrant cities and its dedication to providing memorable experiences for travelers.
(PRESS RELEASE) Austin, Texas, 2024-Mar-6 — /Travel PR News/ — British Airways has proudly marked a decade of serving the vibrant city of Austin, Texas, with non-stop flights to London Heathrow Airport. Since its inaugural service on March 3, 2014, British Airways has flown more than 1.25m customers to and from Austin and the United Kingdom.
To commemorate this milestone, celebrations were held at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport ahead of the departure of BA190 to London Heathrow on March 3, 2024. Customers were treated to live music, giveaways, and speeches.
Neil Chernoff, Chief Planning and Strategy Officer at British Airways, expressed his gratitude for the continued support from the community, stating, “Celebrating ten years of flying between Austin and London is a testament to the strong relationship we’ve built with this incredible city and its people. Working together with the local community and institutions, combined with our joint business partnership with American Airlines, has allowed us to grow our capacity in the market by 50% since our first year of operations. This is through the deployment of one of our largest aircraft, the A350.
“We’re proud to have played a role in connecting friends, families and businesses, and as we continue rolling out the biggest investment program in our 104-year history, we look forward to serving Austin over the next decade and beyond.”
First Officer Austin, who shares a name with the vibrant Texan city he flew into on the anniversary flight, shared his enthusiasm, saying, “It’s an honour to be part of this special milestone, connecting two incredible cities. Touching down in Austin on our anniversary is a moment I’ll always remember.”
“As we celebrate a decade of partnership with British Airways, Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is honored to acknowledge the enduring commitment that characterizes our journey together. Ten years ago, this first transatlantic flight helped put the Live Music Capital of the World exactly where we belong—on the world’s stage,” said Ghizlane Badawi, Interim AUS Chief Executive Officer.
“My team and I value the long-term investment British Airways has made to strengthen our global connectivity, boost our economy, increase tourism, and provide a vital link for businesses. We look forward to many more decades of continued success in connecting Austinites and Central Texans to London and beyond.”
The Lonestar State capital is renowned for celebrating local brands, so to mark the anniversary, the airline partnered with Austin’s renowned barbecue joint, Franklin Barbecue, to produce limited edition bottles of Franklin Barbecue’s Original BBQ sauce, aptly labelled BA-B-Q sauce, to gift premium customers flying from Austin to London throughout March.
Customers flying from Austin during the anniversary month will also enjoy a Texas-inspired barbecue menu on board. The menu will showcase the rich and savoury taste of Austin’s barbecue tradition, featuring options such as a lightly smoked beef brisket in Club World (business), and BBQ chicken in World Traveller (economy) – dishes that pay homage to the city’s renowned barbecue culture.
British Airways flies direct to London from 26 cities in the US, and first launched flights to Austin on March 3, 2014.
Austin is served by the airline’s newest and most sustainable aircraft type, the Airbus A350, complete with the Club Suite business class cabin. The A350 is one of the largest aircraft in the British Airways fleet – with 331 seats including 56 Club Suites (business) and 56 Premium Economy seats.
About British Airways
As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. For media inquiries, please contact: Americas.newsroom@ba.com.
Notes to Editor
• Customers will be able to enjoy the airline’s themed menu on flights between Austin and London from 1 to 31 March 2024.
• Limited edition 5oz bottles of Franklin’s Original BBQ sauce will be gifted to all customers flying from Austin to London Heathrow in Club World throughout March (subject to availability)
Media Contact:
press.office@ba.com.
SOURCE: British Airways
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