2013-03-07 — /travelprnews.com/ — British Airways marks 10 years at London City Airport in March with a year-long party for customers, colleagues and charity.
The celebrations begin on March 27 with a birthday party at the Museum of London Docklands, hosted by football legend Gary Lineker and Willie Walsh, CEO of International Airlines Group (IAG), parent company of British Airways.
The evening will be attended by over 200 guests who have each played a part in the airline’s 10 years of success at London City Airport. Celebrity guests will provide the entertainment and money raised on the night will go to Flying Start, British Airways’ global charity partnership with Comic Relief.
In the year ahead customers and colleagues will all benefit with low fares, new routes and the chance to win a whole aircraft for a day, a short break or a villa holiday for 10 guests in Ibiza.
The first aircraft with a British Airways tail, an Avro RJ100, took off from the Docklands airport on March 30 2003 operating to Paris and Frankfurt.
Now 10 years on the airline is the biggest operator at London City, flying more passengers to 23 destinations in the UK, Europe and USA on one of the youngest aircraft fleets in the business. In addition franchise partner Sun Air operates double daily flights to Billund in Denmark in British Airways colours.
British Airways has a fleet of 14 new Embraer 170 and 190 aircraft, a leased Saab 2000 plus two longhaul Airbus A318 aircraft, based at London City Airport and the airline carries over 1.2million passengers every year.
Luke Hayhoe, British Airways general manager commercial at London City said: “We saw the potential in London City Airport because of its unique geographic position and the excellent ground transport links that feed into it. Ten years ago there were 55,000 office workers in Canary Wharf, today that number has more than doubled and we’re delighted that many of them now chose to fly direct from the Docklands with British Airways for both their business and leisure travel.
“We are looking forward to a year-long celebration to mark our growth and we want our customers and staff to be involved in that. They are the people who have helped us reach our top position at London City”.
More details will be revealed later about the competitions including a special fund-raising celebrity charter flight for Flying Start in the summer, following on from the hugely successful One Direction flight from London City last year.
Matthew Hall, chief commercial officer at London City Airport said: “London City Airport would not be the success it is today without British Airways as a key partner. LCY is the only airport actually in London and with the dramatic transformation that has taken place in east London and Docklands, we are the local airport for the business community in the City and for the booming residential population in the surrounding areas. We wish British Airways a very happy anniversary and look forward to the next 10 years.”
Editors note
London City milestones include:
2005 – the DLR extension to the airport was completed linking the Docklands to central London
2009 – delivery of the first of a new fleet of Embraer aircraft
2009 – launch of double daily business class only flights to New York
2010 – the first move away from business travel when British Airways started leisure only services to Ibiza and Majorca
British Airways customers benefit from a quick and easy service at London City Airport, just 15 minutes from kerbside to airside.
In addition to the generous free hold and cabin baggage allowance all fares include free on-line check-in and seat selection 24 hours before departure and complimentary food and drink on board.
Further information
Please contact Sue Redmond on 0161 489 2631