Doctor Who’s Dalek Surprise Delights British Airways Travelers at Heathrow
(IN SHORT) British Airways passengers were treated to an unexpected encounter with a Dalek, a famous antagonist from the TV series “Doctor Who,” at London’s Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. The Dalek was spotted in both the Arrivals hall and Departures, leading to confusion among travelers as it checked in for a flight to the fictional extraterrestrial destination of Skaro. This surprise visit marked the launch of a partnership between British Airways and BBC Studios to celebrate the 60th anniversary of “Doctor Who.” As part of this collaboration, British Airways introduced a dedicated Doctor Who inflight entertainment channel, featuring 13 episodes from the long-running science fiction series. Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, expressed excitement about the partnership and the addition of new entertainment options for passengers. The Doctor Who inflight channel will be available on long-haul flights starting from November 1. Additionally, it was announced that the Fifteenth Doctor, portrayed by Ncuti Gatwa, will take over the TARDIS in a special episode airing during the festive period in 2023.
(PRESS RELEASE) London, UK, 2023-Nov-1 — /Travel PR News/ — British Airways customers were surprised to find a special out of this world guest, a Dalek, while travelling through Heathrow’s Terminal 5 on Friday.
Much to the surprise of those waiting in the Arrivals hall to meet loved ones, one of Doctor Who’s fearsome foes was seen keeping a watchful eye over British Airways’ arriving customers. The Dalek also mysteriously appeared in Departures where confused customers spotted one of the planet’s best-known villains checking in for a flight to Skaro, an extra-terrestrial destination that isn’t normally on British Airways’ route network.
The unscheduled arrival of the Dalek in British Airways’ home at Heathrow Terminal 5 marked the new partnership between British Airways and BBC Studios to celebrate Doctor Who’s 60th anniversary, which includes the launch of a dedicated Doctor Who inflight entertainment channel, available for all the airline’s customers travelling on long-haul flights from November 1. The new channel features 13 acclaimed episodes of the longest running science fiction television series in the world.
Calum Laming, British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, said: “We are really excited to be partnering with the BBC’s Doctor Who to create a dedicated channel on our inflight entertainment system, another fantastic British Original partnership that we know our customers will love. This year alone we have doubled the amount of content available on our in-flight entertainment, and we are committed to continue to bring the best, out of this world, entertainment to the skies.”
Sarah Bold, Head of Marketing, Scripted at BBC Studios, said: “Doctor Who has been inspiring and entertaining audiences globally for an incredible 60 years and we couldn’t miss this opportunity to bring two iconic British brands together in style to celebrate. Travellers and subscribers will be able to enjoy a curated collection of content and the tie in will reach millions of people throughout the partnership.”
The new Doctor Who inflight entertainment channel on board British Airways’ flights, to celebrate the 60th Anniversary, includes 13 different episodes from series 1-13. Alongside this, customers can enjoy up to *80+ box sets such as And Just Like that Season 2, plus 15+ classic franchises, including Back to the Future and The Matrix, and over *700 pieces of audio, including BBC Proms 2023 Classics and UK true-crime podcast They Walk Among Us. In November, customers can enjoy new release movies such as Scrapper, a British Comedy/Drama, The Haunted Mansion or Meg 2: The Trench.
Doctor Who returns from November 25th on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK and Disney+ for the rest of the world, with three special episodes with David Tennant as the Fourteenth Doctor to coincide with the 60th anniversary.
The Fifteenth Doctor, played by Ncuti Gatwa, will then take control of the TARDIS, with his first episode airing over the festive period in 2023. Ncuti Gatwa also features in British Airways’ latest safety video.
*On selected flights only.
NOTES TO EDITORS
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.
About BBC Studios
BBC Studios is a commercial subsidiary of the BBC Group with sales of £2.1 billion (2021/22: £1,630 million). Able to take an idea seamlessly from thought to screen and beyond, the business is built on two operating areas: the global Content Studio, which produces, invests and distributes content globally and Channels & Streaming, with BBC branded channels, services and joint ventures in the UK and internationally. Around 2,500 hours of award-winning British programmes are made by the business every year, with over 80% of total BBC Studios revenues coming from non-BBC customers including Discovery, Apple and Netflix. Its content is internationally recognised across a broad range of genres and specialisms, with brands like Strictly Come Dancing/Dancing with the Stars, Top Gear, the Planet series, Bluey and Doctor Who. BBC.com is BBC Studios’ global digital news platform, offering up-to-the-minute international news, in-depth analysis and features.
About Doctor Who
Doctor Who is one of the longest running action-adventure television series in the world spanning 60 years and winning over 100 awards. This quintessentially British show has a huge global following, with 9.6m fans across social platforms/channels and 100m video views on YouTube in the last year alone. It has been honoured by Guinness World Records as the longest running science-fiction series in the world. Doctor Who has a proven track-record in consumer products and live entertainment with over four and a half million Sonic Screwdrivers sold in the past eleven years, over 13 million action figures sold since 2005, over 19 million DVDs sold globally and over one million tickets sold for live events.
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Source: British Airways
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