BA announces A380 launch dates
British Airways has confirmed September 24 as the launch date of its A380 services from Heathrow to Los Angeles.
Its first A380 flight from Heathrow to Hong Kong is scheduled for October 22.
Prices to Los Angeles start from £621 return and Hong Kong from £688.
The airline welcomed its first A380 to Heathrow this morning, just a week after its first 787 arrived at the airport.
BA is the first UK carrier to take delivery of the double-decker, the world’s largest commercial jet.
It will also be the first airline in Europe to operate both the A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.
Both aircraft types will now begin a complex ‘entry into service’ programme, with pilot and cabin crew trainingat Manston Airport in Kent, customer service trials at Heathrow and short-haul flying for both aircraft, including flights within the UK.
"These aircraft are the start of a new era for British Airways," said CEO Keith Williams.
"Over the next 15 months, we will take delivery of new aircraft at the rate of one a fortnight as we put ourselves at the forefront of modern aviation."
BA’s A380 will join 12 existing daily A380 flights from Heathrow – two by Qantas, three by Singapore Airlines, two by Malaysia Airlines and five by Emirates.
Thai Airways was due to start flying the A380 from London to Bangkok in December but has delayed the launch until October 2014 to make technical modifications to the wing tips.
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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