BA expands network for summer
British Airways is to raise capacity this summer three per cent over last year by adding 13 new European services.
Total daily BA flights between the UK and the Continent will average 631 with the start of the summer timetable on Easter Sunday.
BA claims this is “well in excess” of any other airline and comes in addition to an average of 372 daily flights within the UK and across the Irish Sea, covering 60 routes.
The airline and its franchise partners will fly to a total of 206 destinations around the world and operate 1,182 flights a day.
Director of commercial planning Robert Boyle said: “This summer, our network capacity will increase by three per cent compared to summer 2004 and focuses on exploiting opportunities for profitable growth. British Airways operates more flights into Europe than any other carrier.”
Network changes include:
*Five flights week from Heathrow to Shanghai, subject to approval by Chinese authorities.
*Five new services from Gatwick including Salonika in Greece, Split in Croatia and Vilnius, Lithuania. From May 1, a new three times a week service to Bucharest, Romania is added followed by Sofia in Bulgaria from June 2.
*BA CitiExpress launches new services from Bristol with daily flights to Milan and six flights a week to Zurich.
*BA franchise partner GB Airways starts a Gatwick-Crete link from May 3 and five new services from Manchester, including Dubrovnik, Malta, Paphos and Tenerife from May 16.
Report by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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