British Airways (BA) held a media roundtable on September 11 at the British Embassy in Tokyo’s Chiyoda Ward.
Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) Colm Lacey visited Japan to explain the company’s 75th anniversary in Japan this year and to promote its history and future services to Japan.
The former British Overseas Airways (BOAC), the predecessor of British Airways, began passenger flight operations between Japan and the UK on March 19, 1948. It became the first British airline to connect Japan and the United Kingdom when it extended its waterfront flight service between Poole and Hong Kong to Iwakuni, and then to Yokohama and Tokyo in November of the same year.
According to Colm Lacey, at that time, there was one flight per week, and it took seven days to reach Japan, passing through seven cities. The airline now operates 11 flights per week on the Haneda-London route (10 flights per week during the winter season from October 31 to March 29, 2024), with a flight time of approximately 12 to 14 hours.
To commemorate the 75th anniversary of its service to Japan, the company will introduce “Club Suite,” a next-generation business class cabin, on this Japan route starting October 31. The current “Club World” business class cabin will be discontinued.
The new Club Suites will have a dedicated door for complete privacy, 40% more storage space than before, a vanity table and mirror, Wi-Fi, and an 18.5-inch in-flight entertainment screen. The aircraft in question is the Boeing 777-300ER.
In addition, First Class, which has already been reintroduced on September 1, will offer custom-made lounge wear and amenity kits designed by Temperley London, a British luxury fashion brand.
Other seat classes that the company has introduced on the Haneda-London route are “World Traveler” in Economy, “World Traveler Plus” in Premium Economy, and the current “Club World” Business Class.
On these four classes of flights from London to Haneda, which will operate until October 31, the airline will offer “Beef Stroganoff” and “Beef Cheek O-Kariya-Yaki” as a special reissued version of the in-flight meals that were served on the same route in 1969. For dessert, passengers can also enjoy “Cherry Meringue Gateau,” which was popular on the London – Anchorage route in the same year.
British Airways, based mainly at London’s Heathrow Airport, currently flies to 200 destinations in 74 countries around the world, including 58 direct flights per week between Japan and Europe, including code-sharing flights with JAL since 2004 and tie-ups with Finnair and Iberia, and has built an extensive network connecting 36 Japanese cities to 135 European destinations. The network has built up an extensive network connecting 36 Japanese cities to 135 European destinations. Through these joint ventures, we will offer more choices, more convenient connections, and more attractive fares to our passengers,” said Colm Lacey.
In light of the “severe headwind we have been facing in the past few years, but now that the world is on a recovery trend, demand is continuously strengthening,” he said, “We have continued to strengthen our customer service and invest in our aircraft to achieve this goal. The Club Suite is one of these measures. Of course, it will take some time to roll out the newest seats to the entire fleet, but we currently have Club Suites on about 60% of our long-haul flights out of Heathrow,” he explained.
In addition, British Airways has renewed its uniforms for the first time in 20 years. The uniforms are made of eco-friendly materials using recycled polyester, and will be worn by pilots, flight attendants, and ground staff on Japan routes from the end of September.
Regarding these sustainability initiatives, Colm Lacey said, “It is not just about transporting passengers from point A to point B, but about considering the environmental impact and making air transportation sustainable. As a company, they have launched a program called “BA Better World” two years ago, and will continue to focus on reducing food waste and decarbonization.
© Source travel watch
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