By Ernest KISSIEDU
As part of efforts to improve upon service delivery for all its customers, airline giant British Airways has announced plans to operate an all-A380 service across Africa.
This is expected to add 680 seats a week to its Johannesburg flight for customers in South Africa.
From October 2017, customers will have a choice of two flights a day on one of British Airways’ most modern aircraft.
In addition, British Airways will also operate its expanded Cape Town schedule, including three weekly flights from Gatwick, over the 2017/18 southern hemisphere summer. At its peak, this schedule provides 19 weekly services between London and the Mother City.
Sue Petrie, British Airways’ commercial manager for Southern Africa said, “We’ve been working towards double-daily A380 services to Johannesburg, since it became one of the first routes to get the new aircraft three years ago. The additional capacity, particularly in the premium cabins, will be welcome news for our customers.
“After a successful 2016/17 summer season, we’re also very pleased to confirm the expanded schedule to Cape Town next summer. It’s testimony to the Mother City’s well-deserved reputation as one of the world’s top tourism destinations,” Sue Petrie noted in a press statement copied to the Business Day Ghana in Accra last week.
With over £400 million investment in Club World, British Airways will again increase its frequency of flights to Mauritius from three to five Boeing 777 services a week, upping capacity from Gatwick by 550 seats weekly.
It will also operate six weekly flights to Gatwick from Algiers.
This means that for African customers flying into Gatwick, all operations have now been moved into the South Terminal, where a new premium check-in area has been created.
Its distinctive bespoke stainless-steel feature wall creates privacy, while leather bench seating, with convenient power supplies, allows customers a space to pause and relax.
Furthermore, at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, British Airways has launched a new ‘First Wing’ check-in area. It includes a dedicated two-lane security channel and direct access to the Galleries First Lounge and Concorde Room for the first time. The new security lanes will also reduce the number of travellers passing through the existing lanes, helping to speed up the journey.
The programme of lounge investment will see revamps of the Terminal 5 lounges as well as the Johannesburg lounge at OR Tambo. A new lounge is also being built at Jomo Kenyatta International, which will be shared with American Airlines.
In addition to improvements to the on-board menu, a new service style is being introduced across Club World in September, with display trolleys allowing customers to select dishes from a choice of freshly prepared starters and desserts, providing an experience similar to that of a premium restaurant.
British Airways’ chairman and CEO, Alex Cruz, said: “It’s simple really. We need to deliver what our customers value most, where they value it most. We need to focus on enhancing premium – offering contemporary service, improved catering and lounges and a consistent experience. In economy, where we know that price is the driver, we need to focus our efforts on delivering more seats at the lowest fares and giving customers choices.”
