British Airways will receive its first two Dreamliners later this month with the initial A380 superjumbo to follow in early July.
The long-awaited arrival of the two aircraft types will make BA the first European carrier to operate both at the same time.
The first Dreamliner is scheduled to be delivered on June 26 with the second 787 following the next day on June 27. The first Airbus A380 will arrive on July 4 with the second due to be delivered in September.
The A380 is due to enter service in the autumn flying to Los Angeles from October 15 and Hong Kong from November 15. The destinations to be served by the Dreamliner “will be unveiled shortly”.
BA chief executive Keith Williams said: “The delivery of these exciting aircraft opens a new chapter in British Airways’ history. We are proud to be leading the way in Europe in operating both these aircraft types.
“Over the next 12 months, we will take delivery of new long-haul aircraft at an average rate of one every two weeks.
“These deliveries form the centrepiece of the £5 billion investment British Airways is making in new aircraft, smarter cabins, superb lounges and new technologies to make travel more comfortable in the air and on the ground.
“Both aircraft types make major environmental advances and will contribute toward our ambitious targets for noise and carbon reduction.”
The Dreamliners and A380s will undergo an “entry into service” programme over the next few months which will include pilot and cabin crew training at Manston airport in Kent. There also be customer service trials at Heathrow and short-haul flights within the UK.
British Airways has ordered a total of 12 superjumbos and 24 Dreamliners - 22 of these long-haul aircraft will come into service by the end of summer 2014. BA also ordered another 18 Dreamliners earlier this year.
See below for a video preview of the onboard service planned by BA on its A380s.
ba.com