British Airways has announced investment plans that include onboard wifi, Club Europe on domestic flights and revamped lounges in the UK and US.
The airline’s chairman and CEO, Alex Cruz, unveiled the plans on a charter flight from Gatwick to Heathrow on Tuesday.
There will be £400 million invested in BA’s long-haul business class Club World, which includes new catering options, breakfast extended in the lounge until 11am and a “revamped service approach”.
These changes will launch on the Heathrow-New York service before being rolled out across the rest of the long-haul network during 2018.
The new lounge complex at Gatwick’s South Terminal sees 40 per cent more floorspace than its lounge in the North Terminal. An investment of £88 million is planned on lounge facilities in the US – Terminal 7 at JFK will receive over £52 million and Boston’s new lounge has just opened, coinciding with the A380 starting on the Heathrow-Boston route. Next year Aberdeen and Rome's lounges will be revamped, and Geneva will be expanded. Further investment is planned in San Francisco, Johannesburg, Manchester and Chicago.
British Airways is installing wifi across its long-haul network from April with short-haul to be rolled out later this year. The aim is to offer 4G connectivity across 90 per cent of its fleet by 2019.
There will be two options: Simply Connect, which supports basic web browsing, email and instant messaging and starts at £4.99, and Connect Plus, which starts at £7.99 and provides faster connection to support video streaming.
The airline said it will become the first UK carrier to introduce biometric technology at Heathrow with the launch of self-service boarding gates.
BA has also launched its new ‘First Wing’ check-in area for First customers at Heathrow Terminal 5. It includes a two-lane security channel and direct access to the Galleries First lounge and Concorde Room.
BA’s 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."