British Airways is one of the world’s largest international airlines, carrying in its last financial year to March 31, 2008 over 33 million passengers worldwide. Also, one of the world’s longest established airlines, it has always been regarded as an industry-leader.

The airline’s two main operating bases are London’s two principal airports, Heathrow (one of the world’s biggest international airports) and Gatwick.

During 2007/08 revenue passenger kilometres for the Group rose by 0.1 per cent, against a capacity increase of 0.8 per cent (measured in available seat kilometres). This resulted in Group passenger load factor of 75.6 per cent, down by 0.5 percentage points from 76.1 per cent the previous year.

In the same financial year, the airline also carried 805,000 tonnes of cargo.

Over the year, Club World, the airline’s longhaul premium brand, performed strongly, and despite a weak performance in the shorthaul premium Club Europe cabin, overall traffic in the premium cabins increased by 4.4 per cent. Longhaul non-premium traffic was weak from August 2007.

British Airways Group fleet as at 31 March 2008 comprised 245 aircraft - one of the largest fleets in Europe. The fleet currently includes 57 Boeing 747s, 42 Boeing 777s, 21 Boeing 767s, 13 Boeing 757s, 69 Airbus A319/320/321s, 33 Boeing 737s and 10 smaller aircraft used in the company’s regional business.