British Airways says it will invest £5 billion in the next five years in line with the airline’s new brand campaign that puts the customers at the centre of its operations.

The British Airways Area General Manager for Europe and Africa, Mr. Gavin Halliday disclosed this at a gala night, in Lagos to mark the 75 years of BA’s operations in Nigeria.

He said the occasion was not only significant for the airline in Nigeria but also an important time in its history globally as it coincided with the unveiling of its first major brand campaign in 10 years.

According to him, the new brand campaign places new emphasis on a symbol from the airline’s heritage, namely, the coat of arms and its motto, “To Fly, To Serve”.

“Today, this still has real meaning and resonance. It describes our purpose. It encapsulates our flying expertise and commitment to customer service. It puts the customers at the centre of everything we do, and defines the essence of British Airways”.

He said “the campaign is the guiding principle behind £5 billion the airline is investing over the next five years to improve what it offers its customers”.

Mr Halliday explained that the investment would include the acquisition of three new Boeing 777ERs in the next six months, and by 2013 the arrival of the first of its A380 aircraft as well as the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

He noted that the new aircraft would be fitted with the new first class, the airline’s award-winning club world, brand new World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins.

He pointed out that the British Airways is still the only airline with fully flat beds in both the club and first cabins, with its new first cabin now on 60 per cent of its long-haul fleet, including those on the Lagos-London and Abuja-London routes.

He said the airline would from November this year commence the refurbishing of 18 of its Boeing 777-200s.

According to him, the new world Traveller cabin now has more comfortable seats with adjustable head rests, while the world Traveller plus offers greater seat recline, with both offering new in-flight entertainment that boasts of bigger screens and far more choices.

Speaking at the event, the British Airway country commercial manager for Nigeria, Mr. Kola Olayinka said a lot had happened since the airline made its debut flight to Lagos in 1936 through its predecessor, Imperial Airway, one of the pioneering airlines in Africa.

He explained that Imperial Airways was succeeded by  BOAC and at the end of world War II it opened the London-Lagos service via Casablanca, Dakar and Accra, with the flight taking 29 hours.

He said that the commercial jet service started on the route on April 1, 1964, using a Vickers VC-10, flying London Heathrow-Kano-Lagos, adding that these services were taken over by British Caledonian Airways in 1971 which later merge with British Airways

Reward Akwu