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British Airways has resumed flights to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, but the connection to Bangkok has significantly reduced compared to before the Covid pandemic.
From late October 2024 to the winter season of 2025, BA’s Boeing 777 aircraft will fly three times a week from London Gatwick to Bangkok. Instead of daily flights from Heathrow, the airline will now only offer this route three times a week. First class service will no longer be available, except on BA’s competitors flying from Heathrow to Bangkok.
Thai Airways operates twice daily from Heathrow to Bangkok, while Eva Air goes nonstop on the same route once a day.
Khao San Road in Bangkok will be back online in October 2024 when British Airways resumes its service to this location.
British Airways will be resuming their daily flights to Kuala Lumpur from London Heathrow using a four-class Boeing 787. The airline has stated that this decision symbolizes their dedication to expanding their connectivity to Asia after the pandemic.
According to Sean Moulton, a schedule analyst for the aviation industry, this could be seen as a shift in strategy, as British Airways shifts its focus from connecting Europe and India to the US and Canada.
The speaker stated that there are limited direct flights from Kuala Lumpur to Europe. This means that British Airways will have the opportunity to access untapped connections. He also mentioned that Bangkok’s transition to Gatwick demonstrates lower profits but a high demand for the route.
For many years, British Airways had a significant route to Bangkok from London Heathrow. They also introduced a non-stop connection from Manchester to the capital of Thailand, but it was later discontinued due to financial difficulties.
Prior to the Covid outbreak, British Airways faced difficulties in generating profit from the Heathrow-Bangkok route. Due to this, a significant number of tourists from the UK now opt for Gulf-based airlines such as Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways. These airlines have a large capacity of flights available from the UK through their hubs. For instance, Qatar Airways has six flights daily from Doha to Bangkok and Emirates operates five daily flights using the Airbus A380 “SuperJumbo” from Dubai to Bangkok.
British Airways concentrates on offering luxurious seats at Heathrow Airport, but unfortunately there is not enough demand to make a profit. However, operating from Gatwick Airport incurs lower costs, giving BA the ability to offer more competitive prices.
The airline’s chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle, announced the reestablishment of links with Southeast Asia during the launch of a £7bn modernization plan.
He stated that they will be receiving new airplanes, implementing new cabins, improving their customer service, prioritizing operational performance, and tackling their environmental impact by decreasing emissions and promoting a sustainable culture.
Mr Doyle emphasized that the airline is committed to changing their operations and addressing any issues that may cause inconvenience for their customers.
Starting April 3rd, BA’s Executive Club members will have the ability to send messages through the airline’s wifi on a single device at no extra cost. This service will be accessible on all wifi-equipped planes within two weeks of its launch date.
The newest Airbus A320 series of short-haul planes will feature upgraded cabins and seats, which will include spacious bins to accommodate larger overhead luggage. Out of all European airlines, British Airways currently has the most generous policy for carry-on baggage, allowing two bags weighing up to 23kg each at no extra cost.
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Source: independent.co.uk
