British Airways to invest £5BN over five years

British Airways is launching a five-year programme of investment for the benefit of customers, coinciding with the company’s biggest brand advertising campaign for a decade, said Mervat Alfy, British Airways commercial manager in Egypt while British Airways recently hosted a media roundtable discussion in Cairo to discuss the latest developments in the country and offer short-term insight on the aviation industry.

The investment will see British Airways customers benefiting from new aircraft, new World Traveller and World Traveller Plus cabins, a revamped First class, significant improvements at Gatwick and better lounges around the airline’s network. Funds will also be allocated to improved catering and new technologies to make the travel experience more comfortable and convenient for customers on the ground and in the air.

To Fly. To Serve. is the largest British Airways brand advertising campaign to roll out in a decade and the first ever launched by the airline using social media. Showcasing the airline’s heritage and characteristics that make British Airways special - decades of flying know-how, thoughtful service and British style - the 90-second advert first launched on the airline’s Facebook page. The brand campaign is also featured on TV, newspapers, highlighting the experience, expertise and care for customers shown by teams across the airline every day.

By placing new emphasis on its historic motto: To Fly. To Serve. British Airways is restating its resolve to put the customer at the heart of everything it does. Beyond the brand advertising, the airline has committed to spend more than £5 billion on customer products and services over the next five years.

Keith Williams, British Airways’ chief executive, said: “The motto To Fly. To Serve. is part of the DNA of British Airways. It is on our coat of arms, and it is worn in crew uniforms. And it has real meaning and resonance for today. It encapsulates our expertise for flying and our commitment to customer service. It describes our purpose.”

Frank van der Post, British Airways’ managing director, brands and customer experience, said: “This campaign has real substance. Not only are we investing in tangible improvements to the customer experience, earlier this year we launched an internal programme to engage with our staff. We’re working with our cabin crew, listening to their views and giving them tools, such as iPads, to enable them to deliver even better service.

He continued, “The BA technology teams are working to deliver more customer-friendly improvements to our website and apps. The airport team is developing more services for premium customers. The catering team is revamping the menus and the wines. All these changes are being delivered now and we have even more plans for the future. The whole airline is delivering on our promise, To Fly. To Serve.”

“Our operation in Egypt is fully-aligned with the global campaign, which will see British Airways continue our efforts to put the customer at the heart of everything we do. With 90 years of world travel expertise, British Airways is as committed as ever to delivering world-class services to all our customers,” said Mervat Alfy, British Airways commercial manager in Egypt.