British Airways - Fleet

Fleet

With the exception of the Boeing 707 and early Boeing 747 variants from BOAC, the airline as formed in 1972-4 inherited a mainly UK-built fleet of aircraft. The airline introduced the Boeing 737 and Boeing 757 into the fleet in the 1980s, followed by the Boeing 747–400 (British Airways is the largest operator with 55), Boeing 767 and Boeing 777 in the 1990s. Boeing-built aircraft for British Airways are allocated the customer code 36, which appears in their aircraft designation as a suffix, such as 737–436, 747–436 and 777–236.

Although British Airways utilises a large Boeing fleet, it has always operated aircraft from other manufacturers. British built aircraft were transferred from BEA (e.g. Trident) and BOAC (e.g. VC10), and in the 1980s the airline operated the Lockheed L-1011. It also operated the DC-10 and Airbus A320-100 through the acquisition of British Caledonian Airways in the 1980s. In August 1998, British Airways placed its first direct Airbus order, for 59 A320/A319s, to replace its own ageing fleet of Boeing 737s and A320-100s. British Airways replaced the L-1011 and DC-10 tri-jet fleet with more fuel-efficient, twinjet, Boeing 767 and 777 aircraft in the 1990s. In September 2007, BA placed its first order for long-haul Airbus jets, consisting of 12 firm orders for Airbus A380s and seven options. The Boeing 757 was withdrawn from British Airways service in late 2010.

The combined International Airlines Group entity, that BA is now a part of, operates over 400 aircraft, carries over 62 million passengers annually, and serves more than 200 destinations. As of February 2012 the British Airways fleet includes the following aircraft:

Airbus A321-200 takes off from Manchester Airport Boeing 777-200ER takes off from London Heathrow Airport A British Airways Boeing 777-300ER at London Heathrow Airport in May 2012 Boeing 747-400 takes off from London Heathrow Airport

British Airways Fleet

Aircraft	In Service	Orders	Passengers
			F	J	W	M	Total
Airbus A318-100	2	—	—	32	—	—	32
Airbus A319-100	44	—	—	36	—	77	113
			—	12	—	113	125
			—	—	—	132	132
Airbus A320-200	48	-	—	52	—	83	135
			—	12	—	143	155
			—	—	—	162	162
Airbus A321-200	18	—	—	67	—	86	153
			—	12	—	168	180
			—	—	—	188	188
Airbus A380-800	—	12	14	97	55	303	469
Boeing 737–400	19	—	—	38	—	101	139
			—	10	—	137	147
			—	—	—	153	153
Boeing 747-400	52	—	14	70	30	177	291
			14	70	30	185	299
			14	52	36	243	345
Boeing 767-300ER	21	—	—	24	24	141	189
			—	—	—	252	252
			—	—	—	259	259
Boeing 777–200	3	—	17	48	24	127	216
Boeing 777–200ER	43	—	12	48	32	127	219
			14	48	40	122	224
			—	48	24	203	275
			—	40	24	219	283
Boeing 777-300ER	6	4	14	56	44	183	297
Boeing 787–8	—	8	TBA
Boeing 787–9	—	16	TBA
Total	256	40

A Cameron Balloons C-80 hot air balloon is also registered to the airline.

British Airways World Cargo Fleet

• 3 Boeing 747-8F (operated by Global Supply Systems in BA livery)

Other aircraft types used between 1974 and 1983 were Vickers 953C, Boeing 707-300C and Boeing 747-200F while the Boeing 747-400F was operated from the 1990s to 2001 through Atlas Air and 2002 to early 2012 by Global Supply Systems, of these only one of Atlas Air's aircraft wore BA livery (World Tails, Chelsea Rose scheme), the others flew in Atlas and Global Supply's own colours.

Concorde G-BOAD, which set the passenger airliner world speed record on 7 February 1996 when it flew from New York to London Heathrow in 2 hours, 52 minutes and 59 seconds, on display at the Intrepid Sea-Air-Space Museum in New York City in December 2005. A Boeing 757–200 at London Heathrow Airport in February 1983.