BA posts 'outstanding' results on Gatwick, Manchester routes

British Airways franchise GB Airways registered "outstanding" results on its services to Gatwick and Manchester to Malta over the past couple of months, British Airways Manager Malta James Stagno Navarra said.

He also commented on the overall "strong" performance registered by British Airways longhaul services in terms of premium class seats.

On the home front, Mr Stagno Navarra termed the results on the London Gatwick-Malta route as "excellent", with the number of passengers rising by 17 per cent in May and 14 per cent in June over the same period last year.

The recently-introduced daily summer service from Manchester to Malta has also been very successful.

This summer, the airline is operating daily service from Manchester and a daily service from London Gatwick.

Commenting on British Airways' head office statement on the airline's premium class seats, Mr Stagno Navarra remarked that, undoubtedly, the next generation club world on the airline's longhaul services had been a pivotal aspect in the airline's efforts to generate more business.

Just a week ago, BA announced in London a 1.4 per cent improvement in premium volumes - mainly first class and business class.

British Airways invested £100 million to overhaul its club world service. Commercial director Robert Boyle said the airline had set an industry standard in 2000 by launching the first flat bed for business customers. However, the airline was constantly striving to innovate and improve.

Mr Boyle said research indicated that the airline's business customers wanted a home away from home with all of the comfort, privacy and flexibility that one would expect from a plush five-star hotel.

British Airways customers can now enjoy the next-generation club world on 96 services a week between London Heathrow and New York JFK. Engineers have been busy refitting up to three Boeing 747s every month with the new larger beds in business class and improved in-flight entertainment systems across the plane.

Each club world cabin on Boeing 747 services to JFK contains 70 luxurious beds that enable customers to work, sleep or relax in ultimate comfort.