British Airways flight BA001 grew to become the airline’s 1st flight to depart for the US this early morning, as the country lifted constraints imposed on British travellers for additional than 18 months.
The BA001, the flight range previously reserved for Concorde, departed Heathrow at 08:30 this morning in a synchronised just take-off with Virgin Atlantic’s VS3 flight.
Both equally flights ended up sure for New York, JFK.
The lifting of US constraints soon after extra than 600 days suggests that thoroughly vaccinated Britons are now in a position to journey freely concerning the two nations – a thing that has not happened given that March 16th final yr.
The changes have enabled British Airways to meaningfully re-start out immediate expert services to 17 US places.
British isles ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce, reported: “Today is an unbelievably fascinating and meaningful day for the Uk-US relationship.
“We can all as soon as yet again vacation to each other’s countries to go to people, consider holidays, and perform transatlantic business.
“I am certainly thrilled that risk-free and sustainable journey can absolutely resume in between the British isles and the United States.”
The airline is established to extend its companies to 23 US airports this winter, with up to 246 flights a 7 days, more than any other transatlantic provider.
Flights to New York will increase from 5 to 8 for each working day in December.
There will also be double-day-to-day products and services to Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, Dallas, Miami and Toronto, as properly as each day products and services to Philadelphia, Phoenix, Seattle, Atlanta, Denver, Houston and Vancouver.
British Airways is working 26 flights to the US right now.
British Airways chief govt, Sean Doyle, who is travelling on the BA001, mentioned: “Today is about celebrating the Uk-US reopening of the transatlantic corridor after additional than 600 days of separation, and it was amazing to be equipped to mark this by synchronising the choose-off of British Airways and Virgin Atlantic flights for the first time at any time.”