British Airways’ first flight from Southampton, BA2927 took off yesterday afternoon at 15:19 to Faro.
This is the first British Airways flight in an exciting new schedule from Southampton, directly connecting England's south coast with popular holiday destinations in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Germany.
Under a new agreement with Southampton Airport, the airline will operate up to 18 flights each weekend to 12 locations. The seasonal arrangement will run alongside existing services from London City Airport and enhance British Airways’ UK regional network.
Speaking from Southampton airport, Rachel Riley, BA CityFlyer’s Head of Commercial, said: "As we welcome more customers back on board, the launch of today’s operation from Southampton is an exciting extension of our service.
“This is a special day for many people, families have been separated from loved ones overseas, businesses have suffered, and we know that our customers haven’t been able to take the breaks abroad that they’ve wanted.”
Matt Hazelwood, Group Commercial Director at AGS Airports Ltd, said: “This is a fantastic day for Southampton as we welcome not just a new route, but also a new airline to the airport. We are absolutely thrilled to see Faro, the first of BA CityFlyer’s 12 destinations from Southampton, take to the skies today and we are sure the route will prove extremely popular this summer.
“BA’s commitment to deliver connectivity for Southampton and the wider region to some of the most popular destinations in Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, France and Germany will be very much welcomed by our passengers now that the safe restart of international travel is underway.”
Customers travelling with British Airways can do so with peace of mind, as the airline has introduced a range of safety measures to make the travel experience simple and safe during and after the pandemic. Customers can visit the airline’s Covid-19 hub page to find out more information on all of the safety measures in place.
British Airways has consistently championed testing as way to re-open travel safely and has ensured its customers have access to a wide range of discounted Covid-19 pre-departure, return to the UK and arrivals testing options. The airline has a dedicated webpage on ba.com where customers can find the right test to meet the entry requirements for their destination.