British Airways
Established back in 1974 after the merger of British European Airways Corporation and British Overseas Airways Corporation, British Airways (BA) is the UK’s largest airline headquartered in Waterside. The company was privatized in February of 1987. Providing service to some 150 destinations, British Airways has more than 240 aircraft in its fleet and is easily recognized worldwide.
British Airways is listed on the London Stock Exchange as BAY. The company is also a constituent of the FTSE 100 Index.
Subsidiaries of British Airways are BA City Flyer and OpenSkies. Companies with signed franchise agreements with British Airways are Comair in South Africa, and Sun Air in Scandinavia. It is also interesting to note that the company has shareholdings in other companies. BA has a 13.5% stake in Iberia, an airline in Spain. The company also owns a 15% stake in Flybe, and a 10% stake in InterCapital and Regional Rail.
It is the goal of British Airways to be the world’s leading global premium airline. The company is very concerned with corporate social responsibility, aiming to take the lead as the most responsible airline in the world. They plan to reduce carbon emissions, recycle and decrease waste and minimize noise and air pollution.