British Airways recently flew to Lahore, Pakistan for the first time in the last 44 years. The British Airways Boeing 787-8 flight numbered as BA-259 carried 214 passengers on board. The carrier departed from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport (LHE) on October 12, 2020.
In a press release, the carrier revealed that it would operate four times a week using its Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Neil Chernoff, the Director of Network and Alliances at British Airways said, “We think this will be hugely popular with the British Pakistani community, giving them more convenient options to visit family and friends.” He added that the new route would offer opportunities for British Airways to increase its activities in Pakistan.
It is reported that British Airways chief executive officer Alex Cruz is stepping down from his role with immediate effect. Parent group IAG said in a statement that Alex Cruz will be replaced by its Aer Lingus chief Sean Doyle. British Airways’ passenger traffic dropped by 95 percent year-on-year in the second quarter, leading to a first-half operating loss of $4.77 billion.
Last month, it was reported that the carrier is letting go around 10,000 employees worldwide due to the negative impact of the pandemic. During that period, former CEO Alex Cruz revealed that around 7200 employees have already left the company.