05 March 2024 , 11:03
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British Airways has announced that passengers will be able to use messaging apps for free while flying from next month.
The airline plans to introduce the service over two weeks starting from April 3, allowing travellers to send and receive texts on apps like WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger and Teams. All of British Airways ' Gatwick planes and more than 80% of its Heathrow-based fleet are equipped with wifi, and the rest are expected to have it by the end of 2025.
To use the free onboard messaging, passengers need to sign up to British Airways' free loyalty scheme and it's limited to one device per person. If passengers want to send or receive images, videos or attachments, surf the web or stream content, they can buy passes ranging from £4.99 to £21.99.
This improved wifi access is part of British Airways' £7 billion "transformation plan", which also includes a new mobile app and website to help customers whose flights are cancelled. The airline said these changes will allow passengers to book seats on alternative flights, including those run by other airlines.
Passengers who are entitled to hotel rooms and food will also get vouchers sent directly to their electronic devices. Customers often have to pay first for things like food and hotel rooms when flights get cancelled. They then ask the airline to pay them back later.
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But lots of people don't get their money back because they don't know their rights or can't pay the costs upfront. At an event in London, TV star Steph McGovern said to the airline bosses: "I'll be honest with you, I hate the app."
The airline's big boss, Colm Lacy, answered, "I wish I had a pound every time I heard that statement." He also said that having new tech means they can do things they couldn't do before, like making things more personal for each customer.
British Airways is planning some big changes. They want to make flying better with new seats, using smart computers to make sure flights are on time, a luxurious waiting area at Dubai Airport, and starting flights again from Heathrow to Kuala Lumpur and from Gatwick to Bangkok.
Sean Doyle, who is in charge of British Airways, said: "We're on a journey to a better BA for our people and for our customers, underpinned by a transformation programme that will see us invest £7 billion over the next two years to revolutionise our business."
"We're going to take delivery of new aircraft, introduce new cabins, elevate our customer care, focus on operational performance and address our environmental impact by reducing our emissions and creating a culture of sustainability."
"We're also heavily investing in the development of a new ba.com website and app and are laser-focused on transforming our business and fixing any pain points for our customers."