"Don't Call It a Comeback, I've Been Here For Years" - Has British Airways Got it's Swagger Back?

I’m, not saying they’re perfect, but hear me out.

British Airways was once the gold standard of aviation - flying with the slogan "The World's Favourite Airline". Then came decades of cost-cutting, IT disasters, catering fiascos, and a general sense that the airline had given up trying. BA became shorthand for past glory, the kind of brand that survives on geographic position, and corporate contracts rather than anyone actively choosing to fly with them. Now, after years of decline in the passenger experience, something is in the water. The airline is spending money again, on things you might actually notice...

Remember a time when BA wasn't a national punchline? It doesn't have to be...

BA are rolling through a £7 billion transformation programme, which sounds impressive until you remember this is an airline trying to claw back reputation lost over two decades of aggressive cost-cutting. Ever wondered what £7 billion buys you?

• Free Wi-Fi from 2026. It'll be super fast WiFi powered by Starlink, allowing video streaming, downloading, gaming etc.

• A new First suite with the airline's widest bed ever, a 32 inch 4K screen, and quiet luxury (no gawdy Emirates gold here!)

• Thirty-six new aircraft delivered since 2023, with more Boeing 787-10s and A350's arriving in 2026. Seventeen short-haul A320neos fitted with new cabins, and the A380's are finally being refurbished starting next year!

• Fifteen fully renovated lounges including Seattle, Washington, Singapore, Glasgow and Gatwick, plus that new lounge concept in Miami and Dubai.

• Digital vouchers for disrupted passengers.

• A new app (FINALLY).

Add all these together, and this suggests they're finally willing to invest in the passenger experience rather than simply extract the most money from you and I.

The all new British Airways First Suite

British Airways has spent much of the past decade being the punchline of aviation jokes. Remember the IT meltdown that stranded 75,000 passengers in 2017? No, because those events all blend into one! "Brunchgate"? Or charging full service prices but getting budget carrier service? Each incident chipped away at the airline's credibility.

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But something has shifted. The new lounges in Miami and Dubai look genuinely impressive, modern, spacious, well-designed, offering revolution rather than evolution. The fleet renewal means passengers are more likely to fly on newer aircraft with better seats and entertainment choices. Additionally, the automatic issuing of digital hotel vouchers when things go wrong, rather than passengers queueing for hours at a service desk is a great addition. Record punctuality supported by AI, which sounds like corporate speak until you consider that BA's operational reliability has historically been pretty dreadful (remember, BA used to stand for "Bloody Awful").

Individually, these are incremental improvements. Together, they suggest a strategy. Perish the thought.

Take a look at the stunning new Miami lounge

The cynic might note that BA is simply catching up to where competitors already are. That's fair. The new app arriving in 2026 should have been here five years ago. Digital disruption vouchers are standard practice at higher calibre airlines. Renovating fifteen lounges sounds impressive until you remember how many lounges BA operates globally, and how tired most of them have become.

But after years of decline, even catching up feels like progress. The bigger question is whether this represents a genuine cultural change or just some marketing gumph. Will BA maintain this momentum, or will the old impulses toward cost-cutting and corner-cutting reassert themselves the moment revenues soften? British Airways isn't back yet. But for the first time in years, it looks like it might be searching in the right place.

Sam

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