The airline launched flights to Japan in 1948 when it was still known as BOAC.
BY LUKE BODELL (for Simple Flying)
British Airways celebrates 75 years of service to Japan with its first flight in 1948, and it now considers Tokyo one of its longest-served and most valued destinations. British Airways introduces its Club Suite cabin and reinstates first-class service on its London Heathrow to Tokyo Haneda route, offering passengers enhanced amenities and comfort.
Passengers can enjoy specially curated meals, including nostalgic dishes from previous decades, as part of the celebration of the milestone. British Airways is celebrating 75 years of service to Japan. The carrier first flew to Japan with its fleet of flying boats just after World War II.
British Airways reaches Japan flight milestone
British Airways became the first British airline to fly to Japan in 1948, back when it was known as British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). The carrier’s first destination was Iwakuni before it extended its network to Yokohama – fascinatingly, flights would take passengers seven days and stop off at seven destinations en route – Augusta, Alexandria, Karachi, Calcutta, Bangkok, Hong Kong and Iwakuni.
British Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Colm Lacy, commented, “It all started with a flying boat and now Tokyo is one of our longest-served and most valued destinations. We’re incredibly proud of our heritage – it’s been our pleasure to connect Japanese travelers with Britain since 1948 – and we look forward to serving them for the next 75 years and beyond as we continue our investment into new products, customer experience and technology.”
Following a hiatus of the COVID pandemic – when Japan maintained one of the strictest COVID policies of any nation worldwide – British Airways resumed direct services from London to Tokyo in November 2022. Haneda Airport is now the only destination in Japan British Airways flies to after it ended service to Tokyo Narita Airport (NRT) in late 2020.
Club Suite and First coming to Tokyo
Along with launching its business class Club Suite cabin, British Airways will reintroduce first class service onboard its London Heathrow (LHR) to Tokyo Haneda (HND) route. The airline’s Club Suite cabins feature a full privacy door, lie-flat beds, improved entertainment, 40% more storage and other perks – British Airways will be the only carrier offering a business suite with full privacy screens on direct flights between the UK and Japan.
The suites have proven such a hit that British Airways is retrofitting its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, which can already be enjoyed on its Airbus A350-1000, Boeing 787-10 and Boeing 777 fleet.
Check out Simple Flying’s flight review of British Airways’s Club Suite cabin from London Heathrow to New York JFK. In the First cabin, passengers will be treated to amenity kits and loungewear designed by British luxury brand Temperley London, along with products from ELEMIS. The carrier’s Boeing 777-300ERs will operate this route from October 31st to March 29th, 2024, featuring its Club Suite cabins. First class will be available as early as September 1st until March 29th, 2024.
New menus
Additionally, passengers can enjoy specially curated meals between September 1st and October 31st across all four cabin classes. Dishes will include beef stroganoff and beef cheek okaribayaki, along with a celebratory cherry meringue gateau that featured on its London-Anchorage route earlier this year.
Many of these dishes, such as the stroganoff, were available on British Airways flights in previous decades, so the options are something of a throwback.
Have you flown with British Airways to Japan recently? How about in previous decades? Let us know your stories in the comments.
British Airways, Cabin Crew Training, Customer Service British Airways invited Simple Flying to experience cabin crew training first hand. Photo: Tom Boon – Simple Flying
British Airways
IATA/ICAO Code: BA/BAW
Airline Type: Full Service Carrier
Hub(s): London Heathrow Airport, London Gatwick Airport
Year Founded: 1974
Alliance: oneworld
Airline Group: IAG
CEO: Sean Doyle
Country: United Kingdom
About The Author
Luke Bodell (1172 Articles Published)
Mr Bodell writing this for Simple Flying , is a Journalist – With 10 years of experience as a travel writer and aviation analyst, Mr Luke Bodell has worked with industry-leaders including Skyscanner, KLM and Hotels Combined throughout his career.
