British Airways (BA) has a checkered growth in the Middle East, with a track record of operations across the region since the first flights to the region landed in 1932.

Today, the airline operates 63 weekly flights from the GCC to London Heathrow’s Terminal 5.

BA now operates daily services to London from both cities, ensuring that the airline can continue to give Saudi globetrotters easy access to the whole world.

The UK flag carrier has introduced this month a new, four-class Boeing 777 aircraft on the Jeddah route.

Paolo De Renzis, BA’s commercial manager for the Middle East and Central Asia, explains to Arab News what the Middle Eastern traveler can expect from the new service.

The following are excerpts from an interview conducted during BA’s Boeing 777 Jeddah-London launch press trip recently:

What does the 777 have on-board, which will offer the standards of service you promise? What difference will passengers see?

Customers traveling on our Boeing 777-200 aircraft can experience the new and improved First Class cabin, which offers personal window blinds, increased privacy and a personal wardrobe. We have invested 100 million pounds in our First Class cabins and we are confident that it will prove popular with our Saudi customers. In Business Class, our customers will be able to experience our latest club World cabin, where every passenger has a comfortable, six-foot long, fully flat bed, which is part of a spacious suite suitable for working and relaxing. Flexible dining options, access to private lounges and luxurious spa World Traveler Plus seats offer customers seven inches of extra leg room compared to economy, with double the free checked baggage allowance in a private dedicated cabin. Travelers in the World Traveler economy cabin can enjoy personal on demand entertainment and delicious food and beverages in a family friendly environment. All of the carrier’s passengers will have access to the latest version of its Thales in-flight entertainment system, with more than 1,600 hours of programming available to customers, including more than 130 of the latest Hollywood blockbusters and classic movies, and in excess of 650 TV shows from around the world. In addition to the improved aircraft interiors, all passengers will be able to enjoy the customer service that BA is renowned for across the world. We always strive to excel in our service, which sets us apart from the competitors. By providing a smooth, discreet and attentive service we give the ‘best of British hospitality’ experience to all travelers from start to finish.

What differentiates this service, BA and the 777 from the current offerings from other airlines?

The Middle East is home to airlines that are really making their mark in the aviation industry, while it is also very competitive from other European carriers. We are very comfortable competing with both, and I am proud to say that we compete well. I strongly believe that this is because we have stayed true to who we are and what we believe: To Fly. To Serve. It is our entire passenger experience, from end-to-end, which is what really differentiates airlines from one another. Our aim is to give passengers the best of British hospitality experience by providing a smooth, discreet, attentive and seamless service from start to finish. We achieve this through our highly trained cabin crew and customer service staff, award-winning products and great connections through our hub at Heathrow Terminal 5. Terminal 5 is an extremely important part of our customer offering, and over the last few years, we have been striving to perfect our state-of-the-art facilities and service to ensure a seamless travel experience. We are delighted that our ongoing investment has been acknowledged as we recently won the award for Best Airport Terminal in the world for the second year in a row. Of course, one other element we can’t overlook is that we continue to offer great value for money fares across our worldwide route network which covers more than 70 countries. Our transatlantic joint business gives customers greater access to discounted fares, more convenient connections and better access to a global network of more than 500 destinations

Tell us about your target market, whether they are Saudis heading to the UK or businessmen working in Saudi Arabia? Or both?

I feel that with the addition of our First Class cabin to our Jeddah route, we are now able to offer a product and service, which can meet the needs of any of our Saudi customers, irrelevant of the purpose of travel. We understand the importance of family in the Saudi market, which is why we have developed a range of services designed to make flying with children a little easier. Our ‘kids eat first’ policy, dedicated kids TV channels, Paddington skyflyer entertainment packs, Britax seats for toddlers and complimentary baby cots are available in all classes. Our new First class service offers a luxurious experience from start to finish, for those who are used to having the very best in life, be it at home, at work or while on the move.

How many flights does BA offer from Saudi Arabia?

British Airways currently offers daily flights from Jeddah and Riyadh into London Heathrow. Across the wider GCC, British Airways operates 63 flights each week from eight cities in six countries across the region.

Is BA planning to have a partnership with airlines from the Arabia, particularly Saudi Airlines?

We have interline agreements with many, including Saudi Arabian Airlines. This cooperation is enabled by organizations such as IATA, which play an invaluable role in allowing airlines to work together in different ways, promoting increased travel and trade, and enhancing productivity.

What is the number of passengers from Saudi Arabia that BA targets for this year and the coming years?

We have seen strong demand from Saudi residents for both business and leisure travel. Our award winning products and services are extremely popular locally and the Kingdom continues to be a focus market for us. We have already increased capacity and our flying schedule from Riyadh using a 747 aircraft, and now from Jeddah with the launch of the 777.

What is BA’s market share in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia and the UAE?

Our flights across the GCC have been doing extremely well, and we have invested in our Middle East routes as a result of the ongoing strong performance in the region. BA now operates more flights and capacity than ever to the Middle East; over the last five years we have increased the number of flights we operate from the Middle East to London Heathrow by 40 percent due to a continued high demand from passengers in the region.

What are the months of peak travel for passengers from the GCC and which cabin classes are highly demanded by passengers?

The holiday seasons are a peak time for travel, particularly for leisure travel and those visiting friends and family. While we have seen that the holiday seasons have an impact on peaks in leisure travel, we see a continuing and growing strong demand for business travel and our premium cabins — Club World and First — which are extremely popular with our Middle Eastern customers. In line with this, we believe that there will be an ongoing appetite for premium travel to and from the region and we will continue to invest in our products and services to meet this demand.

What are BA’s plans to increase its fleet in the coming period?

We have ordered twelve A380s and twenty-four Boeing 787s. Eight of these aircraft have already joined the fleet, and a further eight will join the fleet later this year. The remaining aircraft rest over the next two years. We are also refreshing our short-haul fleet, so are taking delivery of one new aircraft a fortnight on average up to October 2014.

What type of aircraft will BA focus on in the coming period, models? And where will they fly?

We are investing in a range of new aircraft (12 A380s, 24 787s, six 777-300 ERs, 10 A320s) and we have already taken delivery of eight of the A380s and 787s, with eight more scheduled to join the fleet later this year. The delivery of these exciting aircraft opens a new chapter in British Airways’ history and they form the centerpiece of the £5 billion investment BA is making in new aircraft, smarter cabins, superb lounges and new technologies to make travel more comfortable in the air and on the ground. The 787 will become a mainstay of the British Airways fleet over the next few years. The aircraft we have already taken delivery of are the first of 24 that will arrive by 2017, and we have converted further options for the aircraft into firm orders for delivery from 2017. Our A380s currently operate flights to Hong Kong, Johannesburg and Los Angeles and will start flying to Washington from September and Singapore from late October. The 787s currently operate flights to Newark and Toronto and will also serve our Austin, Hyderabad, Chengdu, Philadelphia and Calgary routes later this year.

How many planes does BA currently have in its fleet?

We have over 280 aircraft in our fleet; one of the largest and most modern in the world.

How many planes is BA planning to purchase this year?

We will be introducing twenty new aircraft for our customers this year. The new aircraft are the centerpiece of our £5 billion investment in products and services to benefit our customers.