Barbados and British Airways: A special relationship
Barbados and British Airways have shared some memorable moments in their 70-year history
1954
The first ever British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) flight lands on the island. The weekly service from Heathrow to Barbados takes just under 18 hours and has to stop three times to refuel. Six months later, the route is improved with a single stop in Bermuda.
1961
The island’s first five-star hotel, Sandy Lane in Saint James, opens. The hotel, built on a former sugar plantation, was conceived by former British MP Ronald Tree. It quickly becomes the place to be seen for the likes of Maria Callas, David Niven and Elton John.
1967
A disposable paper dress for Caribbean routes becomes a short-lived feature in the history of BOAC’s cabin crew uniforms. Over the decades, subsequent British Airways outfits have featured designs by Sir Edwin Hardy Amies, Julien Macdonald and Ozwald Boateng.
1974
British Airways is created out of a merger of British European Airways (BEA), BOAC and several smaller airlines. It quickly becomes seen around the globe as the standard bearer for cool, sophisticated Britain.
1976
British Airways’ ‘Queen of the skies’, the Boeing 747, begins a non-stop weekly service between Heathrow and Barbados. The frequency doubles to twice-weekly before the year is out.
Island insight
Cheryl Carter
Chief Operations Officer, Barbados Tourism Marketing
Q What activities were held in celebration of the 70th anniversary?
A We featured promotions where Club passengers could win a trip to Barbados, as well as hosting groups of agents to celebrate with us, including a 70th anniversary reception at Ilaro Court, the prime minister’s official residence.
Q What’s new in Barbados that agents should be aware of?
A Lots of new restaurants and bars have opened. We offer everything from street food to fine dining, and we see ourselves as the Culinary Capital of the Caribbean. The Food & Rum Festival takes place annually but our culinary offerings are year-round!
1977
Queen Elizabeth II enjoys her first supersonic flight, ending her Silver Jubilee tour with a flight from Barbados to the UK aboard Concorde, in a flight time of three hours, 42 minutes.
1984
BA features The Flower Duet from Léo Delibes’ opera Lakmé in its TV ad. Having been remixed many times, it’s still the airline’s official theme.
1987
British Airways introduces scheduled Concorde services between Barbados and Heathrow. Onboard catering includes Dom Pérignon champagne, beluga caviar and lobster thermidor, and a stellar line-up of regular passengers includes actor Joan Collins (in seat 1A).
2011
Historic Bridgetown and its Garrison become Unesco World Heritage Sites. The town’s 100-plus landmark buildings are collectively described by Unesco as an “outstanding example” of British architecture of its time.
2024
BA introduces the newest aircraft in its fleet, the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, on the Barbados route for the 2024 summer season as the airline marks 70 years of flying to Barbados.
Airline insight
Colm Lacy
Chief Commercial Officer, British Airways
Q What makes Barbados a special destination?
A When you arrive, before your feet touch the ground, you feel the fresh air – there’s something special about that feeling. There’s a uniqueness about going out to the restaurants and bars – it’s not just about staying in the hotels, it’s about feeling the Bajan culture.
Q What’s the onboard experience like when flying to Barbados?
A We’ve been refreshing our cabins, rolling out new business-class product and revamping our catering options. For our executive Club members, there’s free messaging on all Wi-Fi-connected flights.
Image credits: British Airways Centenary Archive Collection; Shutterstock/Nenad Basic, LifetimeStock, Simon Dannhauer, nau2018; Alex Nikitsin; Luke Smith
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