In 2016 British Airways will start flying from Mineta San José International Airport to London Heathrow, and is the first time there has been nonstop service to the UK from this airport. Along with the news of the new route, they will also be bringing on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, the newest aircraft in their fleet, and it has been outfitted with a re-designed first cabin. The route and the Dreamliner are slated to take off on May 4th, 2016, and tickets are now on sale.
From Heathrow travelers from San José will be able to connect to more that 130 destinations in Europe, Asia and across the globe, and is seen as being a way to give people, whether traveling for pleasure or work, more choices and flexibility. “We are thrilled to be bringing our most technically advanced aircraft to the tech center of the world. We want to give the business community in and around Silicon Valley more options to access the UK and Europe, quickly and easily,” said Simon Brooks, senior vice president for British Airways North America.
British Airlines Takes the west coast by storm
San José is the fourth city to be added to British Airways west coast line up, which also includes Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.
In early 2015 they brought the superjumbo A380 to the runways of San Francisco, offering travelers more space and comfort when heading to the UK.
The 787-9 Dreamliner
The 787-9 Dreamliner has been designed for British Airlines so that it can hold eight travelers in the first cabin, which is the first time such a cabin has been been available in the airline’s 787 fleet. Behind first class there is Club World (business class) which seats 42 people, World Traveller Plus (premium economy) seating 39, and World Traveller (economy) with room for 127 travelers.
Besides the new first class cabin, the aircraft has a variety of features, including lower pressurization, which means that the cabin is far less dry, so people get off the flight more refreshed and with less jet lag when they arrive at their destination. Smooth ride tech used in its design, so aircraft is less affected by turbulence, which could be an bonus for some travelers.
Each cabin also features mood lighting designed to give travelers a relaxing ride. The aircrafts lighting also adjusts over time to reflect the time no matter where the aircraft is and its large bay windows, come with electronic dimming switches to provide more control over the inside environment.
The Dreamliner is slated to be arrive at British Airways in September, and its 20 feet longer than the 787-8.