As of 3 April, British Airways will be allowing passengers to use messaging apps free of charge during their flights. WhatsApp, iMessage, Facebook Messenger and Teams are some of the apps that will be available through the service. However, to be able to use the free-of-charge service, travellers will have to sign up for British Airways’ free loyalty scheme.
At the moment, all of British Airways’ aircraft based at Gatwick and more than 80% of its Heathrow-based fleet have wi-fi. By the end of 2025, 100% of the airline’s aircraft will be equipped with the technology necessary to offer wi-fi on board. Enhanced wi-fi access is part of the airline’s £7 billion (€8.2 billion) transformation plan.
“We’re on a journey to a better BA for our people and for our customers, underpinned by a transformation programme that will see us invest £7 billion over the next two years to revolutionise our business. We’re going to take delivery of new aircraft, introduce new cabins, elevate our customer care, focus on operational performance and address our environmental impact by reducing our emissions and creating a culture of sustainability. We’re also heavily investing in the development of a new ba.com website and app and are laser-focused on transforming our business and fixing any pain points for our customers”, Chief Commercial Officer Colm Lacy explained during a British Airlines event.
As far as the free in-flight use of messenger apps is concerned, not only will passengers need to sign up for British Airways’ loyalty scheme, but they will only be able to use the complimentary service on one device per person. Passengers wanting to use more than one device or other services will be able to buy extra access for a fee between £4.99 and £21.99 (€6 to €26).
The development of a new mobile app and website are also part of the plan, allowing passengers whose flight is cancelled to have access to better assistance. That includes booking seats on alternative flights, even flights that are operated by other airlines, and receiving vouchers for hotel rooms and food if necessary. Currently, these operations have to be made by contacting call centres or finding staff at airports, which isn’t always possible, and passengers therefore the new services should greatly ease the process of resolving isssues.
