BA returns to airport after decade

BRITISH Airways is returning to Birmingham Airport after a decade-long hiatus with four new European routes later this year.

BA is launching direct summeronly flights to Malaga, Ibiza and Palma in Spain and Florence in Italy from May.

The new return flights will operate once a week, at weekends.

British Airways last flew from Birmingham in 2007 when the regional airline business was sold to Flybe.

Since then Vueling and Iberia Express, subsidiaries of British Airways’ parent company International Airlines Group, have started up services to European destinations such as Barcelona and Malaga.

Luke Hayhoe, British Airways’ commercial and customer general manager, said: “We are very excited to be returning to Birmingham with four very popular routes.

“Customers can once again enjoy competitively priced flights to the sun, direct from their doorstep with British Airways, to those destinations they tell us they want to fly to. We look forward to a busy summer at Birmingham.”

David Winstanley, chief operating officer for Birmingham Airport, added: “Having British Airways return to Birmingham is not only great news for the airport but also the Midlands region and we are confident this is the beginning of a long-term growth plan with the airline.

“Launching these four routes, of which Florence is currently unserved, means travellers can travel from their more convenient airport than those further afield.”