British Airlines Launches First Direct Portland-London Route

[In The News]

DALLAS – Portland, Oregon was added to the British Airways (BA) route map yesterday. Flight BA0267 landed at Portland International Airport (PDX) at 5.05 pm local time.

The inaugural flight, which established the only direct link between London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and PDX, was greeted warmly by locals as it taxied to the gate. The route will run five times a week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday) on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in a three-class cabin configuration: Club (Business), World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy), and World Traveller (Economy). All long-haul BA flights include a food and beverage service, across all cabins. 

British Airways customers will also benefit from the airline’s partnership with Alaska Airlines (AS), which will provide smooth onward connections beyond Portland. They can book Alaska-operated flights to 15 destinations from PDX, allowing them to go to the UK with just one stop. Additionally, members of BA’s loyalty program can earn and redeem points on certain trips.

The returning aircraft to LHR departed at 6.55 pm local time, just as the UK was celebrating The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee with a four-day weekend. The flight time is approximately 9 hrs 50 min.

The departure gate featured Jubilee-themed snacks, and arriving customers were given a rose to commemorate their arrival in the City of Roses. This weekend, British Airways, in collaboration with the Port of Portland, will provide an immersive ‘Portland Meets London’ experience for visitors to enjoy throughout the city.

Captain Meredith Bell, who piloted the first BA0267 flight, has flown 30 years as a BA pilot. Her daughter is a Reed College student, so she has a personal connection to the city.

Photo: British Airways

Comments from British Airways, Port of Portland

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Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Director of Networks and Alliances said, “This summer British Airways will be flying from 26 US cities to London and we’re very excited to be adding Portland to our list of transatlantic destinations. Not only are we the only airline to offer direct flights from Portland to London, but this new route also opens a wide variety of connections for our customers. Through Alaska Airlines, our oneworld partner, British Airways will offer codeshare connections to several destinations operated by Alaska Airlines from Portland.”

“This flight is great news for the residents and businesses of Oregon and southwest Washington – London is our largest transatlantic market and is an amazing gateway to many other parts of the world,” said Port of Portland Executive Director Curtis Robinhold. 

“We deeply appreciate the commitment British Airways has shown Portland and we’re excited to see the synergy between British Airways, Alaska Airlines, and American Airlines as they are all part of the oneworld alliance.”

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Featured image: Roberto Leiro/Airways

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