November 21, 2025
British Airways’ Chairman Talks Up the Passenger Customer Experience
Airlines and the travel industry have one of the toughest CX jobs. When something goes wrong, out of a very long list of aircraft, airport, air traffic control and weather issues, it can leave large numbers of people in the lurch, if not on the wrong continent.
Talking up British Airways’ CX future, the chairman and CEO, Sean Doyle has a strong message for staff that others in the CX industry could take interest in and passengers can quote next time they are stuck.
Facing up to an AI and People Future
“We’re on a journey to a better BA and it’s something everyone here is committed to.
I can’t pretend that running an airline over the last few years has been without turbulence. We’ve had to dig deep to withstand the impact of the global pandemic which almost shut us down completely.
Since then, our focus has been on rebuilding – putting in place solid foundations and embedding a mindset of continuous improvement. We’ve come a long way and we’ve achieved great results, but we know we have further to go.
For our teams, 2026 is about continuing to transform and innovate – unlocking the full benefits of the changes we’re making; taking everything we’ve built so far and raising the bar even higher. One of our mottos now is ‘Find it, Fix it’.”
The company is partway through a £7bn investment plan to support that ambition. It has delivered more than 1,000 improvement projects, spanning every corner of the airline. From upgrading aircraft cabins and lounges to overhauling operations and digital systems, the results are visible in how BA is delivering a better experience for everyone who flies with them.
Transforming Operations for the Customer Journey
Highlights of the report point to the introduction of the Heathrow operating model, a £100m investment in technology that has helped BA progress in improving on-time performance, with summer 2025 one of the most successful on record for punctuality. Even as global airports deliver world-class experiences, people want to fly on time.
Doyle continues, “We’re all boosted by this achievement, and we’ll continue to build on this. We’re changing our operation for the better as we continue to modernise our systems with new technology, AI, machine learning and automation. We’ve updated and simplified a number of our most critical systems, making us more resilient and when unexpected issues occur, we recover much more quickly.”
“We’ve been laser-focused on improving the reliability of our aircraft to reduce delays and cancellations. The use of AI in our operation is helping deliver a significant improvement in our ability to recover from periods of weather and air traffic disruption. The technology has helped us deliver a 10% decrease in aircraft turnaround times and an estimated 10-15% reduction in cancellations on days where we have restrictions on the number of our aircraft that can take off and land at Heathrow.”
Transforming the Customer Experience
“We’re focused on elevating the customer experience both on the ground and in the air to meet customers’ expectations, offering greater choice and competitive value. This includes our plans to introduce free, lightning-fast Starlink Wi-Fi on our aircraft from 2026 onwards. In the digital space, we’re launching a new ba.com and app to offer our customers a seamless and reliable user experience that makes travel simpler and more enjoyable.”
“We’re investing in our lounges and recently unveiled our bold new design concept with brand new openings in Miami and Dubai. We also completed lounge refreshes in London Gatwick, Lagos, Singapore, Seattle, and Washington Dulles.”
We’re equipping our Customer Care team with new technology and connectivity to deliver a premium experience at 35,000ft, offering support for when things don’t go to plan. We’re in touch with our customers now more than ever before and have been improving our communications to offer a more seamless experience.
Our Customer Relations team is rolling out WhatsApp messaging to a wider customer base following successful trials, and we’re increasing our live chat functionality to offer quicker in-the-moment solutions. Plus, we’re now offering digital vouchers at Heathrow during periods of disruption to allow customers to book hotels and buy food and drinks with greater ease.
Emerging Talent and Engineering Apprentices
Doyle concludes, “Our people are our biggest asset and are at the heart of our transformation. They’re crucial to our success as an organisation, and we’ll continue to enhance their experience, while embedding a change mindset and delivering a high-performance culture. This will be underpinned by strong leadership, collaboration, modern workspaces and tools. In everything we all do, every single one of us are guided by our corporate values.”
While it is very much the employee rallying call before the bedlam of the seasonal holidays, it shows a strong focus on the basics and more ambitious goals that can make every customer-focused business grow in turbulent times.
