British Airways to Increase Portland-London Nonstop Service

DALLAS — British Airways will increase nonstop service between London and Portland this summer. The Boeing 777 will be used on daily nonstop flights from Portland International Airport (PDX) to London Heathrow Airport (LHR), providing passengers with some opulent options.

British Airways is planning to extend service between PDX and LHR to daily beginning in June, just a year after opening its first nonstop route between the airports.

British Airways G-YMML Boeing 777-200(ER) (GREAT Festival of Creativity Livery). Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

The Boeing 777/787

Five flights per week on a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner were the first flights offered by British Airways in 2022. According to Kama Simonds, the airport's public relations officer, the airline will fly one flight each day this summer using a larger Boeing 777-200ER aircraft—the first of its kind at PDX. The end of October will see the end of daily flights.

Increased service, according to Catherine Wilson, global public relations manager for British Airways, will provide passengers additional options when planning trips to the UK as well as when connecting through Heathrow to other regions of Europe.

She says, "I think it's a testimonial to the desire. "We're thrilled to continue assisting this route."

British Airways Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner (G-ZBLB). Photo: Daniel Gorun/Airways

The Portland-to-London Route

British Airways' eagerly anticipated nonstop service between PDX and LHR took off on Friday, June 3, 2021, with a welcome party that included flags, fanfare, and a phone booth. The flight connects two infamously cloudy, rainy locations just in time for some summer sun.

Flights from Portland will connect through Heathrow’s Terminal 5 where, Wilson says, the airline maintains its hub and travelers can take advantage of arrival lounges while transiting through the airport.

British Airways flights using the 777 include a business class option with lay-flat beds, roomy storage compartments, and enhanced dining that had been scaled back during the pandemic.

G-ZBJC British Airways B787-8 SJC KSJC. Photo: Jinyuan Liu/Airways

Maintaining Good Allies

"British Airways has always had a warm relationship with the United States," said Neil Chernoff, British Airways' director of networks and alliances, in a statement. "So, it's an honour to offer our customers yet more direct connections to new cities."

The BA official added, "The announcement to Pittsburgh and Portland today is an exciting moment for customers who want to plan ahead for next year—to take a much-needed vacation or visit family and friends."

Featured image: G-STBN British Airways Boeing 777-300(ER) B77W JFK KFJK. Photo: Francesco Cecchetti/Airways