BA bids to woo business travellers

BRITISH Airways has launched its biggest ever drive to woo business passengers and end a major slump in the vital premium class market. The struggling airline will run a £5m advertising campaign to persuade business to resume sending executives on meetings overseas.

Meanwhile BA's 250,000 Executive Club members and some 6,000 companies will be targeted with a range of incentives including free airport parking, bonus mileage, and free cabin upgrades. The 11 September terror attacks caused a major fall-off in business travel with numbers of premium seats sold by BA down 27% in October-December compared with the previous year.

BA's chief executive Rod Eddington said the past 12 months had been 'extremely challenging'. He stressed that 2002 will be 'as demanding' and that it was vital for BA to start the new year with a drive on business travel.

The BA campaign will include a TV advertisement showing an American businessman welcoming British clients into his office and the slogan: 'It's better to be there.'

BA's marketing director Martin George said: 'The business market has been struggling for some time and 11 September didn't help. With business really starting again this week, it is time to tackle that issue.'