British Airways has reaffirmed its commitment to its Australian operations just days after Virgin Atlantic announced it would cease flying to Sydney from May.

British Airways is committed to flying to Sydney

British Airways’ Regional Commercial Manager for South West Pacific, Nicole Backo, said the London-Singapore-Sydney route remained an important one for the airline.

“British Airways has a long and proud history of servicing Australia,” she said. “We’re committed to this market and have been for nearly 80 years.

“The Kangaroo route is vital to the strengthening of our global business. We have continued to invest in it with new planes and new products, and we’re seeing an increase in passengers year-on-year. This is largely due to the alternative routes we provide to Europe and the rest of the world,” she said.

British Airways is the last remaining European airline flying to Australia and operates Sydney services on a daily basis.

Last week, Virgin Atlantic revealed it would cease flying from Hong Kong to Sydney, with the last service to depart the Harbour City coming on May 5.

At the same time, British Airways is increasing the number of stopover destinations throughout Asia, offering Australians more opportunities when flying to the UK.

The British flag carrier has now included Hong Kong to its geographically expansive list that already includes Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, Chengdu and Bangkok.

Those travelling on a BA flight code are now eligible to stopover in Hong Kong to explore or conduct business, something that was not previously possible due to airline traffic rights.

The move also provides more options to meet the ever-demanding and varied itineraries of the modern business and personal traveller.

Additionally, Australians wishing to travel via Hong Kong to one of the 65 European destinations British Airways flies to can take advantage of the introduction of the airline’s A380s, which will operate on selected flights from Hong Kong to London Heathrow’s Terminal 5 every day.

“The increase in stopover destinations is a real bonus for our passengers,” Backo said. “It provides far more flexibility to explore or do business in the likes of Hong Kong or Singapore, without the hassle of having to find additional connecting flights at additional costs.”

British Airways continues to offer its customers multi-stop fares, which provide access to multiple stops at competitive rates.