British Airways has announced plans to offer skiers and other holidaymakers a chance to enjoy Austria with flights to Innsbruck from Heathrow starting on December 4.
The airline will operate a four-times-a-week service from Heathrow to Innsbruck during winter and twice-per-week during the summer season, with return fares starting from £88 in Euro Traveller and £338 in Club Europe. With the new service, skiers will now be able to fly to Innsbruck – the former Winter Olympic city – from two UK airports. The airline already operates direct flights from Gatwick to the Tyrolean capital, it said.
Neil Cottrell, British Airways’ head of planning, said: ‘We’ve launched 15 new routes already this year but now it’s time to turn our attention to the ski season.
‘We are sure the new route from Heathrow to Innsbruck will prove popular with those looking to hit the slopes this winter as it offers ideal access to some of the very best ski resorts in Europe, including Mayrhofen, Alpbach and Niederau.
‘Innsbruck is also a popular tourist destination for non-skiers and the service will launch just in time for the picture-perfect Christmas markets.’
During winter, starting December 4, the Innsbruck service from Heathrow will operate on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The winter-only Innsbruck service from Gatwick operates on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. During summer, starting March 29, 2017 the Innsbruck service from Heathrow will operate on Saturdays and Wednesdays.
Flights will depart from Terminal 5 and the route will be served by a two-class cabin A320 aircraft. Customers choosing a ‘Plus’ or ‘Plus Flex’ fare can check their ski equipment in for free as part of their 23kg baggage allowance, as well as the hand luggage allowance of one cabin bag and a handbag or laptop bag per person.
The other routes launched by British Airways this year include San Jose in California, Palermo, Biarritz and Kalamata from Heathrow and San Jose in Costa Rica, Lima and JFK from Gatwick. Flights to Cape Town from Gatwick will operate from November 24 and services to Santiago from Heathrow will start from January 3, 2017, the airline said.
