Travellers will soon be able to book their British Airways flights and plan their holidays without leaving their sitting room sofa.

The airline has signed a ground-breaking deal with broadcaster ntl for its pioneering interactive television service. British Airways is the first airline to join the company`s Travel Channel which will allow subscribers to arrange holidays through their home television sets using their TV remote control.

Today`s announcement follows a highly successful controlled Yes-TV trial with 300 homes in Cardiff. The results were used to shape what will appear when British Airways joins ntl`s interactive Travel Channel this autumn.

Dale Moss, British Airways` Director of Sales Worldwide, said: “As an innovator we were quick to recognise the enormous potential of interactive television and wanted to ensure that our customers were the first to reap the benefits. This is not about replacing traditional booking methods, but about offering the consumer more choice and flexibility.

“British Airways services can already be booked through the high street travel agent, the telephone and the internet - and now the home television set too. This is in line with our firm belief that in five years time half of our business will be made electronically.”

To take advantage of this revolutionary new service, viewers simply have to be an ntl subscriber. Then at the touch of a button they can switch from their favourite TV programme to viewing and selecting a wide range of British Airways travel products, information and services. Everything, from British Airways Holidays brochures and destination details through to live flight arrivals and up-to-date timetable information, will be easily accessible.

They will also be able to book British Airways holiday packages, as well as seats on flights, and browse through the latest World Offer fares all from the comfort of their living room 24-hours-a-day.

The service is made possible by ntl`s pioneering interactive TV service which, through tv/internet, digital cable and digital terrestrial TV, means that many millions of homes across the UK will have the potential to access interactive programming.

John Hondros, Director of Content at ntl interactive, said: ” We are delighted to sign up British Airways. The airline is highly respected within the travel industry - a market leader and a pioneer in travel new media. This is the perfect channel for British Airways, with its unrivalled route network to reach out to millions of consumers in their own homes”.

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