British Airways is on track to be operationally ready for the millennium switch over.

AEA Technology Consulting, currently assessing the state of “readiness” for the UK aviation industry on behalf of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), will publish its complete report for all UK airlines by July 1999.

British Airways has checked all its aircraft types and they are ready to fly. All the airline’s on board systems have been checked and given a clean bill of health.

More than 90 per cent of the airline’s operating systems and environments are fully Year 2000 compliant, eight months ahead of the year 2000.

Mike Street, British Airways’ Director of Operations and Customer Service, said: “We are on track to achieve our ‘blue’ status by the July target. Our systems’ test and fix processes are substantially complete and we have a robust programme working with our suppliers. We are working closely with the CAA to ensure that the whole UK aviation sector will be operationally ready for the millennium switch over.”

Public confidence in British Airways’ preparations for the year 2000 is at an all time high with more than half a million bookings already taken - a 150 per cent increase when compared with the January to April booking period last year.

The airline has had a 200-strong team working on the Year 2000 issue for the past two years and estimates the cost at £100 million. British Airways is also committed to collaborating with other airlines on the millennium bug.

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