British Airways today announced refinements to its aircraft fleet for the year 2000.

It will next year retire all eight of its McDonnell Douglas DC10s, which originally entered service in 1976 with British Caledonian before it was bought by British Airways.

They will be replaced on the Gatwick longhaul routes they fly by two new Boeing 777s, orders for which are announced today, and by six Boeing 767s, already in service or on order but originally intended to operate from Heathrow.

Orders are also announced today for six new Boeing 757s, to take the place of these six 767s, flying shorthaul routes from Heathrow.

In a further refinement to its longhaul fleet plans, the airline has replaced orders for four Boeing 747-400s with orders for a further three additional Boeing 777s.

The newly ordered Boeing 767s and 757s will be powered by Rolls-Royce RB211 engines. The Boeing 777s will be fitted with General Electric GE90 powerplants.

All the newly ordered aircraft will be delivered during 1999.

Announcing the orders, John Patterson, the airline’s Director of Strategy, said: “Our aim at British Airways is to provide our customers with the best possible service, and to be a good neighbour to the communities in which we operate.

“In line with this, the refinements we are announcing today accelerate the retirement of older, less efficient aircraft, replacing them with models with greater customer appeal.

“In addition, these changes trim our growth plans to reflect latest expectations for the growth of the industry.”

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