British Airways removed the seats and stripped the interiors of two of its grounded 777-200 to transport cargo

Two grounded British Airways 777-200 aircraft have had their seats removed and interiors stripped to carry more cargo
First flight of revamped aircraft is to Beijing this afternoon to collect PPE for the NHS
The airline, with IAG Cargo, has operated more than 80 cargo charter flights carrying tonnes of PPE

British Airways has removed the seats and stripped the interiors of two of its grounded 777-200 fleet so the aircraft can operate as freighters and carry even more crucial cargo around the world.

The first voyage of one of these aircraft in its new configuration will be to Beijing this afternoon where it will collect PPE for the NHS. The aircraft will also be used to carry other essential goods like food and medicine to the UK where required, alongside regular commercial shipments.

With demand for passenger travel still very low, working with IAG Cargo, British Airways is trying to use its grounded aircraft in creative ways to support in the global fight against Covid-19. In March, the airline began operating cargo-only services with no passengers, carrying cargo solely in the hold. In April, British Airways started carrying cargo on its seats, while these recent changes – removing all passenger seats and stripping the interiors – will mean these aircraft now have space for an extra 100m³ of cargo on each flight.

FAA Approves AerTrak for Boeing 777-200 Series Aircraft to Comply with Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Operations Mandate

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) No. ST04184NY for installation of AerSale®’s AerTrak® system on Boeing 777-200 series aircraft to comply with the Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) Operations rule, a critical part of the agency’s Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen). Beginning January 1, 2020, the FAA has mandated that aircraft operating in airspace defined by 14 CFR § 91.225 must be equipped with an ADS-B Out system that meets the minimum performance requirements of 14 CFR § 91.227. The FAA previously approved AerTrak for Boeing 737 Classic and NG series aircraft (ST04009NY) and Boeing 757-200 series aircraft (ST04011NY).

Dammam is set to become the latest Saudi Arabian destination for British Airways

It's been confirmed that the UK's British Airways will start flying to its third Saudi Arabian destination from this December as it adds Dammam (DMM) to its route network.

The airline confirmed this week it will start the service on 1st December and from its home base of London Heathrow (LHR) to the global business hub, Dammam.  BA advises that this will be the only direct flight from London and launch as a daily service via Bahrain (BAH).  The airline is planning to operate a four-class Boeing 777-200 on the route all year-round.

Dammam will be the third city in Saudi Arabia British Airways flies to with the airline already serving Riyadh and Jeddah with non-stop daily flights. Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province and is known as the heart of the country’s petroleum industry.