British Airways will launch daily nonstop flights between London Heathrow and San José International Airport (SJC) in California. Flights will feature the four-class Boeing 787-900 aircraft with 216 seats, including eight in newly designed First class, 42 in business, 39 in premium economy and 127 in economy.
The new nonstop service, which begins 4 May 2016, is the first-ever nonstop scheduled service between Silicon Valley and the United Kingdom. Tickets for the new flights go on sale on Thursday, 27 August.
“We are thrilled to be bringing our most technically advanced aircraft to the tech center of the world,” said British Airways Senior Vice President – North America Simon Brooks. “We want to give the business community in and around Silicon Valley more options to access the UK and Europe, quickly and easily.
San José airport said London “has been identified as a priority travel route for the greater San José region” and that Silicon Valley companies “have 428 locations throughout the UK and UK companies have 118 locations in Silicon Valley. Nearly all major Silicon Valley tech companies have European headquarters in London and several offices located throughout continental Europe.”
San José airport, while located in one of the world’s technology centers, has been rising from the shadow of United hub San Francisco International Airport just 30 miles to the northwest. BA’s new flights are the fourth new nonstop market that SJC has announced so far in 2015. Hainan Airlines launched Beijing nonstop in June, Southwest began Dallas Love Field service in April and Alaska Airlines will add Eugene, Oregon on 5 November. ANA also operates a daily flight to Tokyo.