Why British Airways Flew The Tiny Airbus A318 To New York: A Rare Move

British Airways made a rare transatlantic move by flying the small Airbus A318 to New York’s JFK, operating two aircraft from 2009 to 2020 in a configuration aimed at business travelers. The carrier flew the A318, dubbed the “Baby Bus,” with an all-premium layout featuring just 32 Club World seats, rather than a typical short-haul setup. Services ran up to twice daily using flight numbers BA1 through BA4, previously reserved for Concorde operations to JFK, but these departures were not from London Heathrow. Instead, the flights left London City Airport, fitting the business-oriented passenger profile thanks to its proximity to the financial district. The route included a stop in Shannon, Ireland, for refueling and to complete US border checks there, so arrivals at JFK were treated as domestic passengers. Cirium data shows that by January and February 2020 BA operated 24 rotations per month, with the final service scheduled for March 24.