Wi-Fi from BT to fly free in British Airways customer lounges

British Airways and oneworld alliance customers using the airline’s UK lounges will benefit from free, high-speed wireless broadband (Wi-Fi) following a new three-year agreement with BT.

BT Openzone will now be available for free in British Airways’ 25 lounges in the UK and Jersey. These include the ‘Galleries’ lounge complex in Heathrow Terminal 5 – the airline’s exclusive new home. The terminal opens on 27 March and contains six British Airways lounges, capable of hosting up to 2,500 premium passengers in high quality, connected surroundings.

From 1 April, customers visiting the airline’s lounges at all other Heathrow lounges, Gatwick, Manchester, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen airports, will be able to work, surf or game using the complimentary service.

British Airways becomes one of the first UK based airlines to offer its passengers free and instant connectivity to wireless broadband across all of its UK lounges. For added convenience, travellers will be directed to the British Airways website where they can connect to BT Openzone using any wireless-enabled device, without the need of a voucher.

Emily Clark, British Airways’ Lounges Development Manager, said: “An integral part of the travel experience for our premium customers is the lounges and their ability to work or relax as they choose there. For business customers, free wireless will enable them to be connected to the office, right up until they fly.”

Chris Bruce, General Manager, BT Openzone, said: “British Airways has met customer demand for free Wi-Fi head on. Wireless broadband is an essential tool for both business and leisure travellers. The explosion in Wi-Fi-enabled devices is accelerating this trend and the British Airways service means that passengers can use their time productively before boarding their flights.”

Today’s agreement with British Airways highlights the huge demand for Wi-Fi in the leisure and hospitality sector. BT’s hotspot estate in the UK and Ireland covers more than 2,500 hotspots including railway stations, hotel chains, coffee shops and marinas. These provide BT Openzone, BT FON, BT Office Anywhere and BT Fusion customers or casual users with a comfortable location to log in without wires.

Following a series of international roaming agreements, BT Openzone is also available at over 35,000 sites worldwide. For customers wishing to connect to BT Openzone across many of British Airways’ global lounges as well as other international hotspots, BT offers vouchers which are valid in the UK and abroad, allowing travellers to take advantage of cheaper and more predictable communications costs.

Inquiries about this news release should be made to the BT Group Newsroom on its 24-hour number: 020 7356 5369. From outside the UK dial + 44 20 7356 5369.

About BT

BT is one of the world's leading providers of communications solutions and services operating in 170 countries. Its principal activities include the provision of local, national and international telecommunications services to our customers for use at home, at work and on the move; higher-value broadband and internet products and services and converged fixed/mobile products and services. BT consists principally of four lines of business: BT Global Services, Openreach, BT Retail and BT Wholesale.

In the year ended 31 March 2007, BT Group plc's revenue was £20,223 million with profit before taxation of £2,484 million.

British Telecommunications plc (BT) is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on stock exchanges in London and New York.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/aboutbt. For information about BT Openzone visit, www.btopenzone.com

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