History of British Airways

Consequently, in 1972 the BOAC and BEA managements were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.keesings.com/search?kssp_selected_tab=article&kssp_a_id=25231n01uki|title=Formation and Inauguration of Civil Aviation Authority and British Airways Board|work=Keesing's|date=1 May 1972}}</ref> with the physical operations of the separate airlines coming together as British Airways on 1 April 1974, under the guidance of [[David Nicolson]] as chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite news|title=Britain is merging BOAC and BEA as giant airline |website=[[The New York Times]]|date=24 January 1973|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/24/archives/britain-is-merging-boac-and-bea-as-giant-airline.html | access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref><ref>Doganis (2006), p. 224</ref><ref>{{UK SI|year=1973|number=2175|title=The Air Corporations (Dissolution) Order 1973}}</ref> At the time it was the biggest merger in the aviation industry,<ref>By some criteria. By passenger-miles (and maybe by passengers) the merged airline was smaller than Delta when it merged Northeast in 1972.</ref> creating the world's largest network of routes for the new unified company to harness.<ref>Hanlon (1999), pp. 227–8</ref> In 1975, British Airways was headquartered in the Victoria Terminal in London. Its international division was headquartered at Speedbird House by Heathrow Airport, while its European division was headquartered at Bealine House, [[Ruislip]], Middlesex. The regional division was headquartered in Ruford House, [[Hounslow]].<ref>{{cite web|title=''World Airline Directory&nbsp;– Aviation History''|publisher=Flight International|date=20 March 1975|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200541.html}}</ref>

Consequently, in 1972 the BOAC and BEA managements were combined under the newly formed British Airways Board,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.keesings.com/search?kssp_selected_tab=article&kssp_a_id=25231n01uki|title=Formation and Inauguration of Civil Aviation Authority and British Airways Board|work=Keesing's|date=1 May 1972}}</ref> with the physical operations of the separate airlines coming together as British Airways on 1 April 1974, under the guidance of [[David Nicolson]] as chairman of the board.<ref>{{cite news|title=Britain is merging BOAC and BEA as giant airline |website=[[The New York Times]]|date=24 January 1973|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/24/archives/britain-is-merging-boac-and-bea-as-giant-airline.html | access-date=4 May 2010}}</ref><ref>Doganis (2006), p. 224</ref><ref>{{UK SI|year=1973|number=2175|title=The Air Corporations (Dissolution) Order 1973}}</ref> At the time it was the biggest merger in the aviation industry,<ref>By some criteria. By passenger-miles (and maybe by passengers) the merged airline was smaller than Delta when it merged Northeast in 1972.</ref> creating the world's largest network of routes for the new unified company to harness.<ref>Hanlon (1999), pp. 227–8</ref> In 1975, British Airways was headquartered in the Victoria Terminal in London. Its international division was headquartered at Speedbird House by Heathrow Airport, while its European division was headquartered at Bealine House, [[Ruislip]], Middlesex. The regional division was headquartered in Ruford House, [[Hounslow]].<ref>{{cite web|title=''World Airline Directory&nbsp;– Aviation History''|publisher=Flight International|date=20 March 1975|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200541.html}}</ref>

==1970s: Consolidation and Concorde==

==1970s: Consolidation and Concorde==