With a capacity of up to 228 passengers and a range of 3,900 nautical miles, the Boeing 757 was a capable twin-engine aircraft. Designed to be as much as 80% more fuel efficient than the 727 it was replacing, the 757 was very popular among airlines and a successful project for Boeing. But for British Airways, the flying pencil played a more significant role than updating the fleet.

A risky but necessary decision

Early in the 1980s, BA was under fire with heavy financial losses. However, one factor not helping this situation was the carrier's Hawker Siddeley Tridents running their otherwise successful Shuttle routes. The Trident, on these short-haul flights, was uneconomical due to its three engines and necessary flight crew of three to fly. Not only was this an issue, but due to noise regulations, the aircraft needed to be replaced by 1986.

Photo: Steve Fitzgerald via Wikimedia Commons

So British Airways became one of the first airlines to commit to the 757 along with Eastern Air Lines, ordering 19 aircraft. Given the financial situation, the decision was met with some criticism to cut back or switch to Airbus, but BA stuck it out in hopes that Boeing's latest and greatest would help move them closer to the green. Although the 757 could fly transatlantic and US coast-to-coast routes, BA used their first few on domestic routes.

Boeing's new plane enters operation

In 1983, the British Airways 757s took to the skies between London and Glasgow, Edinburgh, Belfast, and Manchester. Fortunately, due to its aerodynamics and fuel efficiency advancements, the aircraft was a success for the carrier.

It also offered 40 more seats over the Trident 3, lowering the need for backup shuttles when the plane was just a few seats short of getting everyone on the plane. The intricate computer systems offered on the 757 were well received, and British Airways wanted more.

With Boeing's new plane proven, BA continuously replenished their orders and operated more routes. The airline operated flights to major European cities and eventually across the Atlantic. Routes such as Glasgow - New York JFK - Boston and Birmingham - New York JFK - Toronto were enjoyed for some time, though eventually cut when British Airways saw the 757 financially served the company best on shorter routes.

Photo: Adrian Pingstone via Wikimedia Commons

What happened to BA's 757s?

Towards the end of 1999, British Airways looked towards Airbus for new, smaller capacity, short-haul aircraft to suitably replace the domestic workhorse. Shortly after the decision, DHL bought 34 of BA's 53 757s for freighter conversion. A few of the remaining aircraft went to OpenSkies, an airline started by BA that took advantage of the EU-US Open Skies Agreement.

Those 13 planes transferred to OpenSkies were updated with British Airways' first Club World flatbed seats in business class. The then-new airline flew routes like Paris to New York, Amsterdam to New York, and Paris to Washington, though similar to BA's previous transatlantic attempts, these were not financially successful. Eventually, by the end of 2010, the rest of British Airways' 757s were sold.

Did you ever fly with British Airways on the 757? Let us know your experience in the comments below.

Sources: London Air Travel, Emerald