BA hopefuls rowing for gold

It's 'oar-aboard' for Britain's Olympic rowers as they and the rest of the UK's Team GB medal hopefuls set course for the Beijing Olympics. The 43-strong team flew out last month (July 30) on a British Airways Boeing 747 named 'Pride' after Team GB's lion Olympic mascot. BA is the official carrier for the British Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Hundreds of BA staff had been working tirelessly to make sure the athletes, and their kit, reach Beijing fully prepared for the games, as well as taking care of their particular dietary requirements.

The airline laid on a special healthy tea in the lounge at Terminal 5 of nutritious fruitcake, sandwiches and fruit juice, to ensure they were in prime shape ahead of the ten-hour flight.

On board, the aircraft was stocked with a range of high-energy snack foods, following consultation with the British Olympic Association, so each athlete receives an extra three litres of water, two pieces of fruit, two bananas, two Fruesli bars, two packets of cereal and two yoghurts.

Willie Walsh, British Airways CEO, said: "As the official airline partner of the British Olympic and Paralympic Teams, we are proud to be carrying Britain's Olympic hopefuls to Beijing. Team BA has put in a winning performance to ensure Team GB's 2008 Games get off to a flying start."

Special headrests wishing Team GB 'Good Luck' have been placed on 'Pride' and will feature on every seat on all British Airways flights to Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong until the Paralympic Games end in September.

A 'Good Luck' message wall in Terminal 5 will also spell out the airline's well-wishing for those going to the games, while the ornamental horses in the terminal's FIRST lounge will be dressed in Team GB horse blankets.

Teams from across the airline, involving more than 700 people, have worked for months on the Olympic-sized challenge to transport both the teams and their kit.

More than 700 pieces of Olympic equipment; everything from state-of-the-art aerodynamic bicycles to prosthetic limbs, from canoes to tennis balls have been carefully packed and relayed to the Chinese capital.

Customer service staff in the UK and China have received special training ahead of the arrival of the British Paralympic team.

British Airways has also set up a dedicated customer service helpline to provide assistance to the athletes and their support teams while they are in China.

A core team of representatives from the airline's sales, marketing, flying crew, operations, cargo and diversity departments will also personally oversee all British Olympic and Paralympic Teams during July, August and September.