The UK’s flag carrier will launch daily services from Melbourne to London via Kuala Lumpur in 2027.
It’s a welcome return for the prestigious airline which suspended daily flights to Sydney in 2020 due to the pandemic. It’s been 20 years since the airline last flew to Melbourne, Australia’s busiest airport gateway.
“We’re delighted to see the return of British Airways to the Melbourne market, with daily services between Melbourne and London Heathrow set to commence from early 2027,” said Kristen Angus, VisitBritain’s Country Manager for Australia and New Zealand.
“With just over half of Australian travellers to Britain coming from Victoria and New South Wales, this additional capacity is a significant boost to support continued growth from this key market.
“We look forward to welcoming even more Victorians to experience the very best of Britain in every season.”
Above: (L-R) Colin Brooks, Victoria’s Minister for Creative Industries; Lorie Argus, Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer; Robert Dougan, Tourism Australia; Oonagh Lewis, British deputy consul-general
BA will operate a four-class Boeing Dreamliner 787-9 on the route, which will launch on January 11, 2027.
Neil Chernoff, British Airways’ Chief Planning and Strategy Officer, said the airline was confident the new route would prove popular with customers.
“We’re delighted to announce sizable growth to our flying schedule for Winter 2026, including a new route to Melbourne,” he added.
“We have a long history of connecting Britain and Australia, and we’re excited to be returning to this great city.”
The new service will provide travellers and exporters from Victoria, Tasmania, regional New South Wales, South Australia and the Australian Capital Territory with a new option to London, as well as onward connections to the oneworld alliance member’s extensive global network.
The new flights will feature First, Club World (business class), World Traveller Plus (premium economy) and World Traveller (economy) cabins.
From January 9, 2027, flight BA33 will depart London Heathrow daily at 21:10pm, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 18:05pm the following day and then into Melbourne at 6:40am the day after.
The return flight BA34 will commence from January 11, departing Melbourne Airport at 16:35pm, arriving in Kuala Lumpur at 21:35pm and then into London Heathrow at 5:20am the next morning.
“British Airways is one of the world’s most recognisable airlines and in its more than 100 years of flying has earned a well-deserved reputation for excellence and reliability,” said Lorie Argus, Melbourne Airport Chief Executive Officer.
“London is one of the world’s great global cities and a critical hub for business, tourism and education, while Melbourne was last week voted Time Out’s “best city in the world” as well as being home to the largest British expat community in Australia, so there will be no shortage of two-way demand.”
British Airways has been connecting Australia and the UK for more than 90 years and today flies to more than 200 destinations in more than 75 countries, offering one of the most comprehensive networks in Europe and North America.
