British Airways slashes fares across Europe

British Airways moved to shake up short-haul air travel today by slashing fares across Europe by as much as 50%.

It is offering one-way tickets to 65 destinations from as little as £29 (€42), in a direct challenge to low-cost airlines such as easyJet and Ryanair.

BA today said it would continue to offer “the same excellent standard of service” including complimentary food and drink, free golf club and ski carriage, and allocated seats.

The company said the price cuts were part of an overhaul of the airline’s fare structure, rather than a one-off promotion.

Commercial director Martin George said: “This is not a short-term gimmick, but a long-term commitment to our millions of customers to offer low fares every day of the year.

“There are no hidden extras and air travellers will receive the same excellent standards of service that are the hallmark of British Airways.”