Flight number ’1’ is predominantly assigned by an airline on to it’s most prestigious or historic route, often what is considered their flagship route.

There are currently around 40 routes which have the flight number ‘1’ and are, perhaps not surprisingly, concentrated around some major cities.

Additionally some airlines appear to reserve their flight number ‘1’ for use by that countries head of state. Philippine Airlines, Air India and Vietnam Airlines for example have been known to do this.

A very special service.

British Airways arguably had the most prestigious example with its Concorde service from London Heathrow to New York JFK (Air France also assigned its Concorde operated Paris - New York service AF1). Concorde service on the route goes back to November 22, 1977 when after a legal battle the US Supreme court overruled a local court ruling instigated by New York and New Jersey’s Port Authority banning the aircraft from using its airports, in contravention to a country wide lifting of the ban on the aircraft in 1976.

A new type of service

Given the prestigious value of the flight number BA did not simply apply it to a subsonic JFK flight and it remained dormant for nearly six years.

With Londons reputation as a major business and financial centre, the hub of which having an airport on its doorstep, British Airways came up with a plan which it announced to the world in February 2008.

London City Airport (LCY), which until then was known primarily for connecting European capitals with London, was to become the new home to BA1. This time utilising an Airbus A318 in a unique 32 seat all business class configuration designed specifically for the route and the expected customer base, initially operating twice a day to New York and making it the first time there was a long haul destination from LCY.

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