queen elizabet british airways main
British Airways staff involved in the company’s Flying Start programme tell The Queen more about the partnership with Comic Relief which helps children and young people in the communities which BA fly to. The initiative has provided aid for over 620 000 people globally. / Image via Twitter: @RoyalFamily

Queen Elizabeth II celebrated British Airways centenary [photos]

Queen Elizabeth visited British Airways this month. Her first long-haul plane ticket, issued after her coronation in 1953, was on display at Heathrow Airport.

queen elizabet british airways main
British Airways staff involved in the company’s Flying Start programme tell The Queen more about the partnership with Comic Relief which helps children and young people in the communities which BA fly to. The initiative has provided aid for over 620 000 people globally. / Image via Twitter: @RoyalFamily

The 93-year-old Queen Elizabeth II paid a visit to Heathrow Airport in London this month to commemorate the airline’s 100th anniversary. British Airways will turn 100 on 25 August 2019.

The airline  is hosting a range of events to celebrate its history, and the Queen was greeted by staff dressed in ‘heritage uniforms’ to show the progression of the staff regalia from the 1930s.

queen elizabet british airways
The Queen sees how the British Airways uniform has evolved over time – from the 1930s to the present day. / Image via Twitter: @RoyalFamily

To mark its centenary, the Queen went on a tour of the facility and viewed artifacts, aircraft models and historic photos, including her first long-haul plane ticket, issued after her coronation in 1953.

queen elizabet british airways 9
The Queen’s first ticket for a long haul flight after her Coronation. / Image via Twitter: @Royal Family
queen elizabet british airways 4
The Heritage centre includes The Queen’s first ticket for a long haul flight after her Coronation, which was with The Duke of Edinburgh to Jamaica. / Image via Twitter: @Royal Family

The Duke of Edinburgh to Jamaica accompanied her on the trip to Jamaica, and the historic ticket is on display at the Heathrow Airport. The Queen has since been on hundreds of overseas visits during her 67 years on the throne.

queen elizabet british airways 9
Image via Twitter: @Royal Family
queen elizabet british airways 3
Her Majesty views artefacts from the last 100 years of British Airways flights in the company’s museum, including aircraft models. / Image via Twitter: @RoyalFamily

Queen Elizabeth also met with British Airways staff involved in the company’s Flying Start programme. Through their partnership with Comic Relief, the airline aims to help children and young people.

queen elizabet british airways 2
Image via Twitter: @Royal Family
queen elizabet british airways 9
Image via Twitter: @Royal Family

Her last visit to Heathrow airport was in 2014 when the now-retired 97-year-old Duke of Edinburgh accompanied her on an official visit to open Terminal 2, also known as The Queen’s Terminal.

Together, they also visited Heathrow in 2008 to open Terminal 5 – and The Prince of Wales opened the HQ of BA in 1998.

queen elizabet british airways 9
Image via Twitter: @Royal Family
queen elizabet british airways 9
British Airways warmly welcomed Her Majesty The Queen in a visit commemorating their 100th Anniversary. / Image via Twitter: @Royal Family

In the building’s atrium, the queen met with employees from a cross-section of the workforce. The airline staff gave three cheers to the Queen after she unveiled a plaque to mark the visit.

queen elizabet british airways 10
Image via Twitter: @Royal Family

Also read – Previously unseen pictures of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip up for auction [photos]

Watch: Queen Elizabeth’s visit to British Airways