Media Fact Sheet
About British Airways
British Airways is the UK's largest international airline and one of the world's leading global premium carriers. Its principal place of business is London, the world's largest premium travel market, with significant presence at Heathrow, Gatwick and London City Airports. British Airways’ main home at Heathrow is Terminal 5, regularly voted by passengers as the world's best airport terminal in international surveys.
Operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks, together with its joint business agreement, codeshare and franchise partners, flies to more than 70 different countries. British Airways carries more than 40 million customers a year and has a fleet of nearly 300 aircraft.
British Airways is a founding member of oneworld, the alliance of airlines around the globe, which together serves some 1,000 destinations across the globe.
British Airways' is investing £4.5 billion pounds for its customers over the next five years, investment includes the installation of the best quality WiFi and power in every seat, fitting 128 long-haul aircraft with new interiors and taking delivery of 72 new aircraft. The airline will also be introducing new Club World seat with direct aisle access next year.
About Charleston International Airport
Charleston International Airport (CHS) provides first-class facilities and amenities that embrace the history, culture and beauty of Charleston and the Lowcountry of South Carolina. The airport is centrally located in the Charleston, S.C., metropolitan area and provides an exceptional first impression of the Lowcountry for more than 4 million passengers traveling to and from here annually for business and leisure activities.
Chartered in 1970 by the State of South Carolina as a special purpose district, the governing body, the Charleston County Aviation Authority, is responsible for managing, operating and developing all public airports in the Charleston County Airport District. That includes CHS as well as general aviation facilities the Charleston Executive Airport ( JZI) on Johns Island and the Mount Pleasant Regional Airport (LRO). The runways at CHS are owned by the U.S. Air Force and Joint Base Charleston and
are shared by CHS through what is the longest running civilian/military joint-use agreement of its kind with the Department of Defense. Boeing South Carolina, the final assembly for the 787 Dreamliner, sits on approximately 730 acres of land adjacent to CHS.
For more information, visit www.iflyCHS.com
About S.C. Department of Commerce
As South Carolina's leading economic development agency, the Department of Commerce works to recruit new businesses and help existing business grow. S.C. Commerce has recruited world-class companies to South Carolina such as BMW, Boeing, Continental, Giti Tire, LPL Financial Holdings, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Samsung, Toray and Volvo Cars and also supports startups, small and existing business, innovation and rural development initiatives. S.C. Commerce partners with the S.C. Technical College System via readySC to support workforce training and recruiting, and with the S.C. Department of Employment and Workforce, which provides worker training and employment opportunities within the state. With a strong international footprint, the Palmetto State ranked No. 1 in the nation for attracting jobs through foreign investment on a per capita basis in 2018 – extending its streak of top three finishes since 2011. Additionally, in five of seven years, the state has won the Gold Shovel Award from Area Development magazine; and, in 2017, the state was recognized as Business Facilities' State of the Year. For more information, visit www.SCcommerce.com.
About S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
The South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism operates and promotes 47 state parks, provides recreational grants to local communities, and strategically brands the state as a preferred destination to both domestic and international markets. It also supports a wide network of destination marketing organizations, attractions and services in South Carolina that help foster sustainable tourism.
Established in 1967 to leverage the natural and cultural appeal of the Palmetto State, SCPRT
helps generate a $21.2 billion tourism industry that supports one in every 10 jobs in South Carolina.
About Charleston County Created in 1993, Charleston County Economic Development (CCED) is dedicated to recruiting new business, growing existing industry, and improving the Charleston business climate. Leveraging more than $6.3 billion in capital investment and the creation of more than 32,000 jobs, Charleston County is often ranked in the Top Ten among the state’s 46 counties for capital
investment and new job creation, placing #1 in both categories in 2004 and 2009. This includes the recruitment and expansion of numerous blue-chip companies such as The Boeing Company, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Cummins, and Ingevity, among others. In 2018, CCED won a gold award from the International Economic Development Council for its business retention and expansion efforts.
For more information visit www.CharlestonCountyDevelopment.org.
About Explore Charleston
The mission of Explore Charleston is to unify and lead the local travel industry in marketing the Charleston area as an individual, meeting, incentive and group destination to both the domestic and international markets. Visit www.explorecharleston.com