on its laurels as it heads into the future.

Over the next ten years it wants to become the undisputed leader in world travel, the airline's Director of the Americas, Peter Spencer, said yesterday.

And for Bermuda this meant a better British Airways which was highly competitive and customer-orientated, he pointed out.

The airline industry was undergoing major changes and British Airways (BA) intended to listen to its customers as it built for the future.

One way it hoped to do this was by forming an alliance with American Airlines to enable it to compete successfully in the new arena created by other carriers forging similar alliances, said Mr. Spencer.

BA was also preparing for competition from low-cost competitors -- the number of which were growing in the UK -- by taking money out of its cost-based resources.

Mr. Spencer acknowledged that BA had not served the Island well over the summer but the airline wanted to grow with Bermuda.

This was why it brought its new 777 jet onto the London Gatwick-Bermuda run along with a fourth flight each week which would create a 66 percent increase in capacity.

The airline felt it was taking a bit of a risk in putting on this much extra capacity at one time, he noted. But it was also committed to making it work.

He said he felt the plane's configuration of premium and economy seats fitted the split of the Island's traffic well.

And he added that he believed the Island's business balance between the pillars of the financial and tourism industry would be great for the airline.

In other news, the airline was also pumping cash into refurbishing its lounges in Gatwick and Bermuda.

He said he was assured that the lounges in Bermuda -- which were costing $750,000 to construct -- would be ready by the time the 777 began service in February.

HIGH FLYER -- British Airways' Director The Americas Peter Spencer.