After a year which has seen air travel slashed to a fraction of its COVID-19 passenger capacity and punishing layoffs of crew, the aviation industry is starting to plan a return to a new normal. In Europe and the US, a system of green light destinations and increased vaccinations are likely to see the first leisure flights take off in June.

To mark this, British Airways has filmed a new advertisement which will air on British terrestrial television for the first time on Friday May 7, thereafter during Premier League football matches and other sporting events. The campaign You Make Us Fly features the airlines employees and is the airlines first advertisement since A love letter to Britain, which aired in 2019, to mark the airlines centenary.

Over 500 members of British staff applied to take part, 125 appear, from Helen Wetton, a captain on the British Airways 777 fleet to cabin crew and baggage handlers, all showing them making their way back to work.

Why, when with pent-up wanderlust is likely to fuel passenger numbers, does British Airways need to show an advert at all? Says Hamish McVey, British Airways Head of Brand Development and Engagement: We are in a competitive market place. We want to reassure people that they will get the unique British Airways service when they book with us.

Tom Otley, Editorial Director of Business Traveller agrees: There are a lot of people desperate to get flying again, and, as the advert makes clear with its You Make Us Fly strapline and imagery, BA needs us just as much as we need it. There are a challenging few months coming up, though, with inevitable frustrations around testing, proving vaccinations, digitally or otherwise and face masks. And will companies let business travellers fly in the same numbers this year? No one is sure. Theres a lot thats out of BAs control, so saying we are all in it together is probably the right approach for uncertain times.

Says Sean Doyle, British Airways Chairman and CEO: There is a sense of huge anticipation from colleagues across the airline who are preparing to return to work after a very difficult year. The story illustrates the price that our people tell me theyre feeling at the thought of seeing our plans in the sky once again and having the opportunity to welcome adn serve our customers, to reunite them with their friends and family.

The advertisement was overseen by Jules Chalkley, Ogilvy UKs Chief Executive Creative Director. We see British Airways colleagues getting back to doing what they do best and the thing they love so much; looking after people, he says. The advertisement was filmed on an A350, the music that plays throughout is Flower Duet from Delibes opera Lakme, used for over 40 years ago and is the airlines boarding music. Aviation fans can also see a behind the scenes video here.

British Airways is planning to resume a fuller schedule of flights in June, including adding Perugia in Italy as a new route with other new routes to Gdansk and Wroclaw in Poland and Riga in Latvia, plus Cluj Napoka in Romania.