British Airways reopens Newcastle call centre after £17 million refurbishment

British Airways has reopened its Newcastle contact centre following a £17 million refurbishment.  

The airline’s Bamburgh Court facility, which first opened in 1992, is the larger of British Airways’ two UK-based contact centres and employs around 700 people. It handles multiple customer-facing functions, including UK Sales and BA Holidays, customer relations, accessibility services, social media operations and digital delivery. 

British Airways also maintains a smaller call centre in Manchester’s Towers Business Park.

Over the past decade, the airline has invested heavily in digital self-service tools, including online chat, mobile app support and automated disruption management, but telephone support remains essential for complex bookings, accessibility requests, holidays, loyalty programme enquiries and irregular operations. 

New training academy at the heart of the investment

The refurbished site now includes a purpose-built Learning Academy designed to provide immersive training based on real operational and customer service scenarios.

British Airways said the investment is intended to modernise the workplace, support career development and improve the consistency of customer service across its operations. 

“The reopening of our Newcastle contact centre marks an important milestone for British Airways and reinforces our long-standing commitment to the North East,” said Tim Monk, Director of Customer Care at British Airways, in the airline’s announcement. “This site, and its people, play a critical role in supporting our customers across the globe. Our £17 million investment ensures we are providing a modern, collaborative environment for our colleagues.”

The airline has also continued expanding its apprenticeship programme in Newcastle. Since 2022, it has recruited three apprentice cohorts totalling 20 people, with most progressing into permanent positions. Another 19 employees are currently completing internal apprenticeships covering leadership, operational management, data and artificial intelligence. 

“We are proud of the opportunities we are creating for talent here – from apprenticeships and early careers programmes to ongoing development for our people – helping to build skills, support social mobility and create long-term careers in the region,” Monk said.  

BA also has the support of international IAG call centres 

While Newcastle and Manchester are British Airways’ principal UK customer service hubs, the airline also uses overseas contact centres to provide around-the-clock support across different markets and time zones.

As part of the International Airlines Group (IAG), British Airways works with customer service teams, including Call BA in India, and country-specific contact centres that support local languages and regional sales in major international markets. This global network enables the airline to provide 24-hour customer support while matching staffing levels to demand across different regions. 

In its 2025 Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement, IAG reported spending over €101 million (£87 million) annually in call centre services across five main suppliers, three outsourced to a third party and two (BA and Call BA) in-house. 

The airline group reported on its audit of call centres that make up over 90% of its annual spend to assess “their workforce profile, the process and protections around subcontracting, training, and complaint handling.” IAG confirmed their adherence to “positive practices.” 

The Newcastle refurbishment comes as British Airways continues a multi-year programme of investment across its customer experience, following improvements to its website, mobile app, lounges and onboard product.

Featured Image: British Airways