British Airways

Thank you for the petition which one of our head office colleagues accepted from the representatives from WDC.

Jonathon Counsell, British Airways' head of environment has this update: We have actively sought the views of and evidence from a range of people and organisations including the leading NGOs in this field on the issue of cetaceans in captivity. We welcome the extensive work undertaken by ABTA in publishing best practice guidance for the welfare of animals in tourism, particularly in countries where laws do not govern animal welfare. SeaWorld has assured us that its animal care standards exceed this best practice guidance and are governed by US federal and state laws alongside accreditation standards set by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums as well as the Association of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Further, SeaWorld does not collect cetaceans from the wild and has not done so for nearly three decades. On this basis we currently see no reason to end our relationship with the organisation. We will continue to offer our customers the option to make their own decisions on whether to visit SeaWorld. We recognise that the science of cetacean welfare is evolving and we encourage further study in this area.

We contacted Ms Haase in August to thank her for her letter and explain that we would be back in touch to arrange a meeting after we had conducted our own research into the issue. Earlier this week our head of environment wrote to Ms Haase again to arrange a date for the meeting.

In common with many airlines and travel companies in the UK, we offer services intended to make the booking of holiday experiences more convenient for members of the public who wish to visit SeaWorld attractions. We offer similar arrangements in regard to theme parks and other places of interest at many destinations on our global network. Whether members of the public choose to make use of these arrangements is entirely up to them. We note the concerns you have raised in relations to animal welfare. We feel sure you will be aware that regulation of animal welfare at SeaWorld is a matter for the relevant federal and state authorities in the US. We have no reason not to have confidence in the expertise of these authorities in what is a highly specialised field far removed from the world of aviation.