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2007/08 Annual Report and Accounts
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Notes to the accounts continued
14 Property, plant and equipment

a Group

£ million Fleet Property Equipment Group total
Cost        
Balance at April 1, 2006 11,318 1,427 780 13,525
Additions (note 14d) 258 62 19 339
Disposals (344) (63) (66) (473)
Reclassifications 10   20 30
Reclassifications to assets held for sale (note 16) (19) (28)   (47)
Balance at March 31, 2007 11,223 1,398 753 13,374
Additions (note 14d) 428 122 87 637
Disposals (262) (12) (36) (310)
Balance at March 31, 2008 11,389 1,508 804 13,701
Depreciation and impairment        
Balance at April 1, 2006 4,712 453 478 5,643
Charge for the year 640 87 47 774
Disposals (267) (55) (64) (386)
Impairment   3   3
Reclassifications 1 1 20 22
Reclassifications to assets held for sale (note 16) (16) (23)   (39)
Balance at March 31, 2007 5,070 466 481 6,017
Charge for the year 542 72 47 661
Disposals (199) (7) (34) (240)
Balance at March 31, 2008 5,413 531 494 6,438
Net book amounts        
March 31, 2008 5,976 977 310 7,263
March 31, 2007 6,153 932 272 7,357
Analysis at March 31, 2008        
Owned 2,572 952 300 3,824
Finance leased 1,728     1,728
Hire purchase arrangements 1,549     1,549
Progress payments 127 25 10 162
  5,976 977 310 7,263
Analysis at March 31, 2007        
Owned 2,533 836 250 3,619
Finance leased 1,699     1,699
Hire purchase arrangements 1,819     1,819
Progress payments 102 96 22 220
  6,153 932 272 7,357

The net book amount of property comprises:

  Group total
  2008 2007
Freehold 274 282
Long leasehold improvements 256 261
Short leasehold improvements* 447 389
  977 932

* Short leasehold improvements relates to leasehold interests with a duration of less than 50 years.

As at March 31, 2008 bank and other loans of the Group are secured on fleet assets with a cost of £477 million (2007: £477 million), and letters of credit of £330 million in favour of the British Airways Pension Trustees are secured on certain aircraft (2007: £380 million).

Included in the cost of tangible assets for the Group is £345 million (2007: £330 million) of capitalised interest.

b Company

£ million Fleet Property Equipment Company total
Cost        
Balance at April 1, 2006 10,749 1,337 705 12,791
Additions 255 62 19 336
Disposals (120) (61) (55) (236)
Transfers to subsidiary companies     (1) (1)
Reclassifications 10   20 30
Reclassifications to assets held for sale (note 16) (19) (28)   (47)
Balance at March 31, 2007 10,875 1,310 688 12,873
Additions 427 121 81 629
Disposals (260) (10) (33) (303)
Balance at March 31, 2008 11,042 1,421 736 13,199
Depreciation and impairment        
Balance at April 1, 2006 4,517 423 413 5,353
Charge for the year 536 84 43 663
Disposals (120) (54) (53) (227)
Transfers to subsidiary companies     (1) (1)
Impairment   3   3
Reclassifications 1 1 20 22
Reclassifications to assets held for sale (note 16) (16) (23)   (39)
Balance at March 31, 2007 4,918 434 422 5,774
Charge for the year 527 70 45 642
Disposals (197) (7) (32) (236)
Balance at March 31, 2008 5,248 497 435 6,180
Net book amounts        
March 31, 2008 5,794 924 301 7,019
March 31, 2007 5,957 876 266 7,099
Analysis at March 31, 2008        
Owned 2,394 899 292 3,585
Finance leased 1,728     1,728
Hire purchase arrangements 1,549     1,549
Progress payments 123 25 9 157
  5,794 924 301 7,019
Analysis at March 31, 2007        
Owned 2,338 780 244 3,362
Finance leased 1,698     1,698
Hire purchase arrangements 1,819     1,819
Progress payments 102 96 22 220
  5,957 876 266 7,099

The net book amount of property comprises:

  Company total
  2008 2007
Freehold 226 232
Long leasehold improvements 256 261
Short leasehold improvements* 442 383
  924 876

* Short leasehold improvements relate to leasehold interests with a duration of less than 50 years.

As at March 31, 2008 bank and other loans of the Company are secured on fleet assets with a cost of £404 million (2007: £404 million).

Included in the cost of tangible assets for the Company is £343 million (2007: £327 million) of capitalised interest.

c Depreciation

Fleets are generally depreciated over periods ranging from 18 to 25 years after making allowance for estimated residual values. Effective annual depreciation rates resulting from those methods are shown in the following table:

  Group
Per cent 2008 2007
Boeing 747-400 and 777-200 3.7 3.7
Boeing 767-300 4.8 4.9
Boeing 757-200 4.4 4.4
Airbus A321, A320, A319, Boeing 737-400 4.9 4.9

For engines maintained under ‘Power-by-the-hour’ contracts, the depreciation lives and residuals are the same as for the aircraft fleets to which the engines relate. For all other engines, the engine core is depreciated to residual value over the average remaining life of the related fleet.

Major overhaul expenditure is depreciated over periods ranging from 54 to 78 months, according to engine type. During the year, the Group changed the depreciation period for the RB211 engine, used on Boeing 747 and 767 fleets, from 54 months to 78 months. The change resulted in a £32.5 million decrease in annual depreciation charge for this engine type.

Property, apart from freehold land, is depreciated over its expected useful life subject to a maximum of 50 years. Equipment is depreciated over periods ranging from four to 20 years, according to the type of equipment.

d Analysis of Group tangible asset additions

        Group total
£ million Fleet Property Equipment 2008 2007
Cash paid 434 106 56 596 331
Capitalised interest 4 11   15 5
Accrual movements (10) 5 31 26 3
  428 122 87 637 339

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