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 | |




