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We have partnered with the Born Free Foundation, a world-renowned and respected animal welfare and conservation charity, to underpin and support our award winning animal welfare policy. Since 1984, Born Free have worked across the world to preserve and protect wildlife in its natural habitat. Their vision is that all wild animals, whether living in captivity or in the wild, are treated with compassion and respect. Our animal welfare policy is supported by PETA who awarded us with their 2019 Travel Award for 'Progress for Animals'.

Our promise

We understand that choice is important, so we will continue to provide the full hotel range you have come to expect from British Airways Holidays. We will provide open and honest information about the products we offer, so you can make fully informed decisions on the holidays you choose.

We are committed to:

  • Helping our customers make an informed choice by indicating hotels known to keep captive wild animals in our product information
  • Discouraging our hotel partners that are known to keep wild animals in captivity from doing so
  • Never promoting wild animals in captivity 

We believe the best place for wild animals is in the wild, so we carefully select the excursions and attractions we choose to feature.

  • We will not offer tickets for attractions where wild animals kept in captivity are central to the attraction, e.g. zoos and dolphinaria
  • We will not offer tickets for attractions promoting animal performances or swim-with encounters
  • We will not offer tours that include animal rides or interactions
  • We will continue to offer tours that enable you to responsibly observe wildlife in its natural habitat

Project Raise the Red Flag

We understand it can be distressing to witness the plight of mistreated wild animals and feel powerless to help. We have been working closely with Born Free to support their Raise the Red Flag initiative. This interactive online resource allows you to report issues of concern relating to the welfare of animals in captivity worldwide. Born Free will assess and investigate the concerns raised, calling on relevant authorities to take positive action, and provide you with the tools to enable you to help.

You’ll also be able to check whether any animal welfare concerns have already been identified – creating a global awareness of known issues at zoos, circuses, marine parks and other captive animal facilities worldwide.

Big Cat Rescue in South Africa

Born Free is one of few organisations in the world with the experience and expertise to rescue wild animals from inadequate captive facilities worldwide. With global connections, and supported by IAG Cargo's transportation options, Born Free can enable these animals to be re-homed and cared for in specially designed sanctuaries where they can live out the rest of their lives in safe, natural surroundings and under expert care.

British Airways Holidays have supported the development of a new and dedicated facility in the Born Free Rescue Section at the Panthera Africa Big Cat Sanctuary in South Africa’s Western Cape. This sanctuary provides 40-hectares of natural habitat where captive-bred big cats are protected for the rest of their lives.

Panthera Africa is now home to two lionesses, named Alpha and Cora. The two neglected lionesses were initially rescued from an illegal zoo in Spain, which has since been closed following bankruptcy and concerns about animal welfare. They were given temporary sanctuary at an animal shelter in Belgium, before being flown to their new home.

Alpha and Cora received specialist care and attention from Born Free’s Rescue and Care team and IAG Cargo’s animal transport team as they travelled to London and onto a British Airways flight to Cape Town. The lionesses then travelled a short distance by road before arriving at Panthera Africa.

The new sanctuary enables the lionesses to live out their days in safe and natural surroundings, exploring the sights and sounds of their ancestral home. Watch our short film documenting their journey. It’s heart-warming to see them settling in so well.