Tearjerker: British Airways Reunites Couple 10,000 Miles Apart

Tearjerker: British Airways Reunites Couple 10,000 Miles Apart

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British Airways does an incredible job with their marketing videos. For example, British Airways’ 2013 “Visit Mum” campaign made me cry.

While nothing can top that, lately British Airways has been running an ad campaign that they call “BA Magic.” Through this, they encourage people to write in sharing a trip they’d like to take for a special reason, and British Airways (sometimes) makes it happen in a very special way. In the past I’ve shared the videos of British Airways helping a man propose to his girlfriend inflightthem helping an aunt get to Hong Kong for just 24 hours to surprise her nephew, and them helping a man take his first flight after brain surgery.

British Airways has just released their latest video in the BA Magic series, and I think this one is my favorite one yet (not that you can really choose between all of these inspiring stories). Here’s the background of what inspired this story:

Lisa wrote in to the airline’s BA Magic campaign to tell their story. She explained the couple had met in Australia in 2011 and moved together to the UK in 2012. Just before Hayley’s 30th birthday, Lisa took her to Paris and proposed. Hayley said yes, and the pair married in a beautiful ceremony in Derby surrounded by friends and family in August 2015.

The only people that couldn’t be there were Hayley’s mother, Debbie and father, Steve. Steve was recovering from Stage 4 tongue cancer and Debbie has the degenerative condition, Muscular Dystrophy, so the journey was just too much. They were there thanks to Facetime technology though, with Steve delivering a very proud father-of-the-bride speech.

The happy couple moved to Glasgow, where Lisa started her dream job as a police officer in one of the city’s most deprived areas, while Hayley pursued her passion, establishing herself as a blogger and vlogger of all things vintage.

Sadly their happy bubble burst just a year-and-a-half later when Hayley received the devastating news that Steve’s cancer had returned and was now terminal.

On Valentine’s Day this year, she rushed back to Australia leaving Lisa, their beloved pet dog, Hettie and all her friends behind in the UK.

Steve died peacefully with Hayley by his side on March 26.

Hayley has been in Australia ever since, helping her Mum sort through her Dad’s affairs and assisting her Mum through her own condition. Lisa and Hettie have moved back to Lisa’s home town of Derby, and she is now an officer for the West Midlands Police Force.

Here’s the video, which I find touching on so many levels (especially how they bring the mom on the trip):

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  1. Paul Guest

    Well done BA. Next please go improve your product.

  2. The nice Paul Diamond

    @ Culverin

    You're right of course, they're not the first same-sex couple in an advert. But usually it's just a hint where you must "read between the lines", and I don't know of any advert which is as straightforward and upfront as this (about gay marriage, too!). Certainly none by any airline that I know of.

    Can you imagine one of the US3 doing this?

    And certainly not the ME3 (unless by accident -...

    @ Culverin

    You're right of course, they're not the first same-sex couple in an advert. But usually it's just a hint where you must "read between the lines", and I don't know of any advert which is as straightforward and upfront as this (about gay marriage, too!). Certainly none by any airline that I know of.

    Can you imagine one of the US3 doing this?

    And certainly not the ME3 (unless by accident - I fantasise at the two men travelling together in Qatar's safety announcement...). Though, in fairness, Qatar's safety video also shows a gorgeous male FA giving a blow job to a lifevest while also giving us an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. Or maybe that's just me.

  3. Culverin Guest

    @The nice Paul

    I like your comment although just to clarify, I have a ‘rational’ hatred of BA for all manner of very good reasons but mainly because I find them crap.

    The advert, however, is very good and the women are a lovely couple with a compelling story. Strangely enough though, I’m sure they’re not the first same sex couple featuring in an advert but I recognise we might live in different countries.

    In summary, great advert, shame about the airline.

  4. niko_jas Guest

    And while this pair were reunited, think of the thousands who missed out on being reunited with friends and family thanks to BA and their IT meltdown.( Or one of the myriad other reasons that delay/cancel their flights).

  5. @mkcol Gold

    Who the heck is Hettie?

  6. Ben Guest

    Lovely couple and lovely video. BA J looks just as dreadful as ever though.

  7. Edward Guest

    Who says it is irrational?

  8. The nice Paul Diamond

    Most posters here could just type "I have an irrational hatred of BA" and save everyone a lot of time.

    I love it that someone's hatred is so strong they even question whether BA flies to Sydney, building a fantasy world in which BA are just evil liars...

    As for the criticism that this is just Bernays - pretty much *all* non-factual advertising these days is a legacy of Bernays. He was an evil...

    Most posters here could just type "I have an irrational hatred of BA" and save everyone a lot of time.

    I love it that someone's hatred is so strong they even question whether BA flies to Sydney, building a fantasy world in which BA are just evil liars...

    As for the criticism that this is just Bernays - pretty much *all* non-factual advertising these days is a legacy of Bernays. He was an evil genius, and one of the most influential people of our time.

    I love it that BA has chosen to put a lesbian couple front-and-centre, with no comment or editorialising, just matter-of-fact. Well done them. And what a delightful couple they are.

  9. Juno Guest

    If only they put in this much effort into their lounges and on-board seats...

  10. Claudia-Jean Guest

    @SD, BA is the only European airline to Sydney.

  11. Zach Guest

    @Sd
    They do via Singapore, I thought Google eliminated the need for people to make such statements.

  12. Isaac John Guest

    @sd. I believe they do. Search BA15. It’s the flight from London to Sydney via Singapore.

  13. Steffie Guest

    This is Eddie Bernays- type propaganda (marketing/sales/PR).

  14. Sd New Member

    Question: BA doesn't even fly to Sydney does it?
    So did they actually with all the amazing BA magic branding have to drive the ladies to a Qantas or Cathay flight? At least for the first leg?

  15. AW Guest

    Awwwwwwwwwww..............

  16. Mark Guest

    Yes emotional. If they can spend $$ to do this, they should spend $$ to replace
    the stupid business class seats with the peak a boo screens.
    I'm sold even when the isle seat want's privacy with the screen in place,
    the lazy flight attendants will drop the screen to reach over and serve the window seat.

  17. Craig U New Member

    @Ben I love all of these! Thank you for posting them!

  18. Brian Guest

    Dan Allen: Your comment is so inappropriate. And hysterical.

  19. Icarus Guest

    Very moving. Well done

  20. Dan Allen Member

    Wow! It would really be something if the can clean their bathrooms and provide decent food. My eyes water just thinking about it

  21. eagerflyer Guest

    Lol Lucky - Agree that its very emotional however its a corporate ploy at the end of the day....

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The comments on this page have not been provided, reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser, and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered.

Paul Guest

Well done BA. Next please go improve your product.

0
The nice Paul Diamond

@ Culverin You're right of course, they're not the first same-sex couple in an advert. But usually it's just a hint where you must "read between the lines", and I don't know of any advert which is as straightforward and upfront as this (about gay marriage, too!). Certainly none by any airline that I know of. Can you imagine one of the US3 doing this? And certainly not the ME3 (unless by accident - I fantasise at the two men travelling together in Qatar's safety announcement...). Though, in fairness, Qatar's safety video also shows a gorgeous male FA giving a blow job to a lifevest while also giving us an extraordinarily penetrating gaze. Or maybe that's just me.

0
Culverin Guest

@The nice Paul I like your comment although just to clarify, I have a ‘rational’ hatred of BA for all manner of very good reasons but mainly because I find them crap. The advert, however, is very good and the women are a lovely couple with a compelling story. Strangely enough though, I’m sure they’re not the first same sex couple featuring in an advert but I recognise we might live in different countries. In summary, great advert, shame about the airline.

0
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