We’ve brought the UK’s top tea to 35,000ft
We are proud to announce a new partnership with award-winning British tea producer Birchall. We will now be offering a carefully curated range of high quali-tea options to our customers, both on the ground and in the air, in celebration of British originality.
From 1 May, our customers can now enjoy award-winning Birchall tea across all long-haul cabins including World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Club World (long-haul business) and First. The new offering will also be served on board all short-haul flights in Club Europe (short-haul business) from June, and available to purchase in Euro Traveller (economy) on flights from London Heathrow via its High Life Café from July. Birchall tea will also be rolled out across our lounges globally.
Our Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming, said: “Last year, we served more than 37 million cups of tea in the air, and more than two million cups in our lounges globally, so we knew that selecting our newest tea partner was a decision we had to get right.
“We’re proud to be continually leading the way in championing British originality, and it was important to us that our tea not only ticks the taste box, but also showcases the quality and talent we have on our doorstep here in the UK.”
Daniel Graham, Managing Director of Birchall Tea, said: “We are immensely proud to be supplying tea for British Airways, which is the epitome of British quality and service; which is something incredibly important to us as well. We hope British Airways’ customers enjoy this elevated tea experience in the air and on the ground for years to come.”
Time for tea at 35,000ft: Long-haul options
Customers travelling in First can enjoy an exclusive selection of specialty teas expertly curated to elevate their experience at al-tea-tude. Among these is Birchall Great Rift English Breakfast tea, which boasts an unrivalled bright and brilliant taste, making it the UK’s most-awarded tea for taste. As part of the award-winning tea menu, other variations also include relaxing Camomile, warming Lemongrass & Ginger, Great Rift Decaffeinated and refreshing Red Berry & Flower.
Customers travelling in Club World can also sip on a wide range of tea flavours and herbal infusions, including English Breakfast, Decaffeinated English Breakfast, Peppermint, Green Tea and Earl Grey. The Birchall string and tag teabags are made from plant-based fibres, in a fully solar powered tea factory.
Elsewhere, customers travelling in World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins can enjoy Birchall’s English Breakfast and Decaffeinated English Breakfast tea, expertly blended by the fifth generation of the Birchall family, ready for the perfect brew on board.
Sip in short-haul
From June, Birchall tea variations will be available in the airline’s Club Europe cabin, so customers can sip on their favourite blend across Europe and beyond. The brew variations include Great Rift Breakfast Blend, Decaffeinated English Breakfast, Peppermint and Green Tea. From July, customers travelling in Euro Traveller from London Heathrow can purchase a Birchall brew from the airline’s High Life Café.
Brew before take-off: Lounges
From 1 May, Birchall tea will be rolled out across all our lounges globally. In our Concorde Room, guests can choose from a variety of blends ahead of their flight, including Birchall’s Great Rift Breakfast Blend, Great Rift Decaffeinated, Virunga Earl Grey and Mao Feng Green.
In our First and Club lounges, customers can choose from a selection of brews to suit their needs, whether they’re ready to relax or energise before their journey. The tea menu includes Birchall’s English Breakfast, Decaffeinated English Breakfast, Red Berry & Flower and Peppermint tea.
Elsewhere across the customer experience
We are continuing to invest in its customer experience as part of its £7 billion transformation plan, which launched last year and continues to champion the best of British originality.