For those of you travelling aboard British Airways EuroTraveller cabin, Buy-on-board is coming back, with the SpeedBird Cafe coming back to the air.
In a slightly different form.
British Airways has today unveiled its new in-flight digital ordering platform. It will allow you to order additional snacks and drinks mid-flight and have them directly to their seat.
The new inflight ordering system will complement the airline’s current ‘Buy Before You Fly’ offering, where customers are encouraged to order from the airline’s full Speedbird Café menu, including items from its Tom Kerridge range, in advance of travel.
Currently, passengers who wish to more items, or did not order in advance will have to sit back and watch. Now, passengers can do so at almost any point during their flight.
This will start rolling out on the 19th of July of certain routes from London Heathrow.
To place an order, customers simply connect to the onboard Wi-Fi service free of charge via shop.ba.com, click on the ‘shop’ option for their flight, and a virtual menu will display the range of drinks and snack options on offer. Orders can be made via all major credit and debit cards or through Avios.
However, it will not be offered on ultra-short haul flights, operating to Manchester, Jersey, Paris (CDG and ORY), Amsterdam, Brussels, Dublin, Newcastle and Newquay.
For those who do not fancy paying out, British Airways will also continue to offer a complimentary bottle of water and snack to all customers on board.
In quotes
Tom Stevens, British Airways’ Director of Brand and Customer Experience, said:
“The feedback we have had from customers who have been able to travel and have ordered from our new Speedbird Café has been extremely encouraging. The Tom Kerridge range, in particular, has gone down a treat.
We know that customers like being able to purchase their food in advance of travel and guarantee their first choice, however we also understand the importance of an extra cup of tea or a gin and tonic, in the moment. We think that this new digital ordering proposition, coupled with our pre-purchase option is a winning combination, catering for everyone’s needs.”
Your plane will need Wi-Fi to order
Something important to bear in mind is that the aircraft you are on must have inflight connectivity installed for you to access the shopping portal (unless you ordered beforehand at highlifeshop.com). Keep an eye out for the BA inflight offering.
The Wi-Fi system is powered by EAN (European Aviation Network). I’ve covered it in a trip report segment here, covering the speed and usability of the system.
For those of you who need an extra Gin and Tonic, packet of crisps or a sandwich in the air – this is your chance to order.
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