For some in the United Kingdom, Tea is the most important drink of all. British Airways is running with this, with them announing a new partnership with British tea producer Birchall.
The airline will offer a carefully curated range of high quali-tea options to its customers, both on the ground and in the air, with the Great Rift Tea havng won a the Great Taste Award for 14 consecutive years and received Gold at the 2024 Leafies Awards, the only dedicated tea award in the UK.
The new tea will be rolled out across the cabins on different dates:
- 1st May – All long-haul cabins, including World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Club World (long-haul business) and First.
- June – The new offering will also be served on board all short-haul flights in Club Europe (short-haul business) from June.
- July – Available to purchase in Euro Traveller (economy) from July via its High Life Café.
- Birchall tea will also be rolled out across British Airways’ lounges globally.
In Long Haul, different teas will be available in different classes. The higher you are in the cabin pecking order, the nicer the tea gets:
First Class
Because tea is served best in a pot.
- Great Rift English Breakfast
- Great Rift Decafinated
- Virunga Earl Grey
- Darjeeling
- Mao Feng Green
- Camomile Flowers
- Peppermint Leaves
- Red Berry Flowers
- Lemongrass and Ginger
Club World
Bags of fun in Club World and below.
- English Breakfast
- Decaffeinated Tea
- Earl Grey Tea
- Green Tea
- Red Berry & Flower
- Camomile
- Peppermint
- Lemongrass and Ginger
World Traveller Plus and World Traveller
- English Breakfast
- Decaffeinated Tea
Club Europe
- Great Rift English Breakfast
- Decaffeinated Tea
- Earl Grey Tea
- Green Tea
- Earl Grey Tea
- Green Tea
In the Lounges
Birchall teas will be offered in the lounges of British Airways – The Concorde Room and the Club Lounges
Concorde Room
- Great Rift English Breakfast
- Great Rift Decafinated
- Virunga Earl Grey
- Darjeeling
- Mao Feng Green
- Camomile Flowers
- Peppermint Leaves
- Red Berry Flowers
- Lemongrass and Ginger
First and Club Lounges
- English Breakfast
- Decaffeinated Tea
- Earl Grey Tea
- Green Tea
- Red Berry & Flower
- Camomile
- Peppermint
- Lemongrass and Ginger
In Quotes
British Airways’ 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.”
Everything stops for tea
For a lot of people, stopping for a cup of tea isn’t the act of the drink itself – its more the ritual (be it a favourite mug, a particular tea, how long to brew for, the temperature).
For others, some swear by the restorative power of a cuppa when on the job.
Whilst for purists who prefer the tea loose-leaf and temperature-controlled brewing, there are compromises in the air, so having higher quality tea in bags is a reasonable offset against this.
After all. Everything stops for tea.
Images, British Airways
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