In 2017, the decision to reduce refreshments was seen as the end of an era for the premium airline and was aimed at bringing it closer to its budget competitors like Easyjet and Ryanair. However, customers were unhappy with the change, feeling that it degraded the service that had previously set the airline apart.
Free hot drinks have become a sensitive subject among the British middle class. Waitrose, for example, faced backlash when their free coffee attracted “the wrong kind of customer” and when they eventually withdrew the offer. They have now reintroduced the perk for loyal customers with their loyalty card.
British Airways (BA) spokesperson stated, “This summer, we are surprising and delighting our customers by offering complimentary tea and coffee on some of our longer short-haul flights. Additionally, we have introduced summer-inspired menus, ice creams, pre-take off sparkling wine in World Traveller Plus, and a new ‘Summer Fun’ channel on our inflight entertainment.”
Prior to the pandemic, in June 2019, there were nearly 200,000 flights recorded flying into, out of, and within the UK, according to the Office for National Statistics. In June 2020, that number plunged to just over 25,000. However, the industry has made significant progress in terms of flight volume, with almost 180,000 flights taking place last month.
The recovery of the industry faced obstacles such as China’s prolonged Covid lockdowns, which were only lifted at the end of last year. BA resumed flights from London to Shanghai in April and to Beijing in June. Complicated and varying vaccine requirements also hindered the industry’s recovery, with the US only recently stopping the need for proof of vaccination.
The Covid pandemic has caused numerous crises in the industry, from travel restrictions to soaring fuel prices, leading to a rise in air fares. In May, air fares were up by almost one-third compared to the previous year, and prices have increased by nearly two-thirds compared to the pre-pandemic months.
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