British Airways Offer First Class Dining Experience From Home

Airlines worldwide have been looking for ways to bring customers a travel experience from home or without actually flying amid the pandemic. The move has proved to be incredibly successful for some airlines. All Nippon Airways sold over 260,000 inflight meals in just three months, which generated revenue of US$1.8 million to the airline. Meals were so popular that they often sold out in minutes.

Finnair sold individual meals in stores, including such favorites as reindeer meatballs. Air Asia’s restaurants serving in-flight meals were so successful that they have now opened 15 branches of Santan, after the initial branch was opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, in December 2019. Others such as Singapore Airlines and Virgin Atlantic offered a dine onboard experience without leaving the country or even the ground.

Although the idea has been very successful in Asia, the concept never really caught on widely in the U.K., but all that will change today. British Airways will launch their new first class dining experience at home. Travelers can dig out the first class dinnerware they may have bought from the airline’s recent sale and recreate the onboard first class experience.

The new product results from a partnership between British Airways, Feast Box, and DO & CO. Premium catering partner DO & CO already provide the food for British Airways flights from Heathrow and are known for their upmarket in-flight catering. 

Each meal kit includes a four-course menu inspired by the food served in British Airways’ First cabin. Customers can choose from vegetarian, fish, and meat options course by course for their meal, which costs $110 (£80) for two people. Those quick of the mark will also receive a special bottle of Hattingley Valley English sparkling wine which is served in first class. The sparkling wine is available for free for orders in the first week only. 

As an added bonus, you also would receive a voucher for 10% off a British Airways flight. There is a minimum spend required to use the coupon as well as the usual terms and conditions. However, those booking an expensive ticket with it could find that it repays the cost of their meal! Customers will also get a complimentary box from Feastbox with one of their regular internationally inspired menu. 

Hamish McVey, Head of Brands and Marketing at British Airways, said: “We hope that this exclusive First experience will allow our customers who are missing flying to enjoy an amazing dining experience at home. British Airways, Feast Box, and DO & CO take huge pride in offering top-quality international cuisine, and although it might appear a little different being delivered to a customer’s door rather than at 38,000 feet, we hope it will be just as exciting.”

A sample menu could be:

• Loch Fyne smoked salmon timbale with honey mustard dressing
• Slow-cooked British beef cheeks with Jalapeno potato gratin, tenderstem broccoli, and chimichurri
• Cheese selection of Caws Golden cenarth, Snowdonia Black Bomber Cheddar, Harrogate blue, and Kidderton ash goats cheese with chutney
• Dark chocolate & orange liqueur bread & butter pudding with vanilla sauce

For those that are not a whizz in the kitchen, the food requires very little culinary skill and mainly involves warming the components with minimal chopping. The box also comes with all the garnishes to make the meal look first class worthy!

A sample menu might include the following courses:

• Loch Fyne smoked salmon timbale with honey mustard dressing
• Slow-cooked British beef cheeks with Jalapeno potato gratin, tenderstem broccoli, and chimichurri
• Cheese selection of Caws Golden cenarth, Snowdonia Black Bomber Cheddar, Harrogate blue, and Kidderton ash goats cheese with chutney
• Dark chocolate & orange liqueur bread & butter pudding with vanilla sauce

The British Airways feast boxes can be ordered from the special Feast/BritishAirways website page.