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Vital HfP reader news – new champagne coming to Club World next week (and new cutlery)

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From 27th March, British Airways will be serving a new champagne in its Club World cabins – Henriot Brut Souverain NV.

This did apparently win a blind taste test.  You may be cynically thinking that it is also cheap, but Jancis Robinson recommended it at Christmas so I am quietly confident.  I will see if the crew will bring me a glass into First Class in early April ….

Virgin Atlantic 747 champagne

de Castelnau Rose and de Castelnau Brut Reserve NV will also continue to be available.

And new champagne in Club Europe too …..

If you’ve not flown Club Europe so far this year, you won’t know that de Castlenau Brut Reserve NV has replaced the Heidsieck Monopole.  Monopole has been the CE champgne since, well, the dawn of time, or at least as far back as I can remember.  Reports on Flyertalk are mixed so far.

And new cutlery ……

There will be even more excitement on board from Tuesday (long-haul) and a week on Tuesday (short-haul) as new cutlery is introduced in all cabins except First.

Coming rather late to the party, given the current oil price, this new cutlery will be noticeably lighter than the current version which apparently leads to fuel savings.

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Comments (43)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • Will says:
    20 Mar20 March 09:06

    Pepsi is a temporary measure due to a supply issue with Coke. The Coke branded products will return.

    The Monopole champagne was served for not long at all in CE. It was Pommery for many years. mOnopole was probably around for a year or so.

    • James says:
      20 Mar20 March 09:40

      Definitely been around longer than that, since 2013 although I can’t comment about any further back. We had it on the way to NAP en route to Positano for honeymoon, and it was also around when I came back from IST – the women across the aisle had 5 bottles…!

      Looking forward to trying the new stuff in June.

      • Will says:
        20 Mar20 March 16:47

        it was introduced Jan 2014. I just found the FT thread. Maybe your 2013 flights were supplied with Monopole due to a supply issue with the Pommery (we had Lanson in July when there was Monopole supply issues).

  • Judge says:
    20 Mar20 March 09:46

    Monopole was only served for two or three years in Club Europe. Before that was one of my favourites, Pommery, for many years. That said I did like the Monopole. Was not so keen on the de Castelnau I was given last week, having had Monopole served the week before. Also noted was not given a starter course on the latter flight – is this new too?

    • zsalya says:
      22 Mar22 March 13:49

      I remember when it was Piper Heidsieck in both Club cabins.
      And they did bring me a glass to First when I said I preferred it to the Grand Siecle.

      One disadvantage of using avios for Iberia flights is that one is offered cava rather than champagne.
      I stuck to water.

  • Imbruce says:
    20 Mar20 March 09:48

    Just flew with Qantas and they use that nasty plastic tableware. It’s totally useless trying to cut anything with and think of the piles of it sitting in landfill all over the world. Bring back proper cutlery.

  • Nick says:
    20 Mar20 March 10:33

    De Castelnau was served on my flight VCE-GTW last month.

  • Jon says:
    20 Mar20 March 11:41

    Yawn – let me know when they get some decent soft drinks in. Still waiting for BA to realise that Club World pax who don’t drink alcohol deserve something more than the kids fizzy pop they serve up in WT.

  • Daz says:
    20 Mar20 March 12:16

    OT: I was just looking for a hotel in FRA for the 6/7th Apr after coming back from SIN on QR, setting my family up for the BA connecting flight back to LHR. I looked at the IHG site to see if I could hit an Accelerate target, that was until I saw the price of a basic room in the IC Frankfurt!!!!!

    Basic room flexible rate – Eur 2300.00
    Advanced saver rate – Eur 2007.00

    To say I nearly choked on my brunch is an understatement, think I might use a rewards night if I stay there on those dates.

    • Rob says:
      20 Mar20 March 13:39

      IC FRA is a dump. Avoid even Euro 20.07.

      • Daz says:
        20 Mar20 March 15:16

        Thank for the info Rob, we’re staying at the Hilton at the airport on the way out.

        Just confirm: it was Eur 2007.90 Two Thousand and Seven Euros ninety cents for that night (advanced purchase) in the IC FRA. I do hope someone has messed up on that price! I’ve take a screen shot!!

  • Kevin says:
    20 Mar20 March 14:03

    @ Deb
    I flew with BA to SFO yesterday (on the 3pm Departure – BA287 ) and can confirm it did have the new First cabin.
    Sadly I was “only” in club – but at £750 rt from CPH (using about the same number of Avios as earned on the flight) I wasn’t complaining!

  • Matt W says:
    20 Mar20 March 15:12

    Let them eat cake with a spork …

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