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British Airways ‘Buy On Board’ food wins an award

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British Airways Euro Traveller ‘Buy On Board’ was a winner at the recent ‘Onboard Hospitality Awards’, held in Hamburg.

It picked up the prize for ‘Best Onboard Snack’ in the ‘Premium Economy / Economy / Low Cost Carrier’ category.  To be honest, I think it is a well-deserved award too.

British Airways Buy On Board wins an award!

The prize went to the Tom Kerridge Steak & Ale Pie, added to the menu last year as part of a selection of Tom Kerridge meals in all classes as part of #BA100.

If you click the image above you can see full details of why it was chosen by the judges.  All of the pies were apparently made in Marlow and not outsourced to Tourvest, who run the British Airways ‘Buy On Board’ offering.

As I have said before, the BA ‘Buy On Board’ menu is seriously lacking in ambition and, frankly, the nutritional value of the offering has deteriorated sharply since it was launched.  It is pitiful compared to what easyJet or Ryanair offer.  The Tom Kerridge pie was a rare beacon of quality.


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Comments (40)

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

  • Charlieface says:

    Haji not Hajo

  • Ben says:

    As an FYI EasyJet have rejected his request. Not sure if it’ll be published but the jist is saying how their focus is on guiding the airline through this time and not his games.

    • Thywillbedone says:

      Seriously sloppy legal work on his behalf…

      • Nick says:

        Sloppy… or very clever? Maybe he knew what he was doing and this was an opening shot to show he’s serious about tightening the screws but giving them a few days to come up with an offer?

        • pauldb says:

          Plenty of ways to give a deadline without looking like a muppet.

        • Lady London says:

          Plenty of ways to renegotiate airbus or Boeing too. This is par for the course I would guess and I’m sure there is a solution.

    • TGLoyalty says:

      I had no idea there were so many easy company’s.

      Jet is the only one I’d consider using, necessity rather than desire to.

      • Ming the Merciless says:

        The best nights sleep I have ever had was an easyhotel. Due to not having a window I wasn’t disturbed by natural light or noise.

    • the_real_a says:

      About 10 years ago when i sued EZ for EU261 well before it was fashionable to do so, it was virtually impossible to understand which Easy company one was actually contracting with. And my application was thrown out twice. It wasn’t (at the time) stated anywhere on any of the documents. Needed to get Bott and Co on that one…

  • Gavin says:

    Not sure a pie is that nutritious – but it would at least be tasty and flavoursome unlike most of the BOB offering

    • Catalan says:

      So are we saying BoB is tasteless because it’s M&S food (which I think is delicious) or just because it’s being served onboard a BA aircraft?

      • Rob says:

        Most of the BOB stuff is not actually M&S if you go through the menu. There is also virtually nothing fresh any longer. If you think you are getting a wide range of M&S salads, sandwiches and ready meals you are in for a BIG surprise.

        • Catalan says:

          The sandwiches I’ve had looked and tasted good to me.

          • Rob says:

            Very very few loaded though and rarely seen on inbound flights.

  • Jonathan says:

    BA introducing BOB and scrapping everything but a cup of water as complimentary was easily one of the worst decisions they’ve ever made. Nothing on the menu looks very appealing and it’s all excessively overpriced

    • Aston100 says:

      And after this virus mess is finally sorted and BA are the last British airline standing, they’ll be in a position to scrap the water too. Possibly charge you to use the toilets, or pay to release the seat belt or something.

      • Jonathan says:

        Then they’ll be worse than Ryanair

        • J says:

          They already are in some ways. More legroom on Ryanair and I can guarantee my hand luggage won’t get checked for a small fee. But LHR is usually more convenient for me.

    • Ian says:

      I can’t imagine that I’d ever buy on board but, when I looked at the BoB menu before Christmas, I didn’t think the prices for M&S food were excessive at all. There was a special turkey-based sandwich and, though I don’t remember the exact figures, I seem to remember it being only about £1 more than the shop price. Can anyone really say that’s excessive on an aircraft? What I do think is very poor value for money is the number of Avios required if anyone chose to pay that way.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        I’ve never looked at the menu and thought rip off either. Can’t say anything has caught my eye either. Would rather grab a salad from Pret.

        Tbh I can go 4 hours without food but do end up buying water if I’ve forgotten to grab some in the terminal.

      • BrianDT says:

        Bit confused re. Buy on Board. in article.
        1 ‘Well deserved award’
        2 ‘It is pitiful etc.’

        So, what is it, 1 or 2 ?

        • Doug M says:

          It’s quite clear. 1. The offering is in general pitiful. 2. The one exception is the pie, which won a well deserved award.

  • Nick says:

    BA’s BoB offering doesn’t deserve any awards! Nothing fresh whatsoever. The sandwiches are awful – you are far better off buying one in the terminal before departure and taking it on board with you. If you absolutely must have an M&S sandwich there is the Gatwick arrivals store to get the same, but fresh and cheaper.

    Even the water the sell isn’t a premium offer. Evian or San Pellegrino would make more sense. Granted it’s not the “best of British” but at least it would taste better.

    • The Savage Squirrel says:

      LOL at the entire concept of “premium” water. 😀 :D.

      • TGLoyalty says:

        Fiji / Voss 😂 sure there’s someone peddling some other even more expensive water to some parts of society too.

        Though he has a point brands have a higher status than others, even within the UKs own brands.

      • Kev 85 says:

        Maybe it’s me, but I haven’t ever noticed even a slight difference between water brands

      • Nick says:

        It’s why in business class you don’t get Harrogate Spring water! Even Ryanair sells a better water was my line

    • Lady London says:

      +1 the British Airways BoB menu has been$h1*e right from its beginning. It’s an embarrassment. M&S food of that type is the low end quality on the High Street.

      By some miracle, for less than one year apparently, BA sourced 1 only, decent short-lived item, the Tom Kerridge pie, onto their planes. If you were lucky enough to find it had actually been loaded on board. Probably it was never available from outstations and if present, had run out by Seat 1B.

      Cannot believe the awardees of the prize were so blinded as to award for this one-off when BA catering, if even present, struggles to reach mediocrity.

      Well done Tom Kerridge though and perhaps other airlines will take up this pie

  • Andy S says:

    I know buy on board is currently suspended, however the pie is available on a meal deal.

    £7.95 or 1135 avios for the Pie and a Hand & Flowers Ale or a Brewdog Speed Bird IPA.

    The Brewdog Speed Bird IPA is a decent IPA.

  • StevieM says:

    Thank you again Rob. Just saved me 25,000 points!
    Booked in September for 5 nights @ 25,000 p/night
    Just rebooked @ 20,000 p/night
    Let’s hope things are back up and running by then 🙏

    • Rob says:

      We can but hope. Tempted to blow my Hyatt points on a few days down there in the Summer, as I can see real problems trying to fly outside Europe for another year or so.

      • The Savage Squirrel says:

        How is that resort in terms of family friendliness?

        • Rob says:

          Not been, which is why a free trip is more attractive than paying, especially as we’d need two villas so well over £1,000 per night for cash. It is not on a beach but I believe there is a shuttle to one.

  • Matthew says:

    Title says 50% bonus on Hyatt points….but I think you mean 30% (but saves you 50% as in the article text).

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

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