British Airways has cut back on water for passengers on its long haul flights, in a test that runs through Sunday. They’ve eliminated individual water bottles from the economy and premium economy cabins, leaving customers reliant on flight crew to provide them with water in paper cups poured from larger plastic bottles.
- Paper cups hold a lot less water than individual bottles. Flight attendants don’t pass through the cabin doing drinks often during the flight. Some passengers will go to the galley for an additional cup of water, but many won’t.
- British Airways claims that replacing individual plastic bottles with large plastic bottles is being done for the environment. They could have moved to individual cardboard packaging, or redoubled recycling efforts. This is 100% about cost.
As one ‘Gold Guest List’ BA top frequent flyer explained,
Travelled last night from Miami to [London Heathrow] on a packed A380. I was in World Traveller…All I asked for was a bottle of water and the response astounded me. …I was told that there were no bottles of water they could give me as BA is trialling not offering any bottles of water for two weeks now.
The test will determine how much customer pushback there is against the move, and whether the environmental veneer will dampen it. There was too much push back in the fall when they tried serving cheaper breakfast instead of lunch in business class in the early afternoon.
Customers haven’t been told in advance that BA’s onboard water service has changed, and aren’t being warned to bring their own water on board. They aren’t encouraging environmental practices such as having passengers bring their own reusable bottles and filling them up at airport filling stations before the flight.
This is reminiscent of the 2017 move under CEO Alex Cruz to only offer cold airplane tank water for free on intra-Europe flights – even hot water for customers to make their own tea was charged. In 2018 they began testing offering water as a free perk to elite frequent flyers.
Don’t like it? Flight attendants are now instructed not to apologize.
(HT: Wing Tips)
As a passenger with disabilities, having to get up and go to the galley for a cup of water over and over on a long haul flight is just not feasible or acceptable.
Passengers will also get disturbed when other passengers are constantly moving around the cabin to get to the galley.
Im also sure crew wont like the constant disturbance of passengers asking for water/drinks.
This is just another cost cutting exercise by BA that hopefully will fall quickly.
On my last BA flight to LHR, the F/A informed me there was “no ice” in economy (even upon request). Because everyone likes room temperature tomato juice at 35,000 feet…
Of course this is more about saving money and not the environment; otherwise BA could easily hand out 250mL cartons of “boxed water” upon request during the boarding process. Heck, even offer it for sale.
Call it what it is, cost savings. People will buy the water in the airport generating the same waste. I am getting really tired of corporate spin, just say it costs too much.
Can hardly wait for the coin operated lav.
And the coin operated air vents.
Want to see out…..?
Sad to see the continued decline of BA. It’s just not possible to experiment with this type of cost cutting, especially involving water, considering the onerous liquid restrictions that are still in place in most of the world (did I mention that the UK was the most anal about these rules until recently).
As for the airline, British Airways is clearly not British these days. The airline I flew on in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s has gone down the drain. I still remember the late 2010s flying in BA World Traveler, when former CEO Alex Cruz implemented draconian cost cutting that made BA feel like a budget carrier. Utterly unbecoming of an airline that one would think should represent the best of Britain on the world stage.
This sounds like hell. I really have a low opinion of BA. I prefer AA to BA long haul for so many reasons. I find BA to just be quite shyt honestly. I travel with my own water every time I am on a plane. You can never rely on flight crew. Flight crew hate you on a deep level for being there. They would be happy to make you suffer so you stay away.
Gary,
Your article is on $26 water is on the las vegas review journal online front page. Maybe they got inspiration from your article
An airline fit for a King… Charles must be so proud. You know, I bet Elizabeth would never have allowed this…
Reminds me of Icelandair: You get one tiny bottle of water for 5-6 hour flight, otherwise you need to pay for anything and everything.
Geneva Convention be damned… why not charge for using the lav, and make it variable rates for #1 vs #2.
Most airlines I fly do not supply water in bottles. Supplying water in cups is more work for the cabin crew but since the crew is being paid anyway, the airline saves money. Some airlines will refill your personal bottle which leads to fewer water refills. I try to refill my personal water bottle at the airport before boarding so I can always have a few sips available when needed. I will probably buy a collapsible water bottle in the future instead of reusing a single use water bottle. It will be both larger and easier to store.
@jns — To clarify, for Icelandair, they don’t provide any other water, cup or bottle. So, like, the type of container isn’t the issue. They literally dehydrate their passengers unless they pay up. If Iceland had an 8th Amendment, I’d says it’s ‘cruel and unusual.’
In other news BA has discontinued all toilet usage onboard in the name of going green for the environment
Passengers are urged to wear diapers or bring a thermos to eliminate in the rest room
Thank You for your understanding
Cheers BA
@ 1990 –
I’m a ‘savy shopper/pax” and wait until BA offers their famous #2 for #! lav special…. A very good deal !!
@bossa — This guy gets it. I’m in!
Next they’ll cut the employee dental program.
“You can make a pizza so cheap, nobody will eat it. You can make an airline so cheap, nobody will fly it.” Gordon Bethune
I’m flying BA next month, because it had flights when I wanted and was cheaper than AA.
I’ll remember to get a bottle of water before boarding starts.
Just drink more vodka
“Instructed not to apologize” reminds me of the false premise that as long as you don’t admit wrongdoing you can’t be sued or face consequences (you still can.)