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.

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.

British Airways 'Buy On Board' food wins an award!

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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Category

British Airways and Avios

This article is closed to new posts. Discussion continues in the HfP Forums.

Charlieface says:

5 Apr5 April 03:58

Haji not Hajo
Ben says:

5 Apr5 April 06:38

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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 08:37
  
  Seriously sloppy legal work on his behalf…
  - Nick says:
    
    5 Apr5 April 10:15
    
    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:
      
      5 Apr5 April 13:03
      
      Plenty of ways to give a deadline without looking like a muppet.
    - Lady London says:
      
      5 Apr5 April 18:09
      
      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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 09:08
  
  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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 19:18
    
    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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 14:36
  
  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:

5 Apr5 April 06:49

Not sure a pie is that nutritious – but it would at least be tasty and flavoursome unlike most of the BOB offering
- Catalan says:
  
  5 Apr5 April 10:45
  
  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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 10:49
    
    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:
      
      5 Apr5 April 11:49
      
      The sandwiches I’ve had looked and tasted good to me.
      - Rob says:
        
        5 Apr5 April 12:05
        
        Very very few loaded though and rarely seen on inbound flights.
Jonathan says:

5 Apr5 April 08:37

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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 09:41
  
  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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 10:16
    
    Then they’ll be worse than Ryanair
    - J says:
      
      5 Apr5 April 10:49
      
      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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 11:28
  
  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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 11:46
    
    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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 20:42
    
    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:
      
      5 Apr5 April 21:04
      
      It’s quite clear. 1. The offering is in general pitiful. 2. The one exception is the pie, which won a well deserved award.
      - BrianDT says:
        
        5 Apr5 April 22:10
        
        Sorry, my fault, read far to fast.
Nick says:

5 Apr5 April 12:36

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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 14:25
  
  LOL at the entire concept of “premium” water. 😀 :D.
  - TGLoyalty says:
    
    5 Apr5 April 15:28
    
    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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 19:23
    
    Maybe it’s me, but I haven’t ever noticed even a slight difference between water brands
  - Nick says:
    
    6 Apr6 April 11:23
    
    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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 18:18
  
  +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:

5 Apr5 April 12:45

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:

5 Apr5 April 12:58

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:
  
  5 Apr5 April 13:06
  
  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:
    
    5 Apr5 April 14:27
    
    How is that resort in terms of family friendliness?
    - Rob says:
      
      5 Apr5 April 18:12
      
      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:

5 Apr5 April 13:44

Title says 50% bonus on Hyatt points….but I think you mean 30% (but saves you 50% as in the article text).
- Rob says:
  
  5 Apr5 April 18:14
  
  Poo, sorry. I changed the title around last minute and messed it up.
  - Matthew says:
    
    5 Apr5 April 18:47
    
    No probs….that’s allowed of course!