Flying First Class with British Airways? now you'll have to settle for "cheaper" champagne
The few airlines, which have a first-class cabin, also try to make themselves desirable and Instagrammable based [...]
British Airways
Oneworld
LHR
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The few airlines, which have a first-class cabin, also try to make themselves desirable and Instagrammable based on the wine and champagne labels that are offered on board.
If Emirates in late 2022 made The "theft of the century" by grabbing the exclusive Dom Perignon aboard its planes, the rest of the carriers have always been looking for more and more valuable bottles.
Farewell Laurent Perrier Grand Siecle
The famous champagne house Laurent-Perrier has informed British Airways that it is no longer authorized to serve its Grand Siècle Prestige Cuvée to passengers first class, either in airport lounges or on board its flights.
LPGS, so called by frequent flyers and others, Was served both in the Concorde room and on board the BA fleet.. One of the most highly regarded bottles in the world and one of the (few) real highlights of the experience of First Class on the British airline.
This is how the premium bubbly proposition has changed:
- From Feb. 1* in British first class lounges Airways serves Pommery Cuvee Louise 2006
- Starting in March 2024, British Airways will serve Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015 in first class, but exclusively between London (LHR) and New York (JFK)
- Beginning in March 2024, on all other routes, British Airways will serve a selection of champagnes on a rotating basis throughout the year, with the first Lanson Noble Brut 2005 champagne
Champagne war between companies
Airlines are, after restaurants, the most important customers for Champagne houses. Not only because of the amount of bottles that are uncorked every year at high altitudes, but because the labels end up on thousands of social profiles every day, and all of this contributes to making one label more "fashionable" than another.
It is now unclear whether this downgrade is due to a manufacturer's decision or, more likely, a lack of economic agreement that forced BA to opt for a different strategy. For the avoidance of doubt, I personally have never believed in the concept of "it's more expensive, therefore it tastes better."
It had been more than 10 years since BA served Grand Siècle Prestige Cuvée and the good thing was that only the British carrier, in my (little) experience as a first class passenger offered the same champagne in the lounge and in the flight, usually in fact in the lounges the companies serve less valuable bottles.
Now, however, I am curious to see if as mentioned, after more than 10 years without changing bubbles on board, British will really aim for continuous rotation while keeping the quality very high of labels, or it will begin a slow decline toward less valuable bottles.
Singapore Airlines to Emirates, ANA to Air France other companies have always had a different strategy than BA, with a continuous rotation of on-board labels a way also to offer, each time, something different to those who frequent the plane's most exclusive seats.
In conclusion
I am not a big drinker of super spirits; I have never liked them. On the contrary, thanks to a few sommelier friends, I got into the world of bubbles from a young age.
The new labels offered by BA are cheaper, but I personally find the Grand Dame a very good product and the different choice between lounge and airplane will allow passengers to appreciate two labels instead of just one. So on balance today's news is not bad news.
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