What's Distinctly BRITISH about British Airways?
Mar 18, 2005, 4:22 am
#1
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What's Distinctly BRITISH about British Airways?
So what is it that is truly British about BA?
OK, so the English Breakfast in FIRST is great, but where is the modest selection of British wines (seem to have been popular when previously offered)?
Where is the emergency pack of Marmite available from Shopping The World? No Horlicks, no beans in FIRST? Who actually owns Molton Brown, anyway?
I think its catering, people and on board amenities (seats, entertainment, comfort kits) which define the airline, and I see very little Britishness about it these days.
Caledonian was proudly Scottish, with tartan touches throughout.
Virgin, for instance, has introduced a "Sunday Roast" available as an option across its classes on Sundays.
What areas does BA distinguish itself and provide a noticeably British product? Or is the company just being blended into a poorly defined international corporate airline?
OK, so the English Breakfast in FIRST is great, but where is the modest selection of British wines (seem to have been popular when previously offered)?
Where is the emergency pack of Marmite available from Shopping The World? No Horlicks, no beans in FIRST? Who actually owns Molton Brown, anyway?
I think its catering, people and on board amenities (seats, entertainment, comfort kits) which define the airline, and I see very little Britishness about it these days.
Caledonian was proudly Scottish, with tartan touches throughout.
Virgin, for instance, has introduced a "Sunday Roast" available as an option across its classes on Sundays.
What areas does BA distinguish itself and provide a noticeably British product? Or is the company just being blended into a poorly defined international corporate airline?
Mar 18, 2005, 4:45 am
#2
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The vast majority of BA flights originate from or terminate in Britain. Isn't that good enough for you? Personally I think of curry as more representative of modern-day Britain than bangers and mash.
Mar 18, 2005, 5:05 am
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Originally Posted by apudme
Caledonian was proudly Scottish, with tartan touches throughout.
([soapbox]I really, really hate this kind of faux branding which means that tartan=Scotland, when at best its a 19th century Victorian invention, after the genocidal campaign of the Hanoverian monarchs to eliminate Scottish culture and way of life pretty much did that[/soapbox]) I'd say BD do the Scottish thing much better by having Irn Bru in the lounges 
Mar 18, 2005, 5:06 am
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The Shepherds pie I had in Club earlier in the year was nice and British.....
But please - can I have some Yorkshire Puddings in onion gravy.......?
But please - can I have some Yorkshire Puddings in onion gravy.......?
Mar 18, 2005, 5:08 am
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Originally Posted by Jenbel
I'd say BD do the Scottish thing much better by having Irn Bru in the lounges
Now, if they started serving deep-fried pizza (or mars bars, I'm not fussy) on board...
(Or at least a morning roll and square sausage...)
Mar 18, 2005, 5:11 am
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Originally Posted by stut
(Or at least a morning roll and square sausage...)
Look, you could at least post a warning you are about to discuss these things, so us poor expats don't get hit without warning on a morning when I'm starving anyway and counting down the minutes until lunch...
Mar 18, 2005, 5:17 am
#8
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Sorry, Jenbel. For what it's worth, though, I'm expat too, down in the land of the overpriced sandwich (London) without a roll an' slice anywhere in sight...
Mar 18, 2005, 5:32 am
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Originally Posted by graraps
Personally I think of curry as more representative of modern-day Britain than bangers and mash.
Back to the point - given the main British airlines - BA, BD, VS - which one strikes you as most British?
BD? Not for me. Doesn't have that intrinsic British feel to it. What is that 'intrinsic British feel'? Dunno. But BD doesn't have it anyway!
VS? With its 'Sunday Roast' - first I've heard of that. The Union flag winglets? Don't do it for me.
BA? More so than any of the others. Why? Well, leaving aside the fact it is called BRITISH Airways (not Brit Air -
), there's just something about the airline - service primarily I guess - that makes me think of it as British. Oh and the fact that once on a shockingly windy approach into LHR with planes aborting ahead, the crew got us done with numerous bumps and bounces, and the captain, with classic British understatement, came on the PA to announce -"Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to London Heathrow. I trust you enjoyed the rather..... sporting approach today."
Bloody fantastic! Remember that one bkm?
Mar 18, 2005, 5:44 am
#12
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rather....sporting
I think the Captain Speaking is one of the best bits about BA. "Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls" etc. etc.
And I think I remember mentioning something about the magnificent sight of a BA 747 sitting on the tarmac of your chosen third-world ....hole waiting to take you home.
Mar 18, 2005, 5:49 am
#13
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Originally Posted by Shuttle-Bored
If only the search function was working..... We could find out how we all answered the last time this perennial topic came up
For me it's the stepping into a plane after being "abroad" for a while and getting some nice Earl Grey tea or a bacon buttie. And the fact that all announcements are made in and everyone speaks English!
It's always nice to see a 747 in the BA livery standing at some far away place waiting to go back 'home'. ^
Mar 18, 2005, 5:56 am
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Originally Posted by Funster
At RUH I'm happy with the 777s!