Right, here's a bit of context seeing it's a Bank Holiday Weekend in the UK (excluding Scotland). Those of us who read the Spectator (not to be confused with the American Spectator) will be aware of Mary Killen's column. In it she attempts to solve the sort of social, domestic and cultural problems that often beset the distressed middle classes as they work their way through the minefield of life in the 21st Century. A bit like BA FT in many ways. I think it is fair to say that sometimes one has to take the questions, and indeed the answers, with a pinch of salt. Don't put salt in your tea, however.
So the original question and answer, in full follows, the answer section is provided by Ms. Killen:
Originally Posted by The Spectator
Q. Flying to Oslo with BA on expensive tickets, my son and I asked for strong cups of tea. We were told we had to pay double as they sold it by the tea bag. Was I right to be shocked?
— P.O., Lancaster
A. Of course you were right. This is a demoralising tale of penny-pinching which strikes exactly the wrong note at a time when loyal fliers are wondering what the difference is between BA and a budget airline. Well-organised readers should board the plane with their own teabags in hand luggage and just order hot water, which presumably will be free of charge. They can then discreetly make their own ‘brews’.
By way of an example of this genre, the next letter is from a woman who has had her driving licence suspended and is finding the odour of the apples eaten by her husband whilst driving "rather disgusting". Strangely her husband thinks she is being neurotic. Ms. Killen's suggestion is keeping a knife in the glovebox to ensure apples are duly cut into small pieces before consumption.
Regulars can spot a few holes with the answer provided above: unless one also brings a suitable receptacle the hot water will not be free. Moreover, if one buys a tea one gets a large cup and a Twinings tea bag. Assuming the passenger ever makes their own tea (and in the case of the readership of The Spectator, one perhaps needs to ponder this point) then a combination of water level, brewing time, milk and drink time tends to get the preferred strength in due course. Adding a second tea bag to a full cup may indeed be an idea, but however you look at it, it is two chargeable teabags not one.
Incidentally, I wouldn't blame the Mail here, the story got picked up by the Press Association and is in a number of newspapers today, the Mail just has an easier layout than the rest of the UK press. It's a bank holiday weekend so I suspect newspapers are probably scrabbling to fill their pages until POTUS 45 wakes up again and reaches for his telephone.
Note that BA have recently introduced a new hot water Thermos style pot to ensure the water stays hotter than the old British Rail style clanking pots. They also less likely to burn the crew's forearms as they work the trolley. I was going do a nearly pointless thread on the topic at some point, so this is a good juncture to mention it. These pots are also used in Club.