DFB_london

dodgeflyer

Lest not forget it was never offered (unlike now) until after service was completed, which initially wasn’t guaranteed, so whether it was there or not was rather a moot point.

LTN Phobia

True, but I'm thinking as part of the service, perhaps bottled water or filtered water (like from a Brita jug).

KeaneJohn

Littlegirl

It is not a trial. This week due to the recent disruption some flights were loaded with complimentary tea and coffee.

Tobias-UK

orbitmic

I only drink tap water at home, but there is a difference between water flowing from main water supply and that trapped in tanks, and basically, the "free water" BA offer is water that all the crew who post on this forum who expressed an opinion so far claimed not to drink themselves. In short, I think that is a good enough indication that BA could invest in large 1.5 litre bottles of free water rather than tank.

PS: to LTNPhobia, Brita style 'purification' would not remove potential bacteria/microorganisms from water (in fact, a study by scientists at UC Berkeley suggested that it adds more bacteria rather than remove any, and another study by Penn State scientists very much the same) though it can improve the taste or make the water less limy, but personally it is more the microorganisms that I am worried about here due to potential issues with the hygiene of the tanks over time and non-circulation of the water within them).

PPS: more importantly, I hope that this ends up being confirmed - I personally think that if BA offered free (bottled) still and sparkling* water, tea and coffee to customers, reactions to BoB would be far less hostile

* the addition of sparkling is nothing to do with necessity and everything to do with shameless lobbying should anyone from BA ever happened to pay attention: it is my addiction of choice - if addiction can be chosen?? - and arguably not more expensive or complicated to store than still water, so I'd love it to be part of the deal!

LTN Phobia

That is true - the filter can harbour bacteria and add to it if it's not cared for properly. However, it might help a bit with that chalky water taste from LHR

I'm not really thinking of filtering the tank water, but rather, loading filtered water in sealed jugs (I'm pretty sure I've seen those at QF F lounge), although if they keep the tank clean, it should be fine. I read that BA only load the potable water at approved airports, so it should be OK to drink from the tank, esp. on short haul. I also heard that they clean the tank rather frequently, although I admit not drinking the tank water myself.

orbitmic

Ah yes, like those big jugs you get in offices and gyms - totally agree, that would work perfectly fine!

And indeed, with the current potable water, the water itself is not the issue (I fully trust that indeed airlines only load in airports with safe potable water), but the tanks I'm less sure about. There is keeping clean and keeping clean for potable water purposes which are quite different, and is harder here as the water is not permanently flowing as it would in regular water pipes. My sense is that to clean tanks sufficiently for them to reach the same standards of safety as filtered/bottled water would just be more expensive than loading it.

Worcester

I wonder if they test the water?

rapidex

Or as one well known airline chief medical officer wrote in a memo to crew,"no water in xxxx is to be drunk unless it has been personally passed by me."

headingwest

Yes, they do...on you!

I doubt this is a 'trial', it sounds like they were doing it only for damage limitation last week.

Anyway, wouldn't they crew be sad to see free tea and coffee, they earn commission don't they?

IAN-UK

^

Yay! I have company

Badoit sounds like a smug Waitrose choice. But it's in my top spot after years of research.

OK, just occasionally a G&T feels more appropriate,

BABenchley

I haven't heard anything apart from tea and coffee loaded during the disruption for ET as already mentioned.

chris1979

that would be welcome news indeed and I had heard too that something was coming (whether for status pax or all).

I do hope this also includes water that doesn't come out of the tap thing at the back that no crew member would ever dream of drinking.

I did laugh out loud this morning when a BA spokesperson said "BA is a premium airline" (in response to their plummeting in the customer satisfaction scores). I don't think this will restore things but will actually improve things for pax. they need to drop this spin of being premium because - as they had planned - they are two different airlines on the same plane: a premium airline in front of the curtain and a LCC behind the curtain. so to have a spokesperson try to tell the once-a-year-ET traveller that BA is 'premium' is stupid.