Would you miss the wash bag if BA stopped distributing them?
 

I promise I was not planted here by BA to socialize a new cost-cutting scheme.
I'm curious, though, whether people would miss the wash bags if BA were to stop distributing them.
Of course I know, were that really to happen, the cries of distress that would go up on this board would be immeasurable.
But as someone who is deeply troubled by the tremendous amount of waste these bags generate, I am wondering if anyone gets good use out of them.

In my case, the only products I've ever been interested in have been the eye shade, the toothbrush, and the tissues.
But as a regular user of eyeshades, I now carry my own. And as a regular user of a toothbrush, I carry my own. And if I need a tissue, grabbing one out of the lav is not a terrible inconvenience.

What if BA (and the other airlines) had all of the products available (even the stupid little bag itself, for those who are able to make good use of them) on demand? Then you could just take what you need and not have to throw out the rest. Doesn't that make a lot more sense? What am I missing? Please assume a post-covid world in your response; I get that in the current environment BA are trying to reduce handling of individual products -- at least that's their excuse for the embarrassing meals they're serving -- but hopefully one day things will return to near normal.

(BTW, I'm sorry to sound like the tree hugger I am, but remember that you're not obligated to take the wash bag when offered it. I routinely decline.)

I would prefer less in the bag, but a higher quality product: so more value to me and less waste.
Something like a Topo Design bag
Le Labo or Malin and Goetz products (like Delta)
Bamboo wood toothbrush and decent toothpaste like Dr Bronners Organic.

Then the rest, like eye mask, socks, pen, ear plugs etc can be on demand / self service

Anyway, won’t happen because BA are cheap and don’t know what style/quality/fashion is if it hit them in the face.

SQ is on demand. I’d support it if BA wanted to do this

on demand in J would be great IF they indeed could up their quality, and never have a "sorry not enough on the return" nonsense they are so fond of

i have enjoyed the F bags and still use a shave gel they had in the square blue canvas--the bag itself being the perfect size for a bose bluetooth speaker & charger that i have along w family and friends who have also received "carrying cases" for travel thanks to my F adventures.

that said, if on request, you would still end up with socks/shades/plus needing to be left at each seat regardless, and then it would become a "look how poor this product has fallen" perception because a vast number of people wouldnt know to ask.

On a recent flight in BA First I didn't even open my wash bag.
I usually bring my own eye shades, hand sanitizer (which isn't included in the wash bag - but would be very useful especially in the current times), ear plugs - and that's all I need :)

I am not a supporter of cost cutting especially if it affects the catering (as this is part of the "experience") but I wouldn't miss the wash bag.

I think it’s on demand with BA also, I’m usually asked if I would like one. Many on here probably wouldn’t miss them, but then that makes BA less competitive or less attractive to the premium leisure traveler.

As for me I would miss the socks which I use onboard and the moisturiser which is handy in the dry cabin environment. I love the mist spray in the Qatar bags which is great for reviving the coupon after a nap.

I like the fact that some of those articles were available in the bathroom on QR, I think that makes sense. If the items are left readily available like the club kitchen is, I would have no issue with it. I only really need the earplugs and toothbrush most of the time but everyone is different! I might miss the actual bags themselves as I find creative ways to use them for storage either in my luggage or daily carry but I already have enough of them to last me for a while!

Yesterday as I was deplaning I was tempted to grab some from unoccupied seats in WT+ that were still there, finely placed as they were when I boarded 12 hours before 🤣🤣🤣

BA did do them on demand with a select number of items distributed from a basket a while ago circa 2010/11 but feedback from customers was that they were not satisfied with it as they largely perceived it as a cost cutting only exercise (even though it was partly a cost cutting exercise ) and did not consider the waste impact. Likewise with the Elemis shoe bag- it was a practical design and could be used as shoe bag/ cable bag etc but was not luxurious enough. So I think to answer the question - the wash bag adds to the brand rather than being something which is practical or missed.

Washbags left behind , at least in pre covid times, were collected in after passengers had disembarked so they could be recycled.

Id personally prefer on demand, but add the items to a page of the menu handed out pre covid times, making it clear you can request a range of different products as and when needed..

Keep them; I sell them through eBay to subsidise my travels.

I'm partial to an amenity kit. I really liked the first editions of the Anya Hindmarch BAg's as well as the contents. Some of which I sought to buy when they ran out because I liked using them. They also varied the contents over the years so there was always something new to experience. Brands such as Aesop, Marvis, Ren, Pennhaligons, Santa Maria Novella and Carmex were all oblivious to me until they appeared in the F BAg's. Nowadays it's fairly common to see these brands in most decent high streets and department stores. The cases themselves were sturdy and well made. I quite like the current Liberty bags but I'm not a great fan of the contents which I've never felt the need to follow up with a further high street purchase. The content brands don't particularly excite me in a way previous ones have. Club amenities of the era (late 90's/early 00's) used to be Body Shop and then Molton Brown before switching to Elemis and they were always quite generous. Elemis kits always featured a discount code for online shopping which I always made use of. I see them as an extension of the airline brand as a takeaway item. I know when Virgin went through the phase of offering an amenity basket to accompany their shoe bag kit, I'd select one of everything on offer in order to make up the complete kit so I don't necessarily see the point of offering this although I appreciate I'm perhaps not the average passenger in this respect. Same on Qatar where items like toothbrush and paste, razors and combs are in the bathrooms, I'd probably take the items to add to the kit given out regardless as to whether I intended to use them - because I would then have the compete kit.

I like them. Every guest room in every home we have has a stack ;-)

Seriously though - I do like the BA pen - especially in times of Covid forms, I often do use the eye shades and the ear plugs - and the lotion and lip balm have come in handy as well. I sometimes also use the toothbrush and toothpaste - if I am on a one or two night stay, I often don't bother packing my own.

On a recent day flight I was asked if I wanted the PJs - and I asked for small since it's useful to have a couple in different sizes for guest rooms too. The FA gave me a ladies wash bag to go with it. After 25+ years of international travel - sometimes with family - I had never noticed that they are different.

I can assure you it really wouldn't have been worth your trouble. Unless you're partial to 'Scaramouche & Fandango' lip balm

I would miss them, I find them useful to put things in when travelling, chargers, adapters etc and I still have 2 of the Club World cloth bags that are amazing for wires.

I think a review of the contents would be good but I’d prefer items were not on demand as I can see the sorry we don’t have any left scenario.

Prior to this year for the first 6 months of the year I would donate any unused contents along with hotel toiletries to my local NHS trust and their charity made up packs for people admitted to hospital and their relatives in an emergency. The last 6 months of the year I would donate unused contents to my London borough’s Christmas shoebox for the homeless.

indeed I’d grab a handful of extra items each time I passed through a lounge from their spa or arrivals lounge.