A first-class choice: British Airways takes the UK’s most-awarded tea to 35,000ft

• British Airways announces award-winning family-owned British brand Birchall as its new tea provider 
• Serving almost 40 million cups of tea on board every year, the airline has gone to great lengths to make sure it’s made the right choice for its customers – with Birchall chosen for its performance in blind taste testing, as well as its British roots and sustainability credentials 
• Birchall tea will be served on board from 1 May – its Great Rift English Breakfast, the UK’s most-awarded tea for taste*, will feature in the new British Airways line-up, as well as Earl Grey, Peppermint, Camomile and others 

British Airways has announced a new partnership with award-winning British tea producer Birchall. The airline will offer a carefully curated range of high quali-tea options to its customers, both on the ground and in the air, in celebration of British originality. 

From 1 May, British Airways’ customers can enjoy award-winning Birchall tea across all long-haul cabins including World Traveller (economy), World Traveller Plus (premium economy), Club World (long-haul business) and First. The new offering will also be served on board all short-haul flights in Club Europe (short-haul business) from June, and available to purchase in Euro Traveller (economy) on flights from London Heathrow via its High Life Café from July.  Birchall tea will also be rolled out across British Airways’ lounges globally. 

British Airways’ Chief Customer Officer, Calum Laming, said: “Last year, we served more than 37 million cups of tea in the air, and more than two million cups in our lounges globally, so we knew that selecting our newest tea partner was a decision we had to get right. 

“We’re proud to be continually leading the way in championing British originality, and it was important to us that our tea not only ticks the taste box, but also showcases the quality and talent we have on our doorstep here in the UK.” 

Daniel Graham, Managing Director of Birchall Tea, said: “We are immensely proud to be supplying tea for British Airways, which is the epitome of British quality and service; which is something incredibly important to us as well. We hope British Airways’ customers enjoy this elevated tea experience in the air and on the ground for years to come.” 

Time for tea at 35,000ft: Long-haul options 

Customers travelling in First can enjoy an exclusive selection of specialty teas expertly curated to elevate their experience at al-tea-tude. Among these is Birchall Great Rift English Breakfast tea, which boasts an unrivalled bright and brilliant taste, making it the UK’s most-awarded tea for taste. As part of the award-winning tea menu, other variations also include relaxing Camomile, warming Lemongrass & Ginger, Great Rift Decaffeinated and refreshing Red Berry & Flower.  

Customers travelling in Club World can also sip on a wide range of tea flavours and herbal infusions, including English Breakfast, Decaffeinated English Breakfast, Peppermint​, Green Tea and Earl Grey. The Birchall string and tag teabags are made from plant-based fibres, in a fully solar powered tea factory.   

Elsewhere, customers travelling in World Traveller Plus and World Traveller cabins can enjoy Birchall’s English Breakfast ​and Decaffeinated English Breakfast tea, expertly blended by the fifth generation of the Birchall family, ready for the perfect brew on board.    

Sip in short-haul 

From June, Birchall tea variations will be available in the airline’s Club Europe cabin, so customers can sip on their favourite blend across Europe and beyond. The brew variations include Great Rift Breakfast Blend, Decaffeinated English Breakfast, Peppermint and Green Tea. From July, customers travelling in Euro Traveller from London Heathrow can purchase a Birchall brew from the airline’s High Life Café.  

Brew before take-off: Lounges 

From 1 May, Birchall tea will be rolled out across British Airways’ lounges globally. In the airline’s Concorde Room, guests can choose from a variety of blends ahead of their flight, including Birchall’s Great Rift Breakfast Blend, Great Rift Decaffeinated, Virunga Earl Grey and Mao Feng Green.  

In the airline’s First and Club lounges, customers can choose from a selection of brews to suit their needs, whether they’re ready to relax or energise before their journey. The tea menu includes Birchall’s English Breakfast, Decaffeinated English Breakfast,  Red Berry & Flower and Peppermint tea.  

Elsewhere across the customer experience  

The airline is continuing to invest in its customer experience as part of its £7 billion transformation plan, which launched last year and continues to champion the best of British originality. British Airways recently announced that it will be the first airline to serve prestige cuvée English sparkling wines in its First cabin as part of its award-winning wine list this year.   

The airline is working with pioneering English sparkling wine houses including Nyetimber, Gusbourne and Sugrue South Downs, to offer a range of new sparkling options across its First and Club World cabins, available on a rotational basis.  

*Great Rift has won a prestigious Great Taste Award for 14 consecutive years and received Gold at the 2024 Leafies Awards, the only dedicated tea award in the UK.    

 ENDS 

Notes to Editors  

Full tea menus across all cabins can be found here:  

On board:

First  

  Club World   

World Traveller Plus and World Traveller   

 Club Europe  

Across the lounges:  

Concorde Room  

  First and Club lounges  

About Birchall Tea  
Birchall Tea is a fifth-generation, independent, family-run British tea company with a legacy stretching back over 150 years. Renowned for its exceptional taste and commitment to sustainability, Birchall is one of the largest exporters of black tea from East Africa and the UK’s most awarded tea brand for taste, having won the prestigious Great Taste Awards for 14 consecutive years. Founded in 1872 by Captain Birchall George Graham, Birchall Tea continues to be driven by the same passion for quality and craftsmanship. Today, it is led by Daniel Graham, who upholds the family tradition of blending only the finest teas, selecting just the top 1% from over 5,000 samples each week.   

Birchall also leads the way in environmental innovation. It proudly operates the UK’s first and only fully solar-powered tea factory, generating twice the energy it consumes. From its signature Great Rift Breakfast Blend to delicate green and herbal infusions, Birchall delivers a perfect cup of tea every time. Birchall Tea is served in leading hotels, restaurants, and cafes across the UK and is also available to buy in Waitrose. For more information, visit www.birchalltea.co.uk