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January 31, 2022

British Airways is to bring back complimentary food and drink after the flagship carrier’s boss yesterday admitted axing them was a mistake.

In an open letter to customers, Sean Doyle said they will be entitled to a free snack, bottle of water and array of hot and cold drinks – perks that were axed in economy class on short-haul flights six years ago in a bid to make annual savings of £400million.

BA’s brand took a hit as passengers had to buy sandwiches on board, mirroring the policies of budget airlines such as Ryanair.

In his letter Mr Doyle, 50, who took over at the helm in 2020, said: ‘You’ve also told us you appreciate the complimentary water and snacks we’ve been offering on short-haul flights in our Euro Traveller cabin, so we’ll be continuing with these too.’

It added: ‘I’m not seeking to make excuses for things that should have gone better. What I am doing is making a personal commitment to you that we will build a better British Airways.’

He also vowed to improve the BA call centre experience after customers complained of long waits when seeking refunds for flights cancelled due to the pandemic.

A new app that allows customers to track their luggage on their phone will also be launched, giving peace of mind it will not be lost.

IAG, the company which owns BA, saw the value of its shares plummet by 60 per cent during the pandemic amid lockdowns that stopped people from travelling.

Mr Doyle said: ‘For me, 2022 is the year we’re finally able to rebuild and re-energise our airline.’

DAILY MAIL