It’s a seismic moment for British Airways and its first-class customers: the airline is no longer serving its acclaimed Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle champagne in the most expensive cabin.
It’s a move that could potentially generate a stir, at least a quick raise of eyebrows. And BA seems to be aware of the ramifications, because replacements are reassuringly expensive.
Starting today, the airline will serve Pommery Cuvée Louise 2006 in its Concorde lounge at Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport, and a new champagne option will be available on a rotating basis on board First from March 1.
BA has provided services to Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle in its First cabin for 12 years and Sala Concorde for 12 years. It sells for as much as £225 per bottleand the Pommery costs around £200 a bottle.
All of the prestige cuvée substitutes have been carefully selected by the airline’s Master of Wine, Tim Jackson, from well-known champagne houses and will rotate across the airline’s drinks menu, “offering frequent flyers more variety.”
British Airways will no longer serve its acclaimed Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle champagne in its first cabin. From March 1, First customers traveling on the airline’s flagship route to New York will be able to enjoy Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015 (above), which can be purchased from £156 in retail stores.
The initial premium champagne joining the airline’s First Class drinks menu will be the Lanson Noble 2005, available from March 1 through June. The 2004 version is sold in around £170.
Duval-Leroy Femme de Champagne 2004 is available from July to September and can be purchased in stores for around £80.
Bollinger Grande Année, which retails from £129.99, will be served in October and Lanson Noble Blanc de Blancs 2005 from November to December. The 2004 version is sold around £180 per bottle.
BA has been serving Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle in its first cabin (above) for 12 years
All prestige cuvée substitutes have been carefully selected by BA Master of Wine, Tim Jackson.
Starting March 1, First customers traveling on the airline’s flagship route to New York will be able to enjoy Veuve Clicquot La Grande Dame 2015, which they can purchase from £156 of retailers.
Tim Jackson said: ‘We know how important food and drink are to our customers, both on the ground and in the air, having served around one million bottles of bubbles last year alone.
‘We spend a lot of time carefully selecting a rotation of the highest quality to meet our customers’ expectations.
“We look forward to hearing feedback from our frequent travelers about their favorite champagne and will continue to evolve our offering.”
Michael Sager, founder of the renowned Sager + Wilde wine bars in London, told MailOnline Travel: ‘I welcome this change. What they offer are new and incredible wines, and the idea of a rotation is dynamic and sets them apart.”
Elsewhere, the airline says it continues to improve its premium customers’ experience at the airport.
First Wing security is being updated with new technology and is scheduled to reopen in the coming months, “offering a more seamless security experience.”