Take Flight: Sodexo Live! Expands Relationship with British Airways to Bolster Traveler Experience at 8 Premium Lounges across North America
GAITHERSBURG, Md. (April 18, 2023) – Sodexo Live!, the hospitality partner to the world’s most iconic venues, today announced the expansion of its relationship with British Airways, which will enhance the food and beverage experience at eight of the airline’s lounges across the United States.
The British Airways catering team has been working in tandem with Sodexo Live! culinarians – led by Chief Culinarian Michael Wurster – on menus that use nutritious ingredients, and local suppliers and specialties from the respective cities.
The new delicious food and drink menus will be available in the following lounges in the coming months:
“We are pleased to partner with British Airways, an airline that is truly guest-centric and encourages our culinarians to be bold and creative with their menu design,” said Julieta Gutierrez, Chief Operating Officer, Airport Lounges, Sodexo Live!. “Working with our carefully selected purveyors, BA travelers can look forward to a best-in-class dining experience.”
In each lounge there will be a number of ‘British favorites’ on the menus. This includes a quintessentially British Afternoon Tea – featuring London-based Twinings tea – for customers to enjoy ahead of the airline’s afternoon and evening flights. The pre-flight food offering will also feature more nutritious alternatives than traditional airport fare. Smaller, more artfully prepared dishes will give customers that premium experience they expect in the airport lounge while still providing the added health benefits they seek.
City-specific epicurean delights, which will be sourced from local purveyors whenever possible, will be a highlight across the portfolio. Each space will befit the custom setting of a bespoke British Airways lounge, with examples of area-influenced dishes including:
Further, the lounges will also feature:
“We want to continue to evolve and improve the premium experience for customers flying to and from the U.S, so we are excited to be reimagining the dining experience in eight American gateways. We are confident that our customers will really enjoy new, unique dishes which reflect local cuisine and provenance” said Matt Callard, Head of Ground Experience, British Airways.
The partnership with Sodexo Live! across all the British Airways US lounges follows the launch of three distinctive lounges at New York’s JFK Airport Terminal 8 on December 1, 2022. Sodexo Live! is responsible for delivering outstanding food and drink in these lounges, which were jointly launched by British Airways and American Airlines.
For lounge locations and eligibility, customers can visit BA.com/lounges.
ABOUT SODEXO LIVE!
Sodexo Live! manages prestigious conference, cultural, and sporting venues and major events all over the world. With 40,000 employees and 500 sites, Sodexo Live! offers clients a range of bespoke catering, sales, and event management services, helping to transform the consumer experience into unforgettable memories, including for over 30 million passengers served each year at 120+ airport lounges globally. Sodexo Live! contributes to the success of prestigious events such as Royal Ascot, the Tour de France, the Rugby World Cup and soon the Paris 2024 Games, and showcases exceptional venues such as the Eiffel Tower Restaurants, Bateaux Parisiens, Yachts de Paris, the Royal Academy of Arts in London, the Museo del Prado in Madrid, the Hard Rock Stadium, the Scottish National Gallery, and the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.
ABOUT BRITISH AIRWAYS
As a global airline and the UK’s flag carrier, British Airways has been flying its customers to where they need to be for more than 100 years. The airline connects Britain with the world and the world with Britain, operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks together with its joint business, codeshare and franchise partners. British Airways flies to destinations in more than 65 countries. Its principal place of business is London, with its main home at Heathrow Terminal 5. In 2021, the airline won six Business Traveller Awards including Best Short-Haul Carrier, Best Airport Lounge, Best Frequent Flyer Programme, Best Travel App and Best New Seat. In September 2021, British Airways launched its sustainability programme, BA Better World, committing to put sustainability at the heart of everything it does and with a clear roadmap to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. British Airways is a founding member of the airline alliance oneworld, which serves around 1,000 destinations across the globe. The latest information on the measures British Airways is taking to ensure its customers have a safe experience when travelling can be found on ba.com. The British Airways press office can be contacted at press.office@ba.com. To book visit BA.com and connect on Facebook @BritishAirways and Instagram @british_airways.