HARMONDSWORTH, UK- British Airways (BA) is bringing back its long-haul meal pre-order service through a limited trial, more than three years after the airline first planned to restore the programme. The initiative aims to let passengers select their preferred main meal before departure.
The initial trial covers flights from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS), with access restricted to the World Traveller Plus premium economy cabin. British Airways has not announced a wider rollout date, although its current website confirms that the trial is underway.
British Airways Restores Long-Haul Meal Pre-Ordering
According to PYOK, British Airways is preparing to restore its meal pre-ordering service after keeping the original programme suspended for several years. The latest initiative introduces a new trial rather than an immediate return across the airline’s entire long-haul network.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, British Airways allowed passengers to pre-order their main meals on selected long-haul flights departing London Heathrow. The facility was available to customers travelling in First Class, Club World business class and World Traveller Plus premium economy.
The airline suspended the service in early 2020 as the pandemic disrupted international aviation. However, British Airways did not restore the programme when long-haul operations recovered, leaving passengers without the option to guarantee their preferred main meal before departure.
The decision to restart the facility has taken considerably longer than initially expected. Although the airline discussed a replacement programme in 2023, its original plans failed to progress into an operational trial.
Earlier Meal Pre-Order Plans Faced Repeated Delays
In 2023, British Airways outlined internal plans to test a new meal pre-order system on selected long-haul routes from London Heathrow.
The proposed trial covered flights to Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) in New York and San Diego International Airport (SAN).
At the time, the airline wanted to extend the facility to passengers across all travel cabins, including World Traveller economy.
British Airways explained that the initiative would allow passengers to personalise their onboard dining experience and give the airline an opportunity to showcase its menus while ensuring popular dishes were available.
The airline also wanted to improve meal availability by collecting passenger preferences before flights. This approach would help its catering teams prepare the required quantities of different dishes.
However, the proposed trial never materialised. In January 2024, British Airways acknowledged that it had postponed the programme indefinitely, leaving passengers uncertain about when the service would return.
The latest trial represents another attempt to introduce advance meal selection, although its initial availability remains considerably narrower than the airline’s original proposal.
Heathrow to Las Vegas Leads the New Trial
British Airways’ current pre-order information identifies flights from London Heathrow to Las Vegas as the initial route for the service.
The airline’s website confirms that passengers travelling in World Traveller Plus can select their main meal before departure. The facility is currently limited to British Airways-operated flights in this cabin.
Passengers can make their selections through the Manage My Booking section on the airline’s website.
The pre-order window opens seven days before departure and closes 24 hours before the scheduled flight time. The airline also confirms that pre-ordering a meal is free of charge.
Passengers can select from the meals available through the pre-order menu, which matches the onboard selection rather than offering an expanded restaurant-style menu.
Customers who cannot access the pre-order facility can continue selecting from the available onboard meals, subject to availability.
Economy and Business Class Availability Remains Unclear
The latest trial does not yet restore the wider cabin access originally discussed in 2023.
Under the current arrangement, World Traveller Plus passengers on eligible flights can pre-order their main meal. British Airways has not confirmed when it will extend the service to World Traveller economy, Club World business class or First Class.
The airline has also not announced whether additional destinations will join the trial.
The limited introduction means passengers travelling on other long-haul routes will continue using the existing onboard meal selection process unless their flights become eligible for the facility.
British Airways will need to assess the trial before deciding whether to expand the programme across more destinations and cabins.
British Airways Also Tests Digital Meal Ordering for Cabin Crew
Alongside the passenger-facing pre-order facility, British Airways is testing a separate electronic meal-ordering system for cabin crew working in its Club World business class cabin.
The system, known internally as iOrder, uses an iPhone-based application that allows flight attendants to record passenger meal and drink selections digitally.
Previously, cabin crew relied on handwritten notes to record meal choices during the onboard service. The new application replaces that process with electronic order collection.
The system also allows British Airways to collect more detailed information about passenger meal preferences.
The airline intends to use this information to identify popular dishes and improve its catering requirements by adjusting the number of meals loaded onto individual flights.
This could help reduce situations in which passengers do not receive their preferred first-choice meal because the selected dish has run out.
However, the application does not currently remember individual passenger preferences or automatically suggest meals based on previous selections.
British Airways has not confirmed a timetable for introducing iOrder across its long-haul network. The system remains under evaluation as the airline collects feedback from cabin crew.
Full Meal Pre-Order Rollout Remains Uncertain
British Airways is taking a gradual approach to restoring advance meal selection after several years of delays.
The current Heathrow to Las Vegas trial provides a limited opportunity to assess the system before expanding its availability. However, the airline has yet to confirm additional routes, cabin eligibility or a network-wide implementation schedule.
The separate iOrder project also highlights British Airways’ efforts to improve its onboard meal service through digital technology.
For now, passengers should not expect meal pre-ordering to become available across every long-haul flight. The eventual expansion will depend on the airline’s trial programme and its decision to introduce the service to additional routes.
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