British Airways celebrates 80 years of Australia flights with new cocktail
By Chris C., July 1 2015
To mark 80 years of flying to Australia, British Airways will serve up a new gin- and sherry-based ‘Antipodes’ cocktail in the air to its first class guests.
Designed by Australia’s own Tim Philips of Sydney’s Bulletin Place cocktail bar (below), the mix combines Tanqueray No. 10 and 20ml of Tio Pepe brand sherry with citrus flavours and chamomile to create a drink with 1930s British influence and Australian ingredients.
Judged as the winning concoction in a BA-run cocktail competition, the Antipodes cocktail will be served on BA’s daily Sydney-Singapore-London flights throughout July – that’s BA16 when London-bound and BA15 on the journey home.
“Gin has long been championed in British culture and has certainly been rising in popularity in Australia over recent years,” Philips said, adding that his creation “aims to bring together all these elements in a contemporary, simple, elegant and refreshing way.”
British Airways’ first passenger-carrying flight from London to Australia took wing on April 13 1935 under the name Imperial Airways – BA’s predecessor – and in conjunction with Qantas Empire Airways.
Taking a whole 12 days from start to finish, the journey took guests via a number of cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi and Baghdad with a one-way ticket costing $376: a staggering $23,470 in today’s currency, and roughly twice the cost of a return first class trip today with just one stop via Singapore.
Also read: Qantas creates special cocktail to celebrate World Gin Day
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Chris is a a former contributor to Executive Traveller.
20 May 2015
Total posts 579
"Taking a whole 12 days from start to finish, the journey took guests via a number of cities including Singapore, Bangkok, Delhi and Baghdad with a one-way ticket costing $376: a staggering $23,470 in today’s currency, and roughly twice the cost of a return first class trip today with just one stop via Singapore."
Thank you for this little data point... It frustrates me when people point to LCCs and the like and wail on about how the "Golden Age of Travel" is over or something. The fact that there even IS such a thing as economy class these days represents an improvement over the past where one way tickets cost more than double a First Class return ticket.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
30 Mar 2015
Total posts 54
BA should relaunch Melbourne flights
24 Apr 2014
Total posts 269
Hear hear!
21 Feb 2015
Total posts 68
I'll third that
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
09 Sep 2013
Total posts 188
Now being from Perth, if I said that, storm and tempest would rain down on me...
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
21 Aug 2013
Total posts 138
Damn! Hear hear from me too; we flew BA11 in F a month ago from LHR to SIN, then homebound with QF to MEL (not that I'm complaining, but would have been nice to have continued ALL the way in F rather than switching to J; what a life I live when that is all I have to compain about!)
Oh well - a little too early for this promo, and my next flight with them in F is not until February so dip out I guess. Standard Tanqueray is definitely my preferred everyday tipple & I can assure you I drank BA11's First cabin dry of their Tanq 10 *sigh*
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1374
So a British Gin and Spanish Sherry - where are the Australian ingredients (and there are a few decent Australian Gins around)
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