The humble slipper is an excellent item to wear on a long haul flight. Removing your shoes makes for a much more relaxing and comfortable flight especially so if you are trying to sleep. But what do you do when you want a drink or to visit the toilet? Do the shoes go back on or are there other options?

Complimentary Socks

Airlines usually provide complimentary socks in an amenity kit for you to change into which are good up to a point. Some airlines are less than diligent on keeping toilets clean during the night and some passengers have a pathological inability to aim correctly which can mean a damp sock. That is unpleasant on so many levels!

Cabin crew will tell you that there is no way they would walk anywhere on an aircraft in bare feet or socks. Putting your shoes back on for what would amount to a few minutes is such a fag that most people wander around without them.

Superb Slippers

Enter the slipper. You can take off your shoes and stow them away and the slippers provide a protective layer between you and the aircraft floor when moving about. They are especially comforting when on that inevitable middle of the night toilet visit.

You generally only find slippers in First Class and even then not all the time. Some airlines provide them on request in First Class, so if you’re not a savvy traveller you won’t know they’re available. So which airline is mad enough to provide them in Economy Class?

Hello, British Airways!

British Airways are now offering slippers on flights from the United Kingdom to destinations in China and to Hong Kong. They are offered to customers in Club World and World Traveller Plus, which is Business Class and Premium Economy Class.

The press release states the slippers are being offered in response to customer feedback. It is probably also an effort to differentiate the product and stand out in the lucrative and growing Chinese market.

At the same time, Chopsticks are being offered and Twinings green tea (which is already available in Business Class and above) is being provided down the back. I love green tea, so it all sounds good to me!

Overall Thoughts

It is interesting to me that this is being offered on flights to China and not to other Asian destinations. Japan immediately springs to mind as an ideal market for this. Either way, the slippers, chopsticks and tea will be appreciated by British Airways’ Chinese clientele.

Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.

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Featured image via British Airways.