The UK's largest airline, British Airways is exclusively trialling an automated cocktail maker in its San Francisco and Newark lounges. The rush job drinks are dispensed in under 45 seconds, adding a new dimension to the food and drink available for its customers and cutting down on the number of staff needed in the lounges.
Available until March 2020, British Airways’ First and Club World customers travelling from San Francisco and Newark will be able to choose from a selection of 30 cocktails and customisable drinks from the robotic device. This includes locally-inspired cocktails that British Airways has created – Silicon Galley and Echo-Whisky-Romeo.
The machine has been created by mix-master Barsys using Artificial Intelligence (AI). As British Airways is the first UK airline to trial the technology, it gives the airline’s customers a first chance to try this autonomous machine.
Customers simply order their drink by clicking one button on the app, then place a glass on the conveyer belt and let the AI do the work.
Ricardo Vidal, British Airways’ Head of Innovation, said: “We are always looking at innovative ways to enhance our customers’ journey on the ground and in the air. Barsys offers a new cocktail experience and what better way to trial this technology than in San Francisco, in our newly refurbished lounge, and Newark, two of the most cosmopolitan and tech-savvy metropolitan regions in the US”.
Akshet Tewari, Barsys CEO and Founder, said: "We are so excited to partner with British Airways as we have always felt that an airport lounge was the perfect place to create a unique and fun cocktail experience. We recognise that Barsys will never replace a good bartender but can free them up to make more complicated drinks and interact with customers”.
Robert Ng, regular BA business passenger dismissed the latest addition as a 'Sad waste of money'. "I'd much rather they put more effort into AI for the staff, to make sure they know even the basics of my requirements. They don't take notice of regular traveller's preferences from one flight to another, so this machine to make a fast cocktail, rather than human interaction, will just have novelty value, but little more!"
Recommended for you...
