In Flight Amenity Kit Reviews

BA FIRST CLASS AMENITY KITS

For as long as I have been traveling on British Airways (1986), they have been giving out some of the best amenity kits in first class.  Content as well as bag, always scored high marks. In the last decade, BA teamed up with British designer, Anya Hindmarch who came up with some very cool designs and useful kits. The content of these kits has never been disappointing. Premium cosmetics like Dr. Harris, Pen Haligon’s, Aessop, Elemis and Molton Brown, just to name a few, have all made it into BA’s wash bag or “BAg” as they used to spell and refer to them.

First there was a series were these hard stylish boxes that came in a variety of colors.

Then came a period of these retro print wash bags. 

Followed by these soft stylish cases

They call this one the Gladstone style ‘Bag’, currently given out on board.

This sleek blue Dopp kit, British designer Anya Hindmarch created for BA, looks a bit like a gadget out of a James Bond movie. 
 It’s trimmed in cream and embellished with the original “To Fly, To Serve’”coat of arms which featured on British Airways’ tailfins between 1984 and 1997. 

Family-run D.R Harris, who has been supplying members of the British Royal family for over 80 years, is providing a range of products for ‘BAg’ recipients. The cooling collection of creams includes their coveted ‘cucumber and roses’ formula, designed to refresh and re-hydrate during long flights. The Marvis toothpaste is very refreshing. It tastes better then Crest.  

BA also give out great pajamas in first class. I have been on overnight flights where all 12 passengers in the first class cabin wore them. Nothing to be ashamed about when you spend $ 12,000 for a ticket or 280,000 hard earned miles.
And the BA socks also deserve mention. They are great socks, reminds me of Marks & Spencer quality !  You can reuse them to play soccer or walk around the house. I even used them as a second pair of socks while skiing. 

Last but my no means least, the BA First Class Eye Shades are the best I have ever seen in all my years of travel.  The outside is a stylish cotton, while the inside is made of a very soft terry cloth and has two little cushions that fit below the eyes to block out even the slightest sliver of light. And there are no annoying elastic straps around the top & bottom of your ears, but a soft terry cloth non intrusive strap. 

British Airways scores top marks for its First Class amenity kits.  These First’ bags have become prized possessions. 
I give it a resolute five stars !  Well done BA.

YOUR FAVORITE KIT TO GO

Domestic travel in recent years has become a real pain in the neck with the liquid restrictions imposed on the traveler.  Every time I come across a good miniature item, I save it for the overnight trips traveling only with hand luggage.  More on this subject in a future post.  In the meantime, I recently came across a blurb in Travel and Leisure Magazine about a company that delivers TSA approved toiletry kits to your hotel.  You can choose your favorite products on line from many different brands.  Check ‘em out at  suitearrival.com.  Kits start from $ 15.

SWISS First Class Amenity Kit

For years SWISS and its predecessor Swissair, gave out cool amenity kits in First class filled with premium Swiss cosmetics.  The kinda bag you’d like to get 3 of. One to use for your own toiletries for a quick overnight trip. Another to stuff all your plugs, cables ‘n chargers with for you laptop, cell phone ‘n blackberry. And then a third one that remains unopened, sealed in the plastic so it becomes a collector’s item. Like some of the Pan Am First class kits, but that’s a subject for a different posting.

Today, almost 10 years since SWISS took to the air as the replacement of Swissair, their First Class amenity kit does not disappoint.  Its a great size Bally kit, in black ballistic nylon and faux leather or napa leather trim. If you were to buy a similar size bag in the Bally store, I’m guessing you’d be looking at a $ 50-75 item, for something similar.  Sure you can get the knock off in China for bubkes. But having looked around the Bally stores for years, I can tell you that is a good quality bag.  Needless to say I was happy when I was able to ask the purser on my recent flight if he’d be willing to part with a First class kit, so I could blog about it on my new site.

Cosmetics inside are La Prairie products, (hand cream, lip balm, eye contour cream) Swiss of course and the socks & eyeshades are ok. What’s really good is the full size toothbrush, like you would buy in the pharmacy and reuse, not the flimsy one-time use and dispose of brush. It also comes in a nice toothbrush case, definitely an item I would not throw out but start using and a one squirt of Colgate. It also contains a nice size folding hair brush/comb many passengers will appreciate. And then the usual earplugs, Kleenex tissues and a micro shoe horn.  A card inside welcomes you on board and informs you that you can also request from the crew a shaving kit, a nail file and a sewing kit.  All in all a great kit, but I still only give it 4 stars because it’s a unisex kit and lacks a bottle of designer cologne. As you will see in other reviews, some airlines throw in a nice size bottle of after shave or perfume, depending if its a male or female kit. 

I would also like to mention that First class passengers get Swiss First pajamas, but I didn’t get a chance to request one of those. So I’ll have to review those as soon as I can get my hands on a set.

8 x 5 inch Bally Ballistic Nylon kit

The usual content including La Prairie creams

The best feature: a full fledged toothbrush & holder

- Nathan Fruchter (see my other travel blog at nathanfruchter.com)

Come and get it

In flight amenities have evolved over the decades.   From a simple mini toothbrush with a one squirt unknown brand toothpaste that usually tasted like shaving cream, eye-shades and slippers and some writing paper ‘n postcards ‘n  pens to high end cosmetic products and designer bags.  As well as on board lounge wear also knows as Pajamas. First class amenity kits are by far better quality kits then what the airlines dish out in Business class.  But having said that, in recent years many airlines have been giving out some very good quality products and practical kits in business class. The one you want to take along and reuse as toiletry bag for a quick overnight or as a cool bag to hold all your laptop, cell phone, blackberry cables and plugs.  Many airlines refresh their amenity kits every few months or every year. As soon as a new one is introduced and the comments start coming in, they start working on their next kit. Come join me as I share with you some of the goodies passengers get up front.  As I critique some of their new products and wish they brought back their older/better ones.

- Nathan Fruchter (see my other travel blog at nathanfruchter.com)

A kit by any other name

If you are a commercial aviation enthusiast like me, you are out there actively collecting amenity kits constantly. Join me as I analyze these newly discovered  ”amenity kit treasures” and occasionally dig into my stash for some of my old favorites.

-Nathan Fruchter (see my other travel blog at nathanfruchter.com)