The BA Inflight Sales charge on your card statement is a purchase made onboard a British Airways flight. It covers food and drink from the High Life Café, duty-free goods from the High Life Shop, and onboard Wi-Fi sessions. The same transaction sometimes appears as “IAG Inflight Sales,” a reference to BA’s parent company, International Airlines Group. If the charge is on your statement, it almost certainly matches something you or someone using your card bought during a flight.1British Airways. Wi-Fi Terms and Conditions
What Purchases Show Up Under This Name
Three categories of onboard spending get billed this way.
Food and drink. On short-haul and domestic flights, BA runs a buy-on-board service called the High Life Café. The menu covers sandwiches, hot meals, snack boxes, coffee, beer, wine, spirits, and pre-mixed cocktails. Items can be pre-ordered online for seat delivery or bought during the flight.2British Airways. Food and Drink
Duty-free goods. The High Life Shop sells fragrances, beauty products, skincare, jewellery, watches, sunglasses, accessories, alcohol, and tobacco, subject to travel allowances.3High Life Shop. High Life Shop Range
Wi-Fi. BA’s own terms confirm that card payments for onboard Wi-Fi post to statements as “BA INFLIGHT SALES.”1British Airways. Wi-Fi Terms and Conditions
One thing to keep in mind if you’re trying to place the charge: on long-haul flights in premium cabins, food and drink are included in the fare. A BA Inflight Sales line from a long-haul trip is therefore more likely to be a duty-free item or a Wi-Fi session than a meal.
Why the Name Looks Unfamiliar
The descriptor says “BA Inflight Sales” rather than “British Airways,” and the “IAG Inflight Sales” variant is even less recognizable to most travelers. One passenger on FlyerTalk reported seeing the charge posted as “BA Inflight Sales – Horley,” with a town name appended, making the link to a specific flight harder still to spot.4FlyerTalk. Flight Purchases BA
The reason for the mismatch is that BA doesn’t run its onboard retail directly. A third-party company, Tourvest Duty Free (UK) Ltd, holds the contract to operate both the High Life Shop and the High Life Café.5High Life Shop. Terms and Conditions The payment runs through Tourvest’s systems under the BA branding, so the statement descriptor doesn’t always look like a “British Airways” charge. That can also affect how your card issuer categorizes the transaction, and it may not trigger airline-specific statement credits on travel rewards cards.
How to Get a Refund or Dispute the Charge
Where to go depends on what was bought.
Food, Drink, and Duty-Free
For High Life Café and High Life Shop purchases, contact Tourvest directly, since Tourvest is the contracting party. The High Life Shop’s FAQ confirms that customers who need to cancel an order or report a missed flight should call customer service for a refund.6High Life Shop. Frequently Asked Questions
- UK phone: 0345 6000 757 (up to 10p/min)
- Outside UK: +44 (0)370 241 0777
- Email: Support@highlifeshop.com
- Hours: Monday to Friday, 09:00 to 18:00 UK time (excluding UK public holidays)
- Post: FREEPOST HIGH LIFE SHOP
If your flight plans change, the High Life Shop asks you to contact the team at least 48 hours before the original journey so delivery can be arranged on a different flight.6High Life Shop. Frequently Asked Questions
Wi-Fi
British Airways handles Wi-Fi refunds directly through its Customer Service Portal, which is also where you can request a receipt for an onboard Wi-Fi charge.7British Airways. Complaints and Claims
If the First Response Doesn’t Resolve It
For any broader complaint about an inflight purchase, BA has an online feedback and claims portal where you can open a new case or track an existing one using your booking reference.8British Airways. Feedback and Claims U.S. customers can also call British Airways at 1-800-247-9297, daily from 07:00 to 01:00 EST.9British Airways. Contact Us UK passengers who remain dissatisfied after BA responds can escalate to the Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR), an independent aviation dispute body, within 12 months of the airline’s initial response.7British Airways. Complaints and Claims
If you don’t recognize the charge at all and no one who had access to your card has flown BA recently, treat it the way you would any other unrecognized transaction and contact your card issuer to open a dispute.