BA Cabin crew ID badges

[747 jock]

Being a fairly regular flier on BA, there is something I've often wondered about and keep meaning to ask one of the crew but keep forgetting.

As expected, all of the crew wear ID badges and looking at these badges they appear to contain a small lithium cell in the badge holder.
Is this actually a cell and if so, what does it power? or am I totally on the wrong track?

[eckhard]

I believe it's a key to unlock something to do with the bars?

[Laarbruch72]

Eckhard is correct, it takes the place of the old padlock keys for the bonded bars, it unlocks and locks the doors, but it also provides an audit trail for the bars and monies processes, i.e. it tells you who accessed that bar and when. You often see bartenders using the same thing (usually on a retractable cord) to open the till in high street pubs and bars.

[Tray Surfer]

All be it only for the Duty Free/Tax Free trollies.

Bonded Alcohol bars used for cabin service still have a padlock key.

[747 jock]

Thanks for the info.
It's something that I had been wondering about for quite a while.