Airlines Are In A Fierce Food Fight To Win The Hearts
Business Traveler|September 2017

Airlines are in a fierce food fight to win the hearts – and the taste buds – of premium passengers

Lark Gould
Airlines Are In A Fierce Food Fight To Win The Hearts

If there was ever a Golden Age of Air Travel, surprisingly, that time may be now. Well, maybe not for those flying in economy class, where seat inches continue to disappear with perks that were once considered part of the plane ticket. But in business class and upward (yes, there is now a “beyond first class” on some airlines), the inflight experience has never been so elevated and dining might be considered the key ingredient.

Dining during a long-haul flight is no longer a mere diversion. In the hallowed front cabin areas, it is dinner out at an in-demand restaurant, along with a movie or two and even a kind cabin attendant to tuck you in. It is a choice of dishes, a choice of topname chefs, a choice of diet preferences, a choice of award-winning wines, and a choice of when and how to take that meal.

And the competition is fierce.

Booking the Cook

Take Singapore Airlines, for example. Decades ago the airline broke the Styrofoam ceiling by offering a choice of meals and complimentary beverages to economy class passengers. More recently they set the bar in their Suites Class, first class, business class and premium economy services by enlisting The International Culinary Panel, a semi-annual assemblage of the world’s top chefs to chime in on what should be served, how it should be prepared and presented, and on what routes.

Through an ongoing program called “Book the Cook,” the resultant menu selections can be prepared for these premium classes with advance notice. Customers departing from various SIA gateways can order meals up to 24 hours in advance from a choice of dishes for flights of four or more hours (typical favorites for US passengers include Lobster Thermidor and ribeye steak – and these are always in the menu selection on designated routes).

This story is from the September 2017 edition of Business Traveler.

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This story is from the September 2017 edition of Business Traveler.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.