Airline meals improve in premium cabins

Airline meals have long had a reputation of being bland, boring and largely uninspired, but this seems set to change, at least for passengers travelling in business and first class cabins, on flights operated by the world’s most prominent carriers. Many airlines have come to realize that offering quality meals, snacks and drinks in premium cabins represents one of the best ways to convince passengers to pay more for a ticket and trade basic economy class for a more comfortable flight. Additionally, there is fierce competition among airlines when it comes to attracting business class passengers, as seats sold in these cabins are always the most lucrative for a carrier.

Carriers operating in the United States have built a less than flattering reputation for cutting back on meal and snack service in economy, on nearly all domestic routes, to the point where passengers seldom get anything more for free than a soda. In fact, airlines in the US now only spend $3.40 per passenger on snacks and meals. The exception appears to be Continental, which still provides clients with complimentary food. The situation in business and first class, however, is dramatically different. For example, United Airlines now offers filet mignon with porcini cream sauce on its San Francisco to Beijing route and business passengers can choose from an impressive selection of 10 wines and champagnes while on board.

Yet many non-American airlines are still miles ahead of their US counterparts when it comes to in-flight food. Cathay Pacific, for example, offers passengers fresh rice with their meals, prepare on board the aircraft by flight attendants. Singapore Airlines goes even further by serving passengers delicacies such as lobster thermidore and even caviar.

www.united.com