Hard as it may be to stomach, the era when free in-flight meals were the standard for all passengers is gone forever (though, of course, many fliers found the meals themselves hard to stomach). But as a couple of new Bing Travel articles point out, we could be entering a new era of airborne cuisine — though what you gain in quality will be offset by your having to pay for it.
In the first article, The Wall Street Journal columnist Scott McCartney writes that U.S. carriers are now selling coach food that could be called gourmet, sometimes devised by celebrity chefs such as Todd English. The offerings have included grilled-chicken gyros, sushi bento boxes and Italian grinders. By launching the new, more upscale fare, McCartney writes, the airlines are attempting to make money, enhance their brands and compete with airport cafes where passengers buy meals to bring on the plane.
The second article, from Travel+Leisure, examines the rising quality of airplane cuisine offered to first-class passengers. The story notes that, particularly in the face of the soured economy, carriers are stepping up the premium amenities they offer in order to compete for front-of-the-cabin fliers. Celebrity-chef names can be found here too, including Charlie Trotter and Stephan Pyles; fare includes delicacies such as wild mushroom risotto and herb-rubbed chicken.
What’s your take on airlines’ evolving menus? Would you pay for food on the plane, and what sorts of meals and snacks would you like to see carriers offer? Leave your suggestions in the comments section for your fellow travelers to chew on.
chocolate pie with milk
I've done my fair share of longer flights and what I've enjoyed was the sorts of food that require a fork at most. no knives or spoons. I always think of spillage so I'm all for sandwiches and wraps or other meals tht require no cutting.
NO SOUP lol
I would like to see comfort foods like pizza and salads. My most enjoyable meal was chicken cordon bleu. But caviar with chopped egg and onions on a nice cracker with a cold glass of Absolut was the best!
I would like to have something with fresh veggies and fruit. example veggie wrap, fruit and cheese salad,fresh salads w/ some plain bread and butter or cream cheese.
Note: I haven't flown in the last ten or twelve years, so I can't comment on anything that's being done nowadays. But of all the airline food I can remember (most of it was utterly forgettable), the best was a lunch served by Delta some twenty-five or thirty years ago. It was, basically, sandwiches: good quality bread, meat, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fruit -- everything quite fresh; and the usual coffee-tea-milk-or-soda-pop. Better than anything I ever ate aloft before or since. If I should ever fly again (not likely, since I'm retired and broke) I'd recreate those sandwiches and pack 'em in transparent baggies for the guards to see.
I bought an omelet with fruit in Midwest Airlines . . . it was really good.
what i would love most is some sort of mexican food. say a burrito with chicken beans lettuce tommato sour cream rice and cheese. or a taco with meat cheese leattuce tomato and sour cream.
Mexican food on a flight?!?!? Are you crazy? Beans combined with 30,000 feet, hundreds of passengers and no way out...not a good idea.
I would like to see healthy food options such as hummus with vegetables, grilled chicken salads with light dressings, whole wheat pita wraps, fruit, sweet potatoes...definitely no Mexican food, dd!
Simple affair such as dd mentions or hamburgers/cheeseburgers. The appeal for locations and destinations of the travel iteneary should be taken into consideration!
The box that Delta sells with cheese, crackers and fruit is pretty good especially if you're hungry and on a long flight.
I would like to see greek food
years ago, air canada used to have great breakfasts when I flew from boston to halifax, n.s. in first class. eggs anyway I liked, bacon or ham, three kinds of toast or english muffins, scones, fried potatoes, etc. lunch od dinner of a salad, meat entreee, vegetables and a great dessert. those were the days when flying was fun. what the hell happened? I haven't flown for three years now and do not look forward when I have to fly again.
since I have Celiac Disease, I would like to see some gluten free options available. I also have lactose intolerance, which often comes with celiac so I would love some grilled chicken or grilled salmon with vegetables and fresh fruit.
Breakfast burritos!
how bout some fuckin steak tartar, so the turbulence makes me yarf?
