One of the key perks of flying is often the catering. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has made airlines to reconsider how food is being served to passengers. Check out the changes on airline catering with British Airways, Singapore Airlines and Turkish Airlines.
British Airways
In a recent email to customers, British Airways unveiled a host of changes to the on-board dining experience. In all classes, meals will no longer be served in individual courses; each passenger will receive a snack box consistent with their class of travel.
“Working closely with our caterers, we have made some changes to what’s available onboard. Our new food service requires less interaction with our cabin crew, greatly reducing physical contact.”
British Airways
Long-Haul Flights
First Class
British Airways First Class catering will be overhauled completely. During the main meals, passengers will be offered a choice of hot dishes and a generic selection of accompaniments.
Alongside hot dishes, British Airways First Class customers will be served a pre-prepared salad, a cold appetiser and a bread roll with butter. Dessert will feature three individual selections.
An Afternoon Tea snack box will be served upon request. These will feature sandwiches, scones and other desserts.
Business Class (Club World)
Long-Haul Business Class passengers will no longer be served any hot meals. Instead, British Airways will serve a cold snack box during the main meal service. Hot meals will be eliminated for the foreseeable future.
Inside, passengers will find a salad with cold meat, a pre-packaged sandwich, a selection of cheese and crackers and one dessert. All meals will be served with a bottle of water.
Breakfast will be served on overnight long-haul flights. Club World passengers will receive another snack box featuring fruit and yoghurt, a sandwich, muesli, fresh fruit, a muffin, crackers and a bottle of water.
Premium Economy and Economy
British Airways will serve Premium Economy and Economy passengers the exact same snack box. The main snack box will feature a sandwich or pastry, a small salad, one dessert and a bottle of water.
On overnight flights, British Airways will continue to offer breakfast. This will consist of a sandwich or croissant, a bread roll, yoghurt and water.
Short-Haul Flights
Business Class (Club Europe)
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, British Airways served Club Europe passengers a single-tray meal. Moving forward, a single snack box will be served featuring a sandwich, a small salad, dessert and a bottle of water. No hot dishes will be served.
Economy Class (Euro Traveller)
Up until recently, British Airways only offered food for purchase in Euro Traveller. During the COVID-19 pandemic, passengers have been given complimentary water and a small snack. Pretzels, popcorn or crisps will be offered indefinitely.
Subsection Sources: Head for Points and British Airways
Singapore Airlines
Singapore Airlines has also made sweeping changes to the food service onboard their aircraft. On long-haul flights beyond Asia all meals will be served sealed, to avoid any risk of contamination. In addition, offerings will be simplified and fewer accompaniments will be served with meals.
On flights to China and Southeast Asia, passengers will be served a snack bag with items such as sandwiches, fruit, potato crisps, etc. Singapore Airlines has said that these snack bags will replace full meals “due to regulatory requirements”.
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines will be downgrading all their in-flight catering options. Each class will be served a snack box or bag only on flights longer than two hours.
Catering options will be vastly similar to those on British Airways, as both airlines are catered by Do&Co. All the following details are courtesy of ISTFlyer on the FlyerTalk forum.
Long-Haul Flights
Business Class
On flights longer than 8 hours, Turkish Airlines will serve Business Class passengers two meals. The main meal will consist of a sandwich or wrap, a cold salad, 2 cold appetisers, a dessert, chips, pide (soft Middle-Eastern bread) and water.
Prior to landing, passengers will be served a second box featuring a sandwich, a cold appetiser, a small salad, a dessert and water.
Economy Class
Similarly to Business Class, two meals will be served in Economy Class on flights over 8 hours. In the first meal service, Turkish Airlines will provide a box with a sandwich, a salad, a dessert, juice and water.
Prior to landing, Economy Class passengers will be served a snack bag featuring a sandwich, a pre-packaged cake or muffin, juice and water.
Medium-Haul Flights
Business Class
On international flights between 2-8 hours, business class passengers will be served a single snack box containing a sandwich, a cold appetiser, a small salad, a dessert and water. Crackers will also be served on flights over 5 hours long.
Economy Class
On flights between 2-8 hours, Economy Class passengers will be served at least one snack bag. On longer medium-haul flights, passengers will be served two snack bags. Both will contain a sandwich, a pre-packaged cake, juice and water.
All Routes Up to 2 Hours
Business and Economy Classes
On domestic and short-haul international routes, passengers in both classes will only receive a bottle of water. Tea or coffee will no longer be served on any route of any length.
Subsection Source: ISTFlyer (via FlyerTalk)
What are your thoughts on these changes? Do you know any other airlines changes in their on-board catering? Share with us in the comments section.