The future of the airline industry may be in trouble given the pandemic’s impact on global aviation, but that isn't stopping hungry jet setters from demanding more from their in-flight eating and drinking experiences.

To get people back on board, many innovative airlines have adopted the ‘go big or go home’ approach as a way to revamp aeroplane meals.

Going all out, first-class menus with bottomless caviar and premium ‘sonic seasoning’ tastings are now up for grabs for business travellers, who make up 12% of all airline passengers. As these flyers pay higher rates than other customers when travelling, they can account for up to 75% of overall profits.

As attitudes and mindsets around luxury travel shift and as airlines attempt to woo big spenders with the thrill of OTT sky-high cuisine, eating a rack of lamb or a sumptuous plate of polenta 35,000 feet in the air may become the new norm.

3 key insights:
- In 2020, the number of people not flying anywhere caused the airline industry to suffer a loss of $35 billion
- In the US, the airline catering service industry has a market size of $3 billion, with over 3,350 businesses
- With floor-to-ceiling suites and an emphasis on catering to the luxury traveller, Emirates’ first-class offering scores a 92% satisfaction rating

Extended reading:
🍳 Test kitchens of the world’s most experimental airlines are turbo-charging the elevation of in-flight aeroplane dining
🍽️ As the airline industry fights to attract market share by whetting people's appetites, exploring the science behind in-flight food may be one way to level up over the competition
🥗Aeroplane food gets a bad rap, there's no doubt about it. But why does food taste different on an aeroplane to begin with?

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