With the hefty prices of gasoline and less people traveling as a result, certain airlines are doing what they can to attract customers. Yes, when the price of a ticket to Shanghai, from the U.S., is anywhere from $10,000-$16,000 for first class, you should probably offer something more than just a mundane glass of wine, with some chicken and rice to your customers. Some airlines are getting quite crafty when it comes to offering more these days- in fact they are going “gourmet” on us. United Airlines has hired award-winning chef Charlie Trotter to whip up some interesting and appetizing new entrees for it’s first class customers and the Gorilla thinks, as ridiculous as it sounds to some, you may like what you hear!
The airline will offer to its first class customers things like an appetizer of sauteed prawns and crispy short rib wontons with organic Thai barbecue sauce and chilled sweet-and-sour cucumber relish. Or how about some delectable rosemary
Delta Airlines won’t be left out of the action and they have hired hot Miami chef, Michelle Bernstein, who came up with entrees such as roasted chicken breast with goat cheese and pepper pesto crust, served with polenta and ratatouille. Yummy! The airline even boasts its own sommelier, who picks out the wines for its passengers and includes a drink menu created by Randy Gerber, which includes fancy mixed drinks, including things like a fresh Mint Mojito.
“Shaking the cocktails in the aisle, it’s a very exciting and cool part of the atmosphere of the aircraft,” says Jake Frank, Delta’s Director of Product Development and Delivery. If that doesn’t sound alluring enough to you, consider this; you get nothing in coach and it’s a long trip my friend! With the soaring prices of gas and the ever present threat of terrorist attacks since 911, complimentary meals in coach have become an endangered species on flights. (Continental Airlines is the only major airline that still serves a meal to its coach passengers.)
So you may be feeling left out if you are a frequent coach traveler, since most of the gourmet meals are available to first class passengers only, but don’t feel badly just yet. Celebrity chef Todd English has been enlisted by Delta Airlines to create a fee-based coach meal for its passengers. The meal will include a chicken bistro salad with goat cheese crostini and organic spinach for $8 — available on certain flights longer than 2 ½ hours.
The Gorilla thinks, it’s actually a great idea to offer these kinds of meals especially given the fact that if you are going to fly anyway, you may as well enjoy the option of having a good meal while you are up in the air. But don’t have your expectations for quality set too high in the sky, because gourmet foods don’t exactly have the same great qualities at 30,000 feet as they do when served from the ground. They sometimes can taste bland or very dry from the altitude and air pressure. Still many customers who have already experienced the “gourmet touch” absolutely rave about the meals. Maybe one day the Gorilla will get to try one or two of them- who knows! In the meantime, happy flying!