In my view, air travel in economy class is burdensome and uncomfortable because of poor air circulation, cramped seating space and terrible food. I have sought a simple model of economics to explain this fact and sometimes conclude that space and air circulation are real problems but that food is a less genuine challenge but driven by the need to save funds since most travelers will not eat much anyway. I have had in mind that it is possible to vastly improve the quality of airline food but that it is not feasible immediately because of the conditions of its preparation, packaging and storage. As a result, I have often confirmed to myself that the incentive to create better food would not yield much advantage due to the thin margins that exist for this industry.
Reading this article in the NYT, I have confirmed a few of my hunches and also been vastly educated on some very brave assumptions that I made earlier. For instance, it appears that food changes taste dramatically with elevation and this may part of the problem in perceiving food quality in the air as less sumptuous. The taste buds and the nose, which are important for detection of flavor are changed substantially when a plane cruises miles high. And so this shows that it is not for want of effort but that one should not anticipate that dining in a plane will be as pleasurable as it is in one's kitchen or favorite restaurants.
That notwithstanding, selected airlines are attempting to improve the experience of business class passengers by consulting highly-regarded chefs to design menus for their airlines. The business case for this attempt is clear as there is a quest to improve the experience of the higher paying fliers. and so one sees competition among airlines in Europe and the United States in securing the services of top chefs to improve the food and beverage service. It is noteworthy that the economy class and domestic fliers are not going to partake of the same pleasures. The signal to the latter is clearly that an upgrade gets you eat from a menu designed by Gordon Ramsay. Payment for the activation of a discerning palate is available on the ground and coming to the air too.
I do not begrudge business class travellers at all. If only similar dedication was placed on solving the other problems of the freshness of cabin air andthe more leg room.
Reading this article in the NYT, I have confirmed a few of my hunches and also been vastly educated on some very brave assumptions that I made earlier. For instance, it appears that food changes taste dramatically with elevation and this may part of the problem in perceiving food quality in the air as less sumptuous. The taste buds and the nose, which are important for detection of flavor are changed substantially when a plane cruises miles high. And so this shows that it is not for want of effort but that one should not anticipate that dining in a plane will be as pleasurable as it is in one's kitchen or favorite restaurants.
That notwithstanding, selected airlines are attempting to improve the experience of business class passengers by consulting highly-regarded chefs to design menus for their airlines. The business case for this attempt is clear as there is a quest to improve the experience of the higher paying fliers. and so one sees competition among airlines in Europe and the United States in securing the services of top chefs to improve the food and beverage service. It is noteworthy that the economy class and domestic fliers are not going to partake of the same pleasures. The signal to the latter is clearly that an upgrade gets you eat from a menu designed by Gordon Ramsay. Payment for the activation of a discerning palate is available on the ground and coming to the air too.
I do not begrudge business class travellers at all. If only similar dedication was placed on solving the other problems of the freshness of cabin air and
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