Making the Case for a Short-Haul Catering Overhaul

Across Europe, short-haul airline catering has largely converged on a single model. Business class passengers are served a tray containing a main plate – chilled or oven-heated depending on sector length and aircraft capability – alongside a dessert and a bread roll with butter. On slightly longer routes, there may be a starter or side salad.

This is, of course, all very safe and similar. Passengers expect something that will, if not fill them up, at least tide them over, but rarely does it feel like an actual meal. In most cases, it might really be better termed a snack instead, even considering some cultural predilections for lunch to be less of an extensive restaurant affair.

That tension raises a broader question for European airlines. As passenger eating habits change, food cultures diversify, waste reduction becomes more urgent, and airlines look for new ways to differe