Flying Chef Experience: Culinary Delights on Austrian Airlines

In all of its cabin classes, Austrian Airlines last month introduced new, enlarged gastronomic selections. This expansion includes new food options for travellers travelling in premium economy and economy classes as well as the “Tastefully Austrian” dining concept for business class passengers on the airlines.

The airline makes a point of emphasising how much more freedom business class guests have to customise their onboard meals with the new dining programme. On their long-haul journey, travellers can anticipate receiving a welcome drink, a bar snack and a bowl of soup.

During their trip, passengers will have access to an enlarged menu of worldwide main dishes as well as an Austrian speciality dish, all of which can be tailored to their preferences.

An Austrian Airlines “Flying Chef,” a concept that was first launched in April, in conjunction with the airline’s unveiling of its bigger new brand orientation, organises and presents the food service. Additionally, passengers have the choice of a variety of dishes that can be provided at the time of their choosing, giving them even more flexibility.

Additionally, business class travellers have access to a coffee and dessert service modelled after a Vienna cafe. Travellers who choose this option can look forward to receiving a variety of coffees that will be prepared in front of them and provided with dessert.

After the coffee shop-style service, a cheese cart with alternatives for digestion will be available in the cabin for customers to choose from. Michael Trestl, the chief operating officer of Austrian Airlines, stated that the new food service offering’s main goal is to give customers a more customised and authentically Austrian experience. Trestl claims that Austrian’s new eating options are intended to personify the business’s new brand orientation by exuding friendliness and the “Austrian sense of home.”

“We aim to provide our guests with a flying piece of Austria – a culinary experience the Austrian way,” Trestl said. “Our goal is to highlight Austrian hospitality and cuisine and offer our guests an individual experience.”

A to-go food box for business class passengers on flights under 50 minutes, as well as cold dishes like muesli, hand-cut gammon or poke bowls with smoked salmon on flights between 50 and 80 minutes, are still available to passengers on short- and medium-haul flights. Along with them, dessert alternatives like panna cotta, apple strudel, or sachertorte are offered.

Additionally, this month saw an expansion of the food service options available in the premium economy and economy class cabins of Austrian Airlines. These consist of fresh dish selections and recipes that are available on three-course and four-course menus, both of which have two main meal alternatives. Premium economy and economy class passengers will also receive another small dish or breakfast in addition to these menu options.

The launch of Austrian’s new menu items coincides with Vienna Airport, the airline’s hub and headquarters, approaching pre-pandemic travel levels by 10%. The airport’s travel volume surpassed that of 2019 this year, increasing both demand and competition on the routes that Austrian handles.

Low-cost airlines like Wizz Air and Ryanair, both of which have Vienna as a key city, are the main direct competitors’ Austrian faces on routes from Vienna. Austrian, a Lufthansa Group affiliate, clearly tries to distinguish itself as a full-service carrier and to justify the fees that go along with that status by demonstrating the benefits it offers to passengers through facilities like its food service.