Frying High: Airlines Bring Fast Food on Board
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APEX Insight: Airlines are forming branded partnerships with fast food chains to offer economy passengers a special treat. Japan Airlines is the leader in this regard, but the trend has found its way on board several carriers over the years.
Commercial aviation and the fast food industry are cousins: They each grew up in the 20th century out of consumer desire for convenience and efficiency, and today both industries are striving to provide the perfect intersection of value and customer satisfaction. In an effort to zero in on that value proposition, airlines are bringing fast food on board to treat passengers in economy class who aren’t privy to the elaborate celebrity chef-designed meals offered in premium cabins.
The leader in fast food partnerships today is Japan Airlines. Through its “AIR Series” program, JAL has offered everything from KFC’s fried chicken to Yoshinoya-branded beef bowls. The airline has also collaborated with MOS Burger, Japan’s answer to McDonald’s. The “AIR MOS” burger (as it’s called on JAL) is now in its sixth iteration. The popular partnership started with MOS Burger’s signature teriyaki burger, and the airline’s latest offering is the “AIR MOS Salad Burger,” which debuted in June on select flights where it’s served as a second meal in premium economy and economy cabins.
Mid-flight burgers aren’t just limited to the Land of the Rising Sun. Iceland’s much-loved Hamborgarafabrikkan (The Hamburger Factory) made its way onto Icelandair flights back in 2012, and the mini burgers have been a hit amongst passengers ever since. In the US, regional carrier Sun Country introduced picnic-style hot dogs on board this summer and while they’re not tied to a specific branding effort, they certainly qualify as fast food.
In-flight fast food may seem like a recent trend, but airlines have been trying to bring fast food partnerships on board for decades. In an LA Times article from 1992, United Airlines is touted for its exclusive partnership with McDonald’s, which allowed the airline to serve the fast food giant’s hamburgers and Happy Meals in flight. According to Kurt Lackner, worldwide director of Food and Beverages for United at the time, “If it were up to us, we’d like to expand the McDonald’s program to all airports in North America quickly.” Nearly 25 years later and that partnership is now defunct. For those nostalgic for the era of in-flight Golden Arches, there’s a McDonald’s location inside a vintage Douglas DC-3 in Taupo, New Zealand.