Sea to Sky: Airlines Serve Ocean Fare in the Air
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APEX Insight: Airlines are creating innovative opportunities to showcase seafood on their in-flight menus. From personal tins of Calvisius caviar in international first class on Singapore, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific to lobster macaroni and cheese on United’s new Polaris business-class product, there now seem to be as many ocean-faring onboard dining options as there are fish in the sea.
Airlines are creating innovative opportunities to showcase the fruits of the sea on their in-flight menus. Nearly every current airline food trend – local, sustainable, beloved brand tie-ins – can be interpreted through the lens of seafood, and carriers are altering their menus accordingly to bring a refreshing change to the standard question of “chicken or steak?” Whether it’s personal tins of Calvisius caviar in international first class on Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa and Cathay Pacific or lobster macaroni and cheese on United’s new Polaris business-class product, there now seem to be as many ocean-faring onboard dining options as there are fish in the sea.
Delta is bringing the Seattle tourist experience on board by including local foodie favorites on some flights out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, as of last month. Chief among the local suppliers is Pike Place Fish Market, which will be contributing wild Alaskan coho salmon for a lavender fettuccine dish and candied salmon for a garden vegetable salad. Pike Place Chowder also gets in on the action with its award-winning clam chowder, which is being served as a starter on Delta’s new seasonal menus on flights out of Sea-Tac Airport.
Sustainability has long been a major watchword amongst terrestrial restaurants, and airline catering departments are beginning to join the locavore movement, too. Dutch airline KLM has begun serving fish, certified as sustainable by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC), in 2008 and other airlines have now followed suit. In 2013, Surinam Airways became the first carrier in the Americas to serve MSC-certified seafood on its flights, while Virgin Atlantic has partnered with the Sustainable Restaurant Association and made a pledge that “All wild capture seafood must be Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certified (or equivalent). Farmed fish should be Aquaculture Stewardship Council (ASC) certified.” Aquatic life has made its way onto flights all over the world – and that won’t be changing any time soon.