Lufthansa has revealed which companies it will partner with as it looks to roll out buy onboard catering across its short-haul network. The airline is partnering with the German restaurant dean&david, in addition to Dallmayr. The new food offerings will launch at the start of the Summer 2021 timetable.
Many airlines have temporarily changed their food service to deal with the impact of the pandemic. For some, this saw an improvement to the offerings. Many made use of the opportunity to make significant changes to their offerings. While British Airways has brought back free water and snacks for all, Lufthansa is downgrading its offering long-term.
Lufthansa’s new catering concept
Last year Lufthansa removed onboard catering from short-haul flights, substituting them with a bottle of water. We then learned that the offering wouldn’t be returning after the pandemic. Instead, the airline revealed that it would be moving to buy onboard catering, which most of its significant competitors offer.
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Today the airline revealed that it would be partnering with two companies to provide onboard food and drink for short-and-medium-haul flights from late March. For food, Lufthansa is partnering with German restaurant chain dean&david. Gate Gourmet, per dean&david’s recipes, will prepare the food.
Lufthansa has billed the offering as ‘healthy food, high-quality ingredients, and sustainable nutrition,’ with environmentally friendly packaging. Some menu items touted include
- Salmon avocado bowl
- Falafel tahini salad
- Crunchy chicken bowl
- Sweet chili chicken sandwich
The offerings will cost between €2-12 ($2.43-$14.57), with the airline revealing that the menu will be updated every three months. There will be some snacks from other manufacturers also on offer, such as vegetable crisps.
What about Dallmayr?
Lufthansa is also expanding its partnership with Munich-based Dallmayr. The company will provide hot beverages, confectionery, and patisserie specialties for the German flag carrier. The hot drinks will include organic teas, Ethiopian coffee, and chocolate milk. Chocolates will come from Dallmayr directly, while cakes will be produced by Gate Gourmet.
Of course, typical alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages remain on offer. The airline states a bottle of juice will set passengers back €3 ($3.64). All passengers will receive a free bottle of water and a ‘chocolate surprise’ regardless of their onboard purchases.
Moving to buy onboard is typically seen as a negative for an airline. However, all in all, this will likely positively benefit passengers. They will see increased choice beyond half a cheese sandwich. Personally, I’d rather pay for something with a bit more quality and diversity.
Commenting on the changes, Christina Foerster, Executive Board Lufthansa Group Customer, IT & Corporate Responsibility, said,
“Our partners dean&david and Dallmayr represent outstanding quality and responsible action. In addition to the satisfaction of our guests, the topic of responsibility for the environment is also very important to us. We use almost exclusively sustainable materials for our packaging.”
What do you make of Lufthansa’s new catering offer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
