How airlines are receiving innovative with plane food: From selling business class dishes in supermarkets to flight-themed cafes

Finnish airline Finnair has joined Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways in a select group of airlines to bring its plane food to customers on the floor.

The Northern European country's national carrier is to start out selling business class airplane food in supermarkets in a proceed to keep its catering staff employed and to give a taste of the airline experience to those missing flying in the Covid-19 times.

The state-controlled airline said that in a pilot scheme the handmade meals, called Taste of Finnair, would at first be offered at one store as of Thursday, October 15.

The ready-made dishes include options like reindeer meatballs, Arctic char and Japanese-style teriyaki beef and are fitted to Nordic and Asian palates and would cost about 10 euros ($12) to 13 euros, Finnair Kitchen said. Finnair is among the key airlines flying between Europe and Asia, and many Asian chefs and cooks just work at its catering unit.

The move comes as airlines around the world try to employ their idled resources during the pandemic and utilize people’s desire to fly when most planes are grounded. Some are providing simulated flights, fake trips where in fact the aircraft takes off and lands in the same location, and even just time to sit in the plane.

I think everyone has a bit of wanderlust nowadays and we can now satisfy that desire a bit

Kimmo Sivonen, K-Citymarket Tammisto supermarket manager

Kimmo Sivonen, store manager at the K-Citymarket Tammisto that may sell the Finnair meals, told the newspaper Ilta-Sanomat that the dishes have already been modified to have less salt and spices than those offered in the air.

“I believe everyone has somewhat of wanderlust nowadays and we are able to now satisfy that desire a bit,” K-Citymarket’s Sivonen said.

Finnair Kitchen Vice President Marika Nieminen said that the airline’s catering unit has been looking to expand outside traditional flight meal services because the spring when the pandemic forced virtually all global airlines to prevent the majority of their flights. Finnair temporarily laid off a sizable part of its practically 7,000 workforces and its own flight traffic was down 91% in September from the prior year.

“So a lot of Kitchen’s employees are temporarily let go and we can now create new work and employment for our people,” Nieminen said.

Finnair isn't the only airline to get innovative using its culinary offerings, while much of its fleet is grounded. Last month, Singapore Airlines announced plans to temporarily turn among its superjumbos right into a restaurant for just two days. On October 24 and 25, an Airbus A380 at Changi Airport will become a "memorable dining experience" for customers.

It said diners should be able to choose their cabin class before savoring "signature international dishes" or the "best dishes from our Peranakan menu, created by acclaimed Singaporean chef Shermay Lee".

All seats which were initially made available up to speed Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380 double-decker superjumbo pop-up restaurants were reserved within 30 minutes of bookings opening on Monday, October 12, the carrier said in a statement.

Earlier this month, Thai Airways announced plans to sell time on its flight simulators to wannabe pilots while its catering division is serving meals in a flight-themed restaurant filled with airline seats and attentive cabin crew.

The airline is wanting to boost staff morale, polish its image and bring in a few coins, even while it juggles getting ready to resume international flights while devising a business reorganization plan.

If you’re nuts about aeronautics, it doesn’t get much better than this: a hands-on half-hour at the controls of an Airbus A380 simulator, yours for 20,000 baht ($640).

Because the pandemic has clipped airlines’ wings, Thai Airways devised the packages to keep its aircrew motivated. It includes a four-day “pilot experience” package, which the simulator is a component or access can also be bought to the simulator alone.

The Royal Orchid Dining Experience opened in September, transforming that which was the old staff canteen. Managers say 800 persons dine there a day.

For individuals who pine to dine above the clouds, it has everything: cabin crew bringing cold drinks on Thai Airways trays and superior airline food served on Thai Airways tableware to be eaten with Thai Airways cutlery in seating familiar to every aircraft passenger.

There are three classes of food and service: First, Business and walk-in, priced accordingly.