Airline Food and In-flight Catering Market Research

For many, the in-flight dining experience can shape their journey as much as the legroom or in-flight entertainment. Airline food and in-flight catering market research is no longer a mere whim; it has become a pivotal aspect of the aviation industry. As airlines focus on passenger loyalty in an increasingly competitive marketplace, the role of food is gaining paramount importance.

Why Conduct Airline Food and In-flight Catering Market Research?

The quality and diversity of in-flight meals can greatly influence a traveler’s overall flight experience. As such, airline food and in-flight catering market research becomes indispensable for airlines aiming to achieve excellence in customer service and operational efficiency. Here’s why:

• Enhanced Passenger Experience: A delightful culinary experience can elevate a passenger’s overall satisfaction, making them more likely to choose the same airline for future travels. Offering diverse and customizable menu options can cater to individual tastes, ensuring passengers feel valued.
• Brand Differentiation and Loyalty: Exceptional in-flight catering can be a unique selling proposition, setting an airline apart from its competitors. Regular travelers, especially business class and first-class passengers, may prefer an airline due to its superior meal offerings, thereby increasing brand loyalty.
• Understanding Global Trends and Diverse Tastes: With flights connecting different parts of the world, airlines cater to a multicultural passenger base with varied culinary preferences. Market research allows airlines to stay updated on global food trends and incorporate popular and contemporary dishes into their menus.
• Wastage reduction: By understanding passenger preferences, airlines can reduce food waste, leading to cost savings. Knowing which meals are in demand can help in efficient inventory management and ordering processes.
• Addressing Dietary Needs and Restrictions: Passengers have a variety of dietary restrictions, from allergies to religious or ethical considerations. Research helps airlines offer a wide range of meals catering to vegan, gluten-free, halal, kosher, and other specific dietary needs, ensuring inclusivity.
• Sustainability and Ethical Considerations: Growing awareness about environmental concerns means passengers may prefer airlines that adopt sustainable practices in sourcing and packaging. Airline food and in-flight catering market research can shed light on sustainable food sources, eco-friendly packaging options, and methods to reduce the carbon footprint.

Emerging Trends in Airline Food and In-flight Catering Market Research

Airlines are embracing emerging trends in market research to be better equipped, innovate, adapt, and deliver an unparalleled in-flight dining experience. It ensures passenger satisfaction in an ever-evolving industry.

• Data-Driven Personalization: The rise of big data and analytics allows airlines to gain precise insights into passenger preferences. By analyzing past meal selections, feedback, and even social media interactions, airlines can offer personalized meal recommendations for frequent flyers.
• Virtual Reality Taste Tests: Some market researchers are using virtual reality (VR) to simulate in-flight dining experiences. This allows airlines to test new menu items in a controlled environment that mimics real-world flying conditions, helping to refine the meal offerings before they’re introduced onboard.
• Ethical and Sustainable Sourcing Research: As consumers become more environmentally conscious, research into sustainable sourcing has become pivotal. Studies are being conducted to evaluate the feasibility of farm-to-flight models, where ingredients are locally sourced, ensuring freshness and reducing the carbon footprint.
• Feedback Through Mobile Apps and Wearables: Real-time feedback is becoming crucial. Airlines are integrating feedback options into their in-flight entertainment systems and mobile apps. Some are even exploring the use of wearable devices to gauge physiological reactions to meals, offering a new dimension to feedback.
• Collaborative Crowd-sourced Menus: Some airlines are moving towards a more collaborative approach by allowing passengers to vote on or suggest new dishes through digital platforms, ensuring the menu remains fresh and in line with popular demand.
• Impact of Climate Change on Supply Chains: Climate change affects agriculture and food sourcing. Airline food and in-flight catering market research is being intensified to predict how these changes might impact the availability and cost of certain ingredients, helping airlines to future-proof their menus.
• Holistic Experience Design Research: Beyond just the food, research focuses on the entire in-flight dining experience, including lighting, sound, and seat ergonomics, all of which can influence a passenger’s perception of their meal.

Real-life Examples of Airline food and in-flight Catering Market Research from Leading Airlines

• Singapore Airlines: Singapore Airlines’ “International Culinary Panel” includes a team of celebrated chefs from around the world. They work in tandem with the airline to develop a diverse and delicious menu for passengers across all classes. This unique offering allows premium passengers to pre-order a specific gourmet main course before their flight, ensuring a personalized dining experience.
• Qsuite Dining Experience: For their business class offering named Qsuite, Qatar Airways offers an on-demand dining service where passengers can order food and beverages whenever they wish during the flight.
• Turkish Airlines: In their business class, Turkish Airlines employs ‘Flying Chefs’ who prepare and present gourmet dishes, offering passengers a restaurant-quality dining experience.

The Future of Airline Food and In-flight Catering Market Research

The future of airline food and in-flight catering market research is affected by technological advancements, evolving consumer preferences, and global challenges. Here’s a glimpse into what the horizon might hold:

• Advanced Predictive Analytics: As technology continues to advance, airlines will increasingly rely on sophisticated algorithms and AI-driven tools to predict food preferences and trends. This will enable them to adjust their menus promptly and reduce food wastage.
• Lab-grown and Alternative Foods: With sustainability at the forefront, research will delve into the feasibility of introducing lab-grown meats or plant-based alternatives onboard. These options are not only eco-friendly but can also cater to a diverse set of dietary needs.
• Personalized Nutrition: The age of one-size-fits-all meals is coming to an end. Advances in biotechnology might soon allow airlines to offer meals tailored to individual passengers’ nutritional needs based on their health data or DNA profiles.
• Virtual and Augmented Reality Testing: Airline food and in-flight catering market research may move beyond traditional taste tests. Virtual and augmented reality tools can simulate various flight conditions, allowing researchers to gauge how factors like altitude or cabin pressure affect taste perception.
• Sustainability-Driven Research: With growing concerns about climate change, research will prioritize sourcing methods that have a minimal environmental footprint. This includes studying circular economy practices, zero-waste initiatives, and alternative food preservation techniques.
• Integration of Global Gastronomy Trends: As the world becomes more connected, passengers will seek global gastronomic experiences even in the skies. Airline food and in-flight catering market research will continually monitor global food trends, ensuring that airlines stay ahead of the curve.
• Heightened Focus on Mental Wellbeing: Recognizing that food can impact mood and overall well-being, especially during long-haul flights, airlines might study the effects of specific foods on passengers’ mental health.
• Health and Hygiene Protocols: In a post-pandemic world, health and safety are paramount. Airline food and in-flight catering market research will delve deeper into food safety protocols, ensuring meals are not just tasty but also free from contaminants and pathogens.
• Collaborative Innovation: Airlines might increasingly collaborate with startups, food tech companies, and universities to drive innovation in in-flight catering. This open approach to innovation can yield novel solutions and dishes that captivate passengers.

About SIS International

SIS International offers Quantitative, Qualitative, and Strategy Research. We provide data, tools, strategies, reports and insights for decision-making. We conduct interviews, surveys, focus groups and many other Market Research methods and approaches. Contact us for your next Market Research project.