Cathay to Offer Authentic Chinese Cuisine, Increase Food Standards

Cathay Pacific will add more local tastes to their in-flight menu while adding a higher standard of quality.

Hong Kong-based carrier Cathay Pacific will soon offer more local cuisine for flyers aboard their aircraft while insisting higher quality standards be met for food and other consumables onboard. The South China Morning Post reports the carrier will begin featuring more Chinese recipes as the airline marks their 70th anniversary.

Although the carrier has previously featured local delicacies to celebrate seasonal events, this launch marks an overhaul for the in-flight catering program. Instead of working with high-end brands like Mandarin Oriental and Ritz-Carlton, the airline says they will work closer with local restaurants to deliver a more authentic Chinese dining experience.

“We used to roll out roast-goose offerings in cooperation with Yung Kee,” Aaron Claxton, head of catering at Cathay Pacific, told the South China Morning Post. “In the coming year, we aim to elevate the unique Hong Kong dining experience in our in-flight catering.”

In line with the shift, the airline’s catering division is expected to increase their overall production by 40 percent in 2016. With the opening of new food processing facilities, the carrier is planning to exceed their reported average of over 81,000 meals created daily for 43 different airlines.

Food quality and hygiene will also be in focus for Cathay Pacific in 2016. Claxton told the South China Morning Post that the airline will perform regular audits of suppliers to make sure ingredients are of the highest quality. The airline also plans to offer more bottled water to Cathay Pacific flyers, after 14 aircraft tested positive for contaminated water on board.

The new dining program is part of an overall change for the Chinese carrier. In November 2015, Cathay Pacific debuted a new aircraft livery, with a complete switch projected for completion in the next five years.

[Photo: Cathay Pacific]