Award-winning airline upgrades ‘best in class’ dining with localised Chinese menus, bigger portions and fresh, healthy seasonal ingredients
CHINA – Media OutReach – 17 December 2019 – Qatar Airways has elevated the Economy Class experience with the launch of its new ‘Quisine’ dining service aboard flights to and from China.
The national carrier of the State of Qatar has recognised the emerging trend of its travellers being more aware of their dietary needs and expressing interests in healthier food options. Qatar Airways supports its customers’ desires and will now feature fresh, healthy seasonal ingredients and localised menus.
‘Quisine’ is now presented on flights from all seven China destinations including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Chongqing and Hong Kong to its Middle East hub in Doha.
The new dining experience increases portion sizes by 20 per cent for appetisers, 25 per cent for main courses and a generous 50 per cent for desserts.
In addition to the finest international selections, the localised menus also introduce signature Chinese main course dishes such as Wuxi chicken with egg fried rice, Wok-fired noodles with sweet and sour tofu, Stir fried herfan noodles with beef, and Fried chicken with ginger garlic sauce. Chengdu and Chongqing flights additionally include traditional Szechuan specialties like mapo tofu.
Meals also feature individually-wrapped artisanal warm infused bread and individual bottles of water.
A wider selection of mid-flight movie snacks includes a tantalising array of artisanal cheese and crackers, chocolate bars, potato crisps and gourmet popcorn.
Premium items usually served only in Business and First Class are also extended to the ‘Quisine’ economy class service — such as Godiva chocolate, sparkling wine and myriad cocktail choices.
During boarding, passengers are issued redesigned menu cards detailing mealtimes on long-haul and ultra-long-haul flights. Pre-dinner drinks, sparkling wine and cocktail snacks are also served before main meals.
Meals for children feature a menu of favourites chosen from a study group of kids from 15 nationalities — including healthy juices, snacks and fruits packaged in a fun box, complete with a surprise toy to delight young flyers.
As part of Qatar Airways’ commitment to the environment, the presentation of ‘Quisine’ also focuses on reducing single-use plastics, with an 80 per cent increase in recyclable and biodegradable products.
“Qatar Airways is thrilled to introduce a whole new on-board dining experience that will push the boundaries of economy travel for our esteemed passengers. Every new concept was designed and produced with the highest attention to taste, seasonality, detail and quality, to meet the exacting standards of our passengers,” said Qatar Airways’ North Asia Vice President Joshua Law.
“Qatar Airways is collaborating closely with local farms and suppliers to produce products for our specific needs, promoting a ‘farm-to-table’ approach. Our in-flight dining menus are designed to align with the four seasons, better incorporating the use of locally-grown produce and tapping into authentic foods of local provenance delivering the very highest international standards. This in addition to the pre-dinner drinks and our larger portion sizes ensure we continue providing passengers a premium dining experience in Economy Class,” added Mr. Law.
‘Quisine’ has been rolled-out globally in phases across the Qatar Airways network of more than 160 destinations worldwide over the past two months.
Qatar Airways was recently named ‘Airline of the Year’ for the fifth time by the 2019 World Airline Awards, managed by international air transport rating organisation Skytrax. It was also named ‘World’s Best Business Class’, ‘Best Business Class Seat’, and ‘Best Airline in the Middle East’.
The national carrier for the State of Qatar currently operates a modern fleet of more than 250 aircraft via its hub, Hamad International Airport (HIA) to more than 160 destinations worldwide. The airline has launched a host of exciting new destinations in 2019, including Lisbon, Portugal; Malta; Rabat, Morocco; Davao, Philippines; Izmir, Turkey; Mogadishu, Somalia and Langkawi, Malaysia. Gaborone, Botswana will be added in 2019 and Luanda, Angola; and Osaka, Japan will be added to the airline’s growing network in 2020.
