The majority of passengers are seated in Economy, so shouldn’t more be done to curate a selection of food and beverage products that really makes them feel valued and cared for?
Premium passengers receive carefully curated offers that are clearly designed to impress and satisfy. They have an elevated level of perceived value and create truly memorable travel experiences, which in turn assist ticket sales. In contrast, the offer to Economy cabin passengers can sometimes seem rather an afterthought.
A client recently asked me to look at a hot handheld product that was already flying in Economy. It was labelled as a meat pie. Yet when I looked more closely, I was surprised to read that the product’s primary ingredient was water (at more than 40%). In food manufacturing, the only ingredient cheaper than water is air!
Choose better
The cost difference between something with a list of processed ingredients and a more wholesome product – with ingredients that enhance wellbeing and offer nutritional value – can be as little as 20% of raw material costs. Other production costs, including packaging, remain constant, but if a product disappoints, there can be a disproportionate cost on the other side of the offer. Remember there is the offload and waste disposal cost if a product is not fully consumed and that cost can be higher than the ‘savings’ on the ingredients.
In an industry focused on sustainability, serving sub-standard products makes no sense. These products increase waste offload and decrease customer satisfaction. The very opposite of most airlines’ stated objectives.
Avoid false economies
Perceived savings at the product selection stage have the potential to increase costs in other budget areas. And these can ultimately outweigh the initial savings significantly.
All businesses should aim to perform at optimum efficiency. Choosing the right product can lift the passenger experience, reduce waste, help retain loyalty and secure good PR. Investing in quality can bring a quadruple-win. And improving efficiency in business-operations naturally leads us to a more sustainable outcome. A more efficient and sustainable inflight food offering means investing in quality.
Economy passengers deserve better than some of the dishes that are occasionally served, and in doing better airlines will benefit in multiple areas.
