Eating on a Lufthansa plane in the 1930s
Much has changed since the main airlines will resume the flight just a few months ago after the worldwide stoppage that forced them to leave practically all of their fleet on land. And despite the fact that the figures continue to be poor (Aena airports registered almost 7 million passengers in July, 76.2% less than in 2019 ), the air landscape has changed a lot since the beginning of the pandemic until today, when the beverage cart was replaced with a water bottle placed on the seat next to a disinfectant wipe . And on other airlines not even that.
“Since the arrival of the Covid-19 we have been adapting our gastronomic offer on board”, they confirm from Air France, and continue: “on medium-range flights, the food and drink service , and in long-haul ones, a new more generous meal service with more options”.
Flag bearer of French gastronomy in the sky (in fact it is one of the few airlines to serve champagne in economy class and on long-haul flights), Air France has made it a priority to be able to introduce food and drink on their flights in a safe environment, which is why different benefits are already offered on its domestic and medium-haul flights, such as coffee, tea, chocolate, alcoholic beverages, tray of hot food and basket of bread and pastries (individually wrapped) for your business class passengers. And in tourist, the passenger also finds coffee, tea, and a more limited selection of alcoholic beverages in addition to sandwiches.
On long-haul flights, customers receive a welcome drink after takeoff and they have a offer of 4 hot dishes including dessert and cheese. And the French airline has said au revoir to its A380 , on their wide-body aircraft they have reinstalled the self-service bar (okay it's not as photogenic as the brand new Airbus) and the basket of "snacks" for day flights of more than 6h30. In economy and superior economy class, the airline has also returned to offer a second meal on board which, depending on the duration of the flight, varies between a bag of Bon Appetit breakfast with hot and cold drinks or a box of sweets, as well as a buffet with sandwiches and fresh products. From the airline they insist that during these exceptional times in which security is a maximum, “ all products are wrapped in foil and bread and pastries are individually wrapped”.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS WITH THE MASK IF I WANT TO EAT OR DRINK ON BOARD?
This week several European media echoed the case of a british tourist that he avoided wearing the mask during the 4-hour flight from the United Kingdom to Tenerife aboard a plane from EasyJet . The passenger, who recounted the experiment on his own Facebook, also stated that he is not about an anti person masks but was trying to show that by asking for food on board a passenger is able to avoid wearing the mask for as long as he wants , and that he only did it to "make people laugh in an experiment that went viral."
Michael Richards also confirmed that he only used the mask on boarding and disembarking and once to go to the toilet. . The controversy unleashed by this case joins the misgivings that already exist about the risk of contagion inside an airplane , where it is mandatory to wear the mask but it is possible to remove it to eat and drink (and if not, ask the Mr Richards).
From a medical point of view, the Washington Post has already dealt with the contagion on board an airplane and how it can occur in case of transporting a sick passenger . “Medical professionals are unanimous when it comes to recommend wearing a mask on a plane , something that is really incompatible if we eat and drink on board”. However, medical sources confirm to the same media “ the greatest risk does not come so much from the precise moment in which you take off the mask to eat , as of the shared surfaces ”. And he continues: “suppose you have an infected passenger in row 1 speaks loudly or coughs and spreads droplets of saliva in the beverage cart that is currently next to him serving a drink, because this cart would become a vector ”, explains Shmuel Shoham, associate professor of medicine at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine for the Post.
And despite the fact that the scientific community is still not very clear whether the Coronavirus is airborne or not , yes it is confirmed that an airplane is a safe environment because, even if there are particles in the air after a sneeze, HEPA filters remove 99.9% of suspended particles every 2 to 3 minutes.
1950s KLM ad
That particular risk led airlines to temporarily suspend on-board food and beverage service (they also succumbed to the opportunity to cut costs, but that's another story) since it was not the act of eating itself that posed the danger, but how it was dispersed . Since last September 1 also Virgin Atlantic It has also launched the improvement of its food and beverage service on board, "which does not mean, they confirm from the company, compromising the safety of passengers or cabin crew ”. Interaction is key at specific moments of the flight and the airline "will continue to ensure that contact is minimal", since from the preparation and packaging of the food, these will be in a safe controlled environment and monitored until the moment they are served.
The rest of the airlines follow the same dynamic when trying to restore gastronomic normality on board . In Business class on European flights KLM have resumed the checkout service designed by Marcel Wanders with breakfast, lunch or dinner, depending on the time of day and that can be accompanied by alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. In economy class and completely free of charge, customers they receive a box with a sandwich that they can accompany with a drink from the cart . Both the Dutch company and Air France are among the few European airlines that continue to offer free food and drinks in economy class on short-haul flights (most long-haul airlines, except for low-cost ones, offer them).
In Finnair , that It has already resumed its flights to Malaga and will soon reopen the routes between Helsinki and cities such as Madrid and Barcelona , it also seems that the new normal is here to stay when it comes to gastronomy. The airline confirms that "on long-haul flights, in business class, the first service is a simplified three-course meal on a single tray . For the second service, a hot breakfast or a lighter meal is served, depending on the route. The usual selection of drinks is still available and bar service is limited to business class only. In his economy class, also long-haul, a hot meal is served as the main course. On short-haul flights, passengers will find the usual three-course meal tray with bar service in business class. In tourist, and following the example of Air France or KLM, the airline also courtesy coffee, tea, juices and water, as well as cookies or sandwich.
With all these advances, and the understandable insecurity that they can produce in the passenger, IATA insists that the risk of contagion inside an airplane is lower than, for example, in a shopping center, since "the air in the cabin of a modern airplane changes more frequently than that of offices or stores." Y EASA For his part, he argues that it is normal to expect a reduced level of service , especially on short-haul flights, as what is sought is to limit movement in the cabin and prevent the possible transfer of the virus through contact with surfaces . The European Aviation Safety Agency recommends to airlines that the distribution of products be, whenever possible, in a packaged form (such as a bottle of water or a wrapped sandwich), and at no time prohibits eating or drinking on board because the air of the plane is considered a sure.