First and business class passengers of Cathay Pacific and Dragonair will be pleased to know that the airlines have partnered with Italian coffee roasting company, illy to deliver fresh brew to their premium customers.
“We are delighted to work with illy, which, like Cathay Pacific, is a premium brand that believes in delighting customers by providing the best-possible products,” said the Cathay's general manager Inflight Services Dominic Perret. “We believe that serving a superb cup of quality illy coffee will help to enrich the overall travel experience for our premium customers.”
Regular brewed coffee is already being served on flights, while illy’s espresso, café latte and cappuccino will gradually be introduced onboard from March 2015.
Cathay Pacific and Dragonair’s catering teams have worked closely with the Italian company to ensure that the authentic illy taste – strong and rich, yet smooth and balanced – can be replicated at altitude.
Numerous tests were conducted to ensure that a rewarding experience could be enjoyed by passengers, despite the sense of smell and taste being reduced by travelling in the air. Medium- and dark-roasted beans from illy have been carefully selected, so as to allow for the full release of the coffee’s aroma and taste.
Finally, both carriers have also collaborated with illy to develop unique coffee filter “pillows” specifically for inflight use. The size and material of the filter bags was carefully assessed to ensure that they worked well with the coffee machines in the aircraft and allow for optimal water penetration during the brewing process.
For more information, visit cathaypacific.com
Clement Huang
