Taiwanese start-up carrier Starlux Airlines, which plans to launch its inaugural flights next month, has unveiled the in-flight meals and amenities it will offer to its passengers.
In-flight meals
Business class
The airline has partnered with Longtail, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Taipei that features contemporary cuisine to provide in-flight meals for business class passengers.
The menu will include sourdough rye bread with Vietnamese style “banh mi” paté, fish floss and house pickles. Hong Kong style barbecued pork and mixian (a type of rice noodle) with Taiwanese black pork with lemongrass and nuoc mam (fish sauce) will also be offered on select routes.
An apéritif will be served as well. The “Mekong Mule” apéritif is made of gin and lemongrass. The airline said it is created exclusively for Starlux Airlines by Longtail’s chef Lam Ming Kin. A non-alcoholic version made of soda water will also be available.
The dessert will be kaya panna cotta with soy caramel and jelly made of fresh pandan leaves.
“I like to present the flavour of dishes in a simple way, and ‘fun’ is an important element. We’ll change our menu every season to reflect different styles. I’ve also created a special apéritif for the in-flight meals. I hope that passengers traveling in business class with Starlux Airlines will be able to feel the personal touch,” said Lam.
In addition to dishes by Longtail, business class passengers will also be able to try dishes prepared by local airline meal provider Transasia Catering Services, including Grilled U.S. Short Rib Steak, English Yorkshire Pudding, as well as Taitung Corn-Fed Chicken with Rice, Braised Shallot Sauce and Kumquat Coulis.
Economy class
The airline has also worked with local restaurant Hutong to offer in-flight meals for economy class passengers.
Main dishes will include Barbeque Beef Belly Donburi (Japanese style rice bowl dish), Barbeque Pork belly Donburi, Barbeque Chicken with Japanese Fried Noodles, as well as Magao (also known as “maqaw“, a type of mountain pepper native to Taiwan) Salted Pork Belly Donburi that the airline said will be exclusively available on their flights. The meals will feature a signature sauce created by the restaurant, and potato soup will be served as well.
Transasia Catering Services will also prepare in-flight meals for economy class passengers. Their dishes will include Bacon Mushroom Quiche, Roasted Honey Chicken with Penne in Garlic Oil (see picture above), Irish Beef Stew with Mashed Potatoes, and Taiwanese Assorted Braised Snacks.
What’s more, the airline also announced that it will partner with Tainan-based ice cream store Ninao Gelato to offer a type of new flavoured ice cream – tieguanyin (a type of oolong tea) and cacao slices – exclusively created for the airline that will be made available on both business and economy class cabins from Q2 2020.
“Starlux Airlines will bring local Taiwanese delicacies to the sky,” said Chang Kuo-wei, CEO of Starlux Airlines.
“From Longtail’s business class meals to Hutong’s economy class meals, what we want to do is to bring the in-flight dining experience closer to that of dining in a restaurant while taking our passengers’ preferences for meals and drinks into consideration. What’s more, passengers can already select their meals when they book their flights.”
In-flight services and amenities
Business class
Upon boarding, business class passengers will be greeted with a hot towel and a mixed juice with guava and pineapple as a welcome drink.
Alcoholic drinks will include a selection of red and white wines, Champagne Bollinger that is known for being featured in the 007 movies, and the gin-based “Starlux” cocktail.
Business class passengers can also ask for non-alcoholic beverages such as VDS carrot and fruit juice, as well as red bean essence from local brand Wunjo Food, which the airline said can help reduce leg and foot swelling during air travel.
For hot drinks, business class passengers will be able to choose from four flavours of tea (English breakfast, earl grey, peppermint and golden camomile) from UK brand Whittard of Chelsea, as well as Illy coffee. The airline added that espresso, latte, cappuccino and Baileys latte will also be available in the future.
Dark chocolate bars from Italian brand Amedei will be served along with the hot drinks. The airline will also offer other snacks such as rice crackers and salted nuts including almonds, walnuts, cashew nuts and dried cranberries.
Other amenities available in business class will include a set of toiletries from Thai brand Thann including hand lotion, eau de toilette and a facial mist, noise-cancelling headphones (the right one in the picture above), eye masks, as well as blankets designed by Designworks of BMW Group, which also designed the cabin interior and seating of the airline’s A321neos.
Other amenities
Economy class passengers will get stereo headphones (the left one on the picture above). Other amenities will include limited edition playing cards which passengers can request from the cabin crew, “Béshopping” non-woven shopping bags that come in three sizes for passengers purchasing duty-free items onboard, as well as puzzles as complimentary toys for children.
