Which Airline Has the Best Coffee? And Why?

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  • Anonymous
    Guest

    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I don’t drink a great deal of coffee, preferring tea. But there are some airlines who can’t get tea right, and so coffee it is.

    Now, I have sympathy for airline creating hot beverages at altitude; the boiling point of water is different at altitude so it can be difficult to get infusions to work to their best. However, most airlines brew up on the ground for shorthaul and some have super-duper pressure vessels to eliminate the issue on longhaul (though some airlines have removed these as they were a danger, leaking onto electronics…!).

    So what’s your preferred airline for coffee?

    Mine would be a tie between Swiss and Qantas longhaul who both have whizzy coffee machines in F which made delicious coffee.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    The best coffee is brewed by those airlines who pre warm the cups or mugs. Serving hot coffee in a freezing cold receptacles is “pants”.


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Gosh, I’d never even considered that.

    I can’t properly enjoy anything not served in Fine Bone China.


    MartynSinclair
    Participant

    BA do pre warm the Fine Bone China – Qantas will on request!

    M & S used to sell an imitation metal range of cups and mugs. I sometimes take one of those on board along with my now favourite Aged 50 birthday mug (that is made of bone china – may be not the finest though!).

    Nothing beats coffee from your own mug, correct quantity, has a nice feel and taste even at 35,000′.. especially when in either 1A or 60J, watching a new release and ready for a snooze. Life is just superb, with a good cup of coffee!


    Potakas
    Participant

    Aegean Airlines had the best Cappuccino I had ever experienced on board, they offer it on J and this airline doesn’t have F.

    Second choice is BA F.

    IB, BA and MA on shorthaul J was like the usual Y coffee that you get everywhere.

    May ask if BA offers Cappuccino or Espresso in CW?


    RichHI1
    Participant

    One of the major issues for airlines for all hot beverages is the water system and the quality of water they use. The best coffee I can remember was a Ristretto served (repeatedly – I could have flown without the plane) on Alitalia 777 service in Magnifica (Business) MXP to GRU. After that had a very good coffee on IB flight (A346 in Business) from MAD to MEX. Regrettably I find truly great coffee is not a given or repeatable on any carrier.
    Allergic to black tea though I do enjoy the Green Tea served throughout China and on Japanese carriers. CX coffee in First on 744 HKG to LHR was OK but not great.
    Worst in my experience is any AA coffee or any BA CE coffee (probably applies to most American carriers – particularly on domestic routes and most European flights though at times, IB, TP and AZ is not too bad and SK has its moments. These though are drinkable not good.


    azidane
    Participant

    I have had very nice cappucinos in QR’s J Class but the best coffee I have had in the air was in BA’s First, this was very nice and with a shot of Johnnie Walker Blue Label it was simply delicious


    azidane
    Participant

    I have had very nice cappucinos in QR’s J Class but the best coffee I have had in the air was in BA’s First, this was very nice and with a shot of Johnnie Walker Blue Label it was simply delicious


    David
    Participant

    Austrian (long haul) does a great job, even going so far as offering a “coffee menu” with some 8 to 10 different coffees to choose from.

    I’ve been most disappointed with BA’s – simply a bag of coffee that has been submerged in hot water (like a pot of tea). That being said, I flew Lufthansa yesterday (from India) and its coffee was not much better…


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I think BA use Nespresso machines on longhaul, so I’m surprised by the bag comment. Was that recently?


    Swissdiver
    Participant

    BA F clearly. Then AF offers espresso coffee in business as well as some others do. But usually, the best one is back on the ground…


    Potakas
    Participant

    Side comment, BA (F) offered Arabic Coffee on my way to DXB which was a nice touch for the Arabs (make them feel like they are already home) .

    Is there espresso/cappuccino @ CW?


    Hippocampus
    Participant

    Potakas, There is no option of an expresso or cappuccino in CW, only filter coffee, which is frankly incredible given the coffee revolution in Britain over the past ten years.


    Scandinavian
    Participant

    Continental Business First has excellent espresso coffees and warm cookies mid-flight. Qatar’s coffee is good too. Scandinavian Airlines when the machines are working!

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