Airline Food in the Twentieth Century - A Short History [Guest Post]

Airline Food History: Pan Am, In-Flight Dining & Culinary Nostalgia

This is a guest post kindly provided by Associate Professor Bryce Evans, School of Humanities at Liverpool Hope University.

Airline Food: From Laughter to Nostalgia

A staple topic for stand-up comedians, airline food has long been ridiculed. But during the 2020 lockdowns, it experienced a surprising wave of nostalgia, sparking renewed interest in famous airline food dishes.

With flights grounded, airlines began selling meals online, and passengers eagerly bought them. In October, Singapore Airlines hosted dinners aboard a grounded A380 at Changi Airport. Tickets sold out in 30 minutes, demonstrating renewed appreciation for in-flight dining experiences.

The Golden Age of Airline Dining

Today, airlines like Emirates, Turkish, and Singapore are known for quality gourmet airplane meals. This excellence stems from historical developments and collaboration with top chefs.

This evolution is explored in Evans’ book Food and Aviation in the Twentieth Century: the Pan American Ideal, which traces the evolution of airline cuisine. The book highlights Pan Am, an iconic airline of the Golden Age of air travel, synonymous with luxury, glamour, and Pan Am airline food.

Pan Am and the Evolution of Airline Food

Post-World War Two, Pan Am introduced frozen, oven-heated meals in aluminium containers, setting the modern standard for airline meals. Early 1920s meals were simpler, with pursers buying local food during stopovers and serving it cold aboard the plane.

By the 1950s, airlines collaborated with chefs and employed glamorous stewardesses to serve haute cuisine. Pan Am’s partnership with Maxim’s restaurant in Paris won international awards for frozen food in 1956, elevating airline meals to gourmet status. Eventually, economy class passengers also enjoyed gourmet dishes like coq-au-vin, prepared by Michelin-starred chefs.

Adapting to the Skies

Scientific research revealed that altitude, pressure, and low humidity dull taste buds. Airlines adapted with spiced dishes, heavier sauces, and fruitier wines to enhance flavour during flights. Pan Am’s Boeing 747 featured a luxurious upper-deck in-flight dining experience, complete with fine china, linen tablecloths, and eight-course meals served mid-flight.

Decline and Nostalgia

By the 1970s, mass air travel and no-frills carriers reduced in-flight meals to minimal snacks. Deregulation intensified competition, and lavish carriers like Pan Am eventually folded in 1991. Today, retro dining experiences, such as Los Angeles’ Pan Am stage-set dinners, keep the gourmet legacy alive.

Airline Food Reimagined

Despite mixed experiences on short-haul carriers, interest in airline meals is resurging. Passengers are discovering that in-flight dining can be luxurious, gourmet, and nostalgic, reminding us of the rich airline meals of the 20th century.

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