I am writing this from my corner seat on Austrian flight from Vienna towards Dubai. As the whole flight is kind of second round of the same route I did last year, it’s wonderful chance to make one 1-year Comparison, and of course, over one of my favorite subjects Food and Service.

On Feb 2010 I wrote a story from my airborne corner seat titled as “Expectations, Stereotypes and Experiences; just thinking on a Austrian Airlines flight.” Skipping the entertainment part this time – I did not use it all because of work I had to do - my focus then was wondering why Austrians are flying with a Arabic flavor towards Dubai. Never got whether the reason was the clientele or wish to put passengers heading the Arabic world into a right mood on the food and tastes too, but I sure personally found it pretty strange as Austrian cuisine is well-known and country has produced many well-know Chefs working nowadays around the world.

And as said before, airlines have so huge possibility to use food as a Ambassador Tool to promote regions, culture or new experiences. Tell me another location where your customer are voluntarily trapped on their seats and you put a plate under the nose and give the friendly “eat now”-commands over centralized speaker system?

Okay, back to this flight. Chef, yes one of the staff members actually wearing a chef’s jacket and white hat, also a good move that so few are using despite the well-recognized Power of Uniform, came with a menu looking like this - sorry for picture quality but my studio and professional photographer were not with me;

Still with international elements, even slightly Arabic ones but Austrian and continental European classics like saddle of veal Milanese and of course Grammel- & Fleischknödels!  I am learning this way many of friends are following so shot for pics of the Flights Menu, enjoy;

Without no questions, Coffee in Vienna, Wiener Kaffee, is one of the world’s best known part of the Austrian food culture so I was so pleased to see they are really flowing such a great culture into their planes too. Yes, it’s all about those same stereotypes that people recognize and fall deeply in love with. As the Coffee Menu tells, this is an Austrian tradition started in 1683 so definitely the story needs to be told inflight, maybe with even more visibility on planes?

And continuing with Austrian stereotypes, what would a dinner be without a good dessert. Nothing. I wrote last year, on my first Austrian flight ever I liked my “Iranian” coffee then with plenty of good appetizers like Turkish lentil patties, humus, tabouleh and so on, but honestly looked for more traditional continental European ones - at least good desserts you could expect, couldn’t you? Warm Baked Chocolate Mousse was my Sacher cake today and a really liked it but maybe some genuine Sacher next time would act as a Crown Jewel of the Austrian inlight menu? Knowing that many of your clients are Austrians and some of them probably already sick of Austrian food…

Service? As accurate and professional as last time, nothing to complain, very professional purser who came to ask for any wishes pretty regularly but also realized the fact that some people needs to work. Also a good sign of professional customer management, also over the air space.

I wrote last time that my personal expectation for Austrian Airlines was based on purely stereotypes without any experience; nothing to complain, nothing to cheer; good, professional, easy, comfortable. As stereotypes are not in force alone anymore, I need to take some words back as there was really something to cheer. The staff worked very well, were smiling and friendly and yes, the changes in food with plenty of Austrian wines to pair with was really an enjoyable experience. As I am known to be a difficult customer on some issues, althought trying to be that on in the sense of development and discussion, I need to admit that Sacher Cake was the only part I missed. Can you handle Sacher Torte for me next time? I’m sure you can.

Cheers for Austrian Airlines and all the smart people you have working for you. Looking at you from this corner seat 4H you are doing great work. Hope to see you soon again!