<B> Let Them Eat Breadfruit!</B>
By Les Baker
<i>Les Baker is vice president of Prism Group Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in the travel industry. He has eaten more than 2,000 airline meals.</i>
Airline food is the brunt of many jokes. Still airlines try to differentiate themselves from other carriers by their food.
Many meal deals have been tried. Most don't last: fresh baked
cookies, buffets, pizza promotions, consultant chefs, bagged lunch ala gangway. World Airways once charged passengers extra for their meals--until the frugal tried to bum rolls from the prepared. Airline meal advertisements are more enticing than any restaurant.
My point is this: It is difficult to differentiate the airline product by meals. He who lives by the salad, dies by the chicken. If airlines are in the meal business, why doesn't a restaurant chain purchase PanAm?
Meal service has a long history. Until 1806, ship meals were lethal. Rats were described as a delicacy tasting similar to venison. Lemons changed history, by eliminating travelers scurvy. That is, until 1875, when in a cost-cutting move, the British government decided to replace lemons with limes, and scurvy returned. Science had not yet discovered that limes had half the Vitamin C. In the 17th century, the British Admiralty introduced sauerkraut as the panacea for all ills. The heated debate of the day was sauerkraut vs. fruit. The former won, and travelers paid the toll.
Modern canning and pickling techniques also are the results of experiments on long haul international frequent travelers. And when all else failed, a pint of rum at lunch and dinner blunted the pain of bad food.
Many of us may forever link breadfruit with a long trip and a difficult captain from the story Mutiny on the Bounty. Yet, breadfruit held the promise of a cheap traveler entree. Despite the navigational exploits of Captain James Cook, his most important legacy may be as the Father of In-Flight Meals. Under his stewardship, traveler death by disease and food poisoning was mostly eliminated. The proper size canister was discovered, and bacteria held in check.
Cruise lines are renowned for their dazzling, creative culinary delights. But the perfect solution to the in-flight meal quandary is probably a century off. It will require the greatest minds the science and technology community. I am optimistic.
For now, I'm content to simply arrive on time at my destination sans peanuts. Still, I would be amiss not to suggest a couple of in-flight meal suggestions.
First, on flights of less than two hours, the addition of a juice bar would be a welcome, healthy and creative twist. Just keep that noisy blender in the galley! Second, a laptop manufacturer who comarkets a laptop lookalike lunch box with enticing food would earn my hardware purchase. Third, too much food is wasted. Health laws aside, my suggestion is to provide a tax credit to airlines donating appropriate food to charity.
Finally, I suggest the airlines offer a $100 prize to any one who can provide a sensible replacement to peanuts/pretzels/raisins/goldfish.