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NEW YORK (CNN/Money) -
Is it money well spent? Even as the airline industry has spiraled into financial duress, carriers have partnered with celebrity chefs, sommeliers and gourmet food producers to create an in-flight food and wine experience that rivals top restaurants.
Case in point, Northwest Airlines (down $0.03 to $0.85, Research), which filed for bankruptcy this week.
Two years ago, the airline updated its world business-class meal service to include small luxuries like Veuve Cliquot champagne. Dinner could be smoked salmon with boiled potatoes, creme fraiche and fish roe, or a traditional Japanese shokado meal.
Northwest's meal improvements are small change compared to luxuries added at American and Continental for their premium passengers.
Fly American to London, and you'll eat a special meal created by Dallas celebrity chef Stephen Pyles, the first chef from Texas to be inducted into the James Beard Foundation's Who's Who of Food and Beverage in America.
It seems counterintuitive to up the opulence when United, Delta (up $0.06 to $0.81, Research), Northwest and US Airways -- the nation's No. 2, 3, 4 and 7 air carriers -- have all filed for bankruptcy.
But business travelers and their pricier fares have long supported leisure travelers, according to Andrew Menkes, chairman and chief executive of Partnership Travel Consulting.
"The [average] cost of a first class transatlantic trip equates to almost $1,000 per hour," said Menkes. "Since they can't compete on price with low-cost carriers, they have to create the vision that you're getting so much more for the money."
The finest wine in the skies
At 35,000 feet, the body becomes less sensitive to sugar, and wine and food can lose up to 50 percent of its flavor. General flight conditions also take their toll.
Airline sommeliers heat, chill and shake bottles to see if they can withstand the heat of the tarmac and turbulence.
Chefs create dishes that retain full flavors, even when prepared in spartan cabin kitchens.
In order to woo high-flying customers, Continental (up $0.06 to $11.77, Research) has added two sommeliers over the past two years, including David Gordon, wine director for the world famous Tribeca Grill in New York City.
Continental's "Congress of Chefs," which works for flights rather than pay, has designed menu options like roasted breast of duck accented by balsamic cherry sauce, offered with roasted garlic mashed potatoes and sauteed baby spinach for travelers to Rio.
When flying back from Paris, top customers get rack of lamb with roasted garlic and herb jus or shrimp scampi served over saffron risotto.
American Airlines recently introduced new first- and business-class menus on flights between Europe and the United States, with European chefs whipping up creations like apple soy marinated beef served with horseradish cream and thin potatoes, portobello mushroom carpaccio and smoked sesame salmon with sweet chili cucumber, and peaches in amaretto sauce served with biscotti stuffing.
And since 1985, expert enologist and wine consultant, Dr. Richard Vine of Purdue University, has selected wines for the American's passengers.
U.S. carriers have to compete for high-ticket passengers with the likes of Air France (up $0.01 to $17.31, Research), which offers an astounding wine list selected by Olivier Poussier, voted the world's best sommelier in 2000.
British Airways (down $0.15 to $64.94, Research) has brought aboard Jancis Robinson, wine correspondent for the Financial Times to help with beverage selection, and its Culinary Council conists of chefs, restaurateurs and food writers. The carrier has recently hired the chef from the world-renowned Chiva Som spa and resort in Thailand to create healthy dining options for its passengers.
Value-added versus value
But even as major airlines work hard create distinct classes on their flights, travelers are looking for value.
"Instead of lowering prices to compete with Southwest (up $0.45 to $14.25, Research), JetBlue (down $0.06 to $18.99, Research) and Ryanair (up $0.97 to $46.86, Research), they create these luxury tiers of service," said Menkes.
"Maybe the three classes of service model needs to be revisited. The low-cost trend is to treat everyone the same, but to treat them all well," he added
A wise trend at a time when companies are having a hard time justifying thousands of extra dollars spent on a first or business class ticket, versus economy, all for a better glass of wine.
"There will always be a luxury traveler... but by definition, if there are too many of them it starts to feel like a commodity. That automatically detracts from some of the opulence of it all," Menkes said.
Perhaps anticipating the changing winds of service, Eos Airlines is slated to begin its first flight between New York and London. The start-up carrier has only business and first class passengers – the demographic with the bucks – and is dedicated to making the journey as enjoyable as the destination.
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