The first airline meals were served by Handley Page Transport, an airline company founded in 1919, to serve the London–Paris route in October of that year.
Passengers could choose from a selection of sandwiches and fruit. However, throughout the years, airline companies developed an elaborate and wide flight menu.
On long-haul international flights in first class and business class, most Asian and European airlines serve gourmet meals, while legacy carriers based in the US tend to serve multi course meals including a cocktail snack, appetizer, soup, salad, entrée (chicken, beef, fish, or pasta), cheeses with fruit, and ice cream. Some long-haul flights in first and business class offer such delicacies as caviar, champagne, and sorbet
Scandinavian Airlines in honor of their 70th anniversary released vintage photos that reflect the mouthwatering spectrum of in-flight food served from 1950s to the 1980s. These photos that will make you furious with envy show the extravagant first class meals which included nothing less than lobsters, caviar, salmon, turkeys, with an occasional ham legs, variety of bread and cheese.
All images by: SAS MUSEET
The photos show also the diverse and plentiful array of drink that was served to the passengers.
Next time we are eating our cold in-flight panini we sure will be thinking of this in-flight food festival .