ChicLamb satay / Image credit: SIngapore Airlines

Skyscanner recruited over 200 international travellers and bloggers from across Asia Pacific as food critics in its first study the region’s onboard meals. The panel rated the airlines’ inflight meals based on taste, presentation and choice. The judges, who assessed low cost airlines, also evaluated their value for money.

Singapore-based Tiger Airways triumphed in the “low cost airline” category, beating Scoot (Singapore), AirAsia (Malaysia), Korean Air, Jeju Air (Korea) and Spring Airlines (China), whcih also made it into the top five.

In the “short haul” category Singapore Airlines took the top slot, followed by Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, Philippine Airlines, and China Southern.

For the best in long haul dining Garuda Indonesia piped Korean Air, Singapore Airlines, AirAsia X and Air China  (also the top five).

Grilled beef tenderloin / Image credit: Garuda Indonesia

Korean Air, Garuda Indonesia and Singapore Airlines were the only airlines to make it to the top five ranking in both the short and long haul categories.

A Skyscanner survey of 1,400 international travellers also revealed that 39% of air travellers believe the overall quality of airline food was “good and improving”, with chicken winning the age-old “beef or chicken” question for the respondents.

Airline food now appears to be so good that 43% admitted to being envious of their neighbour’s choice of meal.

Over a quarter of the respondents (28%) ordered a special diet meal, with 8% choosing it because it “tasted better” than the regular meal.

Ira Noviani, Skyscanner’s group market development manager for South East Asia said. “Airline food used to have a reputation for being bland, but the quality of in-flight meals has improved massively as airlines place greater importance on serving good food at altitude. The majority of airlines have now realised that the quality of the meals can sway regular flyers to travel with them.”