The ongoing coronavirus pandemic has seen many airlines look to minimize close contact between their passengers and crew members. In a lot of cases, this has led to a significant reduction in onboard catering services.

However, this is not the case for Singapore Airlines. The Singaporean flag carrier announced yesterday that it would, in fact, be launching a new short-haul economy class meal concept. This will offer passengers a significantly wider variety of options than previously.

Where and when will it be available?

In a press release published yesterday, Singapore Airlines announced that it (and its regional subsidiary SilkAir) would soon launch a new short-haul economy class meal concept. Coming into action on December 1st, this new menu will be available on flights that are less than three and a half hours long. There are some exceptions, namely flights between Singapore and the Malaysian cities of Kuala Lumpur and Penang, as well as Medan, Indonesia.

The program will consist of over 40 new dishes, which Singapore Airlines will serve on a rotating basis across different short-haul flights. Some of these new dishes have not previously been available to the airline's economy passengers. These include "Singaporean favorites such as congee, laksa, and gravy-rich mee siam."

Although the use of the new menu onboard will commence in December, one can also enjoy it on the ground beforehand. Specifically, those who visit the carrier's 'Inside Singapore Airlines' tours in November 2020 will be the first to preview the new menu. The airline will serve certain meals from the new menu at these events.

The makeup of the new menu

Singapore Airlines developed its new menu with Singaporean catering provider SATS. The airline's Vice President of Customer Experience, Mr. Teoh Phee Teik, expressed his excitement towards the menu's launch, stating:

"We are delighted to be able to offer a greater variety and quality of meals on our short-haul flights, including selections from Singapore’s popular local favorites that we hope both Singaporeans and international customers will find familiar and comforting."

The press release also featured an extensive list of meals that Singapore Airlines will potentially include in its new offering. Amounting to over a page long, the carrier divided the list into the following categories:

• Breakfast / All Day Dining
• Soups
• Lunch/Dinner (Western)
• Lunch/Dinner (Oriental)
• Lunch/Dinner (Oriental)
• Dessert

Environmental considerations

As well as increasing variety for passengers, Singapore Airlines has worked with SATS to develop a more sustainable approach to its catering. The packaging of the new meals is an example of this.  It consists of "a leak-proof box and cup made of Forest Stewardship Council certified paper, a dessert box, and a cutlery pack made of bamboo with a paper wrap."

This will benefit passengers as well as the environment, as its deep and secure nature "[retains] gravy and soupy dishes without any seepage." The CEO of Food Solutions at SATS, Mr. Kerry Mok, was pleased to be involved in the project, stating:

"Developing eco-friendly packaging solutions that can improve quality of food has to take into consideration various challenges unique to the preparation of aviation meals."

Following the opening of its popular Airbus A380 restaurant, this new menu represents another culinary innovation by Singapore Airlines this year. This is despite the fact that many other carriers are choosing to reduce their onboard catering options in light of COVID-19. The sustainable aspect of the packaging for the new meals is also admirable. The menu will be sure to prove popular with passengers when it launches on December 1st.

What are your thoughts on Singapore Airlines' new short-haul economy class meal concept? Let us know in the comments!