QF’S NEW LONG-HAUL MENU

A HERBAL tea blend created especially for Qantas is just one of the menu items ready for passengers travelling on the Flying Kangaroo’s new non-stop flights between Perth and London.

The Dreamliner 787 menu has been created to increase hydration, encourage sleep and help reduce jet lag for those embarking on the long-haul service which will commence on March 24.

Qantas’ creative director of food & beverage Neil Perry says the new menus combine research from the University of Sydney’s Charles Perkins Centre with experience of the Qantas and Rockpool teams to craft dishes that encourage sleep at optimal times during the 17-hour trip.

“Working with clinical sleep specialists, nutritionists and metabolic scientists we’ve designed new menu options using ingredients that have added benefits of hydration, aiding sleep and reducing jet lag,” the celebrity chef explains.

“The menu we are trialling on the Perth-to-London route will continue to offer a selection of customer favourites but it has some special ingredient additions and exclusions.”

Highlights of the new in-flight menu include cold-pressed juice, the herbal tea made from lemon verbena chamomile and lemongrass, dishes featuring ingredients like leafy vegetables and strawberries that promote hydration, kombucha, and hot chocolate when it’s time to slumber.

While the menu is ready to launch on the inaugural March flight the Qantas team will continue tweaking the offering with the next step in the research involving trials with a group of frequent flyers using apps wearable technology to collect data.

In that process the University of Queensland researchers will consider everything from sleeping and activity patterns to mental state and eating habits as well as considering hydration before, during and after the journey.